2013 Senior Admissions Handbook - The Southport School

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22 The Southport School Senior Handbook 2013 The Prep Year program develops fine motor skills with the Duplo Tech machines kits and creative ‘free build’ tasks. The program is taught in the individual Prep Level classrooms by the Class Teacher. In Year 1, students are taught by a Specialist LEGO Technology Teacher. The theme of ‘Structures and building Techniques’ utilise the LEGO Duplo Structure kits. Students build and investigate simple building and balancing theories. In the Year 2 LEGO Technology classes, boys develop their understanding of Mechanisms and Machines. Students investigate Gears, Pulleys, Lever and Wheels using the LEGO Mini Machines kits. Year 3 begin their Robotic Engineering training with the LEGO Wedo kits. This robotics kit is designed for younger children. It provides hands-on learning experiences for building and programming smaller robotic models. Activities are designed to actively engage children’s creative thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Renewable Energy and Advanced Machine principles are the themes for the Year 4 Program. Students complete their ‘Advanced’ Simple Machines training and develop an understanding of Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy. The programming software ‘Scratch’ and the LEGO Wedo kits are integrated to allow students to create Computer Animations with Robotic Sensor triggers in the Year 5 LEGO Robotics course. A class based theme is used to demonstrate how Robotics systems can be used in Multi-Media presentations. The Year 6 students continue their Robotic training with an introductory course into the LEGO NXT Robotics Mindstorm system. The course allows students to investigate Sensors, Motors and simple Programming structure. The Year 7 students continue their Robotic training in the Senior School Robotic Laboratory. Intermediate programming techniques are taught using the LEGO NXT Robotic System. Year 8 students have a 13-week rotation of Robotic Engineering and use the LEGO NXT Robotics sets to build and program robots to compete in class challenges such as Hill Climbing, Robot Sumo and ‘Widget’ Collecting. In Year 9, students can elect to take Robotic Engineering as a one year specialist course. Boys continue their Robotic training using the LEGO NXT robots and NXT-G programming language. Challenges include ‘a Lunar meteorite collecting Robot’ , designing and building a Robot to entering into the Robocup Junior Rescue competition, creating datalogging robots and solving the FIRST LEGO league yearly challenge. The Year 10 Robotics and Information Processing Technology course extends students programming skill by using the text based language of ‘Robot C’. Robot C is a derivative of C++, an industry standard programming language. The LEGO NXT robots are easily adapted to using ‘Robot C’ and students can see the Robotic Engineering progression from School to University to Industry. The Southport School has a Young Engineers’ Society which meets weekly after school. The Society has been a huge success for the School in various local, State and International competitions and has student membership from Years 3 and beyond. The Young Engineers Society students develop skills in • Prototyping, designing, problem-solving and team work. • Gaining hands-on experience with programming, sensors, motors and intelligent units. • Real life situation challenges which engage in hands-on STEM education. Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand. Confucius, 450 B.C. Gifted Education The unique learning needs of bright and gifted students are fostered through the Gifted & Talented and Honours Programs here at TSS. These programs are designed to challenge students, empower them, encourage risk taking, creative thinking, individual accountability, foster independent learning and the pursuit of excellence. They are designed to nurture, support and extend boys from the Preparatory and Senior School who demonstrate high levels of ability and academic potential. Selection for the G&T Program in both the Senior and Preparatory School is multidimensional with an emphasis on ability testing and profiling of the top 5% to 10% of students. Current research indicators of the characteristics of Gifted and Talented student achievers and non-achievers are also considered in the identification process.
The Southport School Senior Handbook 2013 23 G&T Preparatory boys are clustered together within their year level classes and meet weekly with their Prep G&T specialist teacher. In the activity filled G&T classroom the curriculum focuses on extending the younger boys’ higher order thinking skills, creativity and innovative learning techniques, emotional intelligence and knowledge seeking. 2013 will see the start of two multi-aged Honours classes, a Year 3 and 4 Honours class and a Year 5 and 6 Honours class which cater for both high achieving G&T students and high academic achievers. Prep G&T also offers a variety of one and two day workshops throughout the school year and a G&T parent support group. Senior G&T boys meet on a weekly basis with a G&T specialist teacher to work in like-ability groups where they develop their thinking dispositions and skills while examining topics such as brain physiology, emotional intelligence, independent work habits, overcoming thinking blocks, accelerated and successful learning strategies. Looking at multiple perspectives and exploring deeper philosophical issues, without necessarily a definitive answer, is the basis for this learning. Students from Years 10-12 also get the opportunity to participate in G&T conferences. A Year 10 Gifted and Talented elective was implemented in 2008 and continues in 2013 to provide gifted students with a timetabled semester class to advance their learning. These students have the opportunity to work in a university-like manner on a major project and listen to guest speakers and experts from within and outside the TSS community. The course is run with TSS’s e-learning platform and students receive a grade for this elective. The Senior School Honours Program complements the G&T program by offering further opportunities for high ability students to address academic subjects in greater depth, enriching and accelerating their education. Importantly, this program also provides opportunities for those students who, through their persistence and hard work, can be recognised as high achieving academics. Various subject areas offer Honours and facilitate a variety of models such as: extension within the classroom, independent learning projects completed by students and mentored by their teachers, cluster groups of like-ability students, external national awards/competitions and accelerated English and Maths classes. Emphasis is placed on mentoring the students to achieve their best whilst reflecting on their own learning journey towards becoming inquiring, independent learners. The Gifted and Talented Resource centre, located behind the library in the Senior School, is designed to be comfortable, fun and stimulating. The centre is equipped with stimulating reading material, various thinking/problem solving games and puzzles, chess sets, computers and printers to enable independent work. This G&T space acts as a drop-in centre where students of like ability from Years 7–12 can gather encouraging a like-minded community of learners to grow and develop. Further information regarding our Gifted and Talented provisions at TSS can be found on our website http://www.tss.qld.edu.au/Parents_And_Students/senior/GiftedandTalented.aspx or email Mrs Angela Foulds-Cook - Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning/ Head of Gifted Education Reception - Year 12 at angela.foulds-cook@tss.qld.edu.au Co-Curricular Program TSS is an extremely dynamic environment and considerable expectation is placed on staff and students to involve themselves wholeheartedly in the co-curricular life of the School. What follows is a summary of key aspects of the co-curricular program and other facets of student life in which you will inevitably find yourself actively involved during your time at the School. Co-Curricular Expectations Students are expected to be enthusiastically involved in at least two (2) sports or activities in Years 8 to 11, whilst strongly encouraged to maintain this interest in their senior year. Many co-curricular opportunities are available either throughout the year or on a seasonal basis. Very few boys spend their time uninvolved, as it is quite difficult not to be engaged with the choices available. GPS Sports & Activities • Term One - Swimming, Rowing, Cricket, Sailing, Debating, Golf • Term Two - Rugby, Soccer, Cross-Country • Term Three - Football, Track & Field, Tennis, Basketball, Gymnastics • Term Four - Pre-season: Cricket, Rowing, Swimming, Sailing For more information please visit http://www.tss.qld.edu.au/tsssport • Performance Activities • Drama (School major production and House), Music (Choral, Orchestras and Bands) & Speech and Variety Club. • Cadets and Services
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2013 Senior Admissions Handbook - The Southport School

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