Important Dates Principal Report - Brunswick Secondary College

Students in 7S have studied have studied the science fiction genre and have written a science fiction story. Theyhave been reading Chinese Cinderella. Students are completing a creative writing unit. After visiting the Artgallery, students are writing poems in response to one of the art works they saw at the gallery. In History, thestudents have been studying civilisations. In term 2, students completed their unit on Ancient Egypt, and aremoving on to spending a brief time studying another ancient civilisation of their choice before their final gradedassessment task, which will be to create their own civilisation.How do they learn?Although we all show preferences for particular learning styles it is valuable, challenging and difficult to engage indifferent ways of learning. At BSC, students do have the opportunity to learn in a variety of ways. Many tasks aredesigned to support the different styles of learning. It is important that we encourage students to use andconsolidate their preferred learning modes as well as encourage them to develop strengths in other learningstyles. To cater for the diversity of learning preferences teachers employ a selection of the strategies that will beable to expand their repertoires of learning preferences. We support visual learners by designing learning andassessment activities that require students to create visual representations of information such as usingdiagrams, graphs, poster and PowerPoint slides. Aural learners are supported by enabling them to explain ideasin detail and by providing them with opportunities to present information orally to groups or the class. Learnerswho prefer reading and writing learn best when they can explain ideas and examples in detail. These students areencourages to organise information lists. Learning and assessment tasks may require students to create writtenrepresentations of information – for example, dot-point summaries, essay plans.As each school year and all students’ transition to secondary school can vary, in February I asked onestudent from each pastoral group to record his/her experiences. I wish to thank Mathilda Cameron’s (7N)for agreeing to share her journey with the school community.Monday 15 th February 2010When I first started at BSC, I had no idea where to go and I kept getting lost trying to find my classes. I wasnervous about doing the wrong thing and getting into trouble. In no time, however I was able to find my wayaround the school. Everything was much easier settling in than I thought it would be. I even made friends quickly.I thought that when I started secondary school I would lose my primary school friends but I have not as we stillspeak to each other. I have made a lot of new friends. I have found that the teachers are helpful and all thestudents are friendly.Thursday 15 th April 2010Now I am used to the school groups and I know where everything is. I have got used to secondary school quickly.At the start of term 2, I knew where to go without asking anyone for help. I have made friends that are even morenew. I have become much more comfortable in my class and with my teachers. My favourite classes now, areSport and PE, Food and English. I enjoy coming to school each day and I look forward to trying plenty of thingsthat I have never done before. I am learning some new things and some of the work is challenging. I will continueto try my best.Tuesday 1 st June 2010I have completely settled into secondary school at Brunswick and I am looking forward to the rest of my yearshere. I feel I have made the right choice coming to this school. I have got to know my surroundings. All of thepeople at this school are friendly; everybody has a sense of humour and everyone is there for each other. Everyday there is a different class that I enjoy. Recess and lunchtimes are fun because there are all different thingspeople can do such as play basketball or soccer, use a computer, read a book in the library or just sit around andtalk which is what my friends and I like to do. I still talk to all my old primary school friends but I also have madenew friends. In the Food class, we cook both savoury and sweet treats. They are equally delicious. In P.E., weare learning about the different muscles of the body and we are learning to play basketball. In my SOSE class, wehave just finished studying Ancient China and have moved on to Deserts of the world. I have learned more inmaths in the first two terms of school than I have learned in the whole of last year. This may seem overwhelmingbut it is not because my teacher explains everything very well and in a way that is easy to understand. There arevarious clubs people can join e.g. Book, Art, and Public Speaking Clubs. I went on a book-buying excursion withBook Club and it was fun.Kind Regards,Nadia Cavallin2