2013 Annual Review

GENERAL REPORT MRS JUDITH TUDBALL DEPUTY PRINCIPAL (OPERATIONS)

LIFE-WIDE LEARNING – LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

‘Let the mountains speak for themselves’ (Nold, cited in Dirx & Lavin)

Learning from experience has long been lauded within educational circles. While the experiential learning concept is not a new one, there has been little formal research into the theory behind learning outside the classroom. However, Brisbane Girls Grammar School remains committed to leading the way and providing exceptional opportunities for our students to engage in learning outside the classroom.

‘A child’s contact with nature will influence health in adulthood as well as having many other long-term gains.’ (MacGibbon, 2010)

outdoor education expert Roger Greenaway. This programme focused on reflection and the significant impact outdoor education experiences can have on the social and emotional development of young people. Workshop attendees developed reviewing and debriefing techniques and learnt how to capture energy and imagination in reflective practices. The concept of reflection in teaching and learning is another well established one, however, in the busy ‘connected’ world we now live in, it is often challenging to find the time to do so. The Outdoor Education Programme, along with the Year 8 Philosophy of Learning subject, provides students with the time and space to reflect on their learning and thereby evaluate their capacity to grow as confident learners. The outdoor education campus also provides a vehicle for the Fathers Group to connect with the School through a very tangible form of support. Their weekend retreats at Imbil provide an outlet for fathers to bond and share parenting experiences while undertaking projects to further enhance the Outdoor Education Centre. This year, the Fathers Group provided essential support to build a new camping pad located high on a beautiful ridge behind Marrapatta, in preparation for the School’s intake of Year 7 in 2015. Complementing our outdoor education facility is the newly acquired campus located at Fig Tree Pocket. Monday 14 January 2013 was a significant day in the history of Girls Grammar, as it marked the day the School officially became custodians of this new 13-hectare campus located at Sprenger Street, Fig Tree Pocket, bringing the number of Girls Grammar campuses to three. The Fig Tree Pocket campus will provide a home venue for competitive sports including cricket, football, touch football, hockey, and cross country invitational meets,

Outdoor education was introduced to the School in 1978. Marrapatta, the School’s outdoor education facility located at Imbil in the Mary Valley, was opened in 1987. Twenty- seven years later it remains the only outdoor education facility operated by a single-sex girls’ school in Queensland. Outdoor education is essential for enriching the education experiences undertaken in the formal curriculum at the Spring Hill campus. Taking the girls out of their usual routine and comfort zone, and reaching beyond the standard academic realm develops life skills and explores the diverse interests of our students. Simply put, the Outdoor Education Programme focuses on three areas: learning about the environment, personal discovery, and working with others in teamwork situations. Five Outdoor Education staff, supported by visiting academic staff from across all faculty areas, lead the students in sequential activities designed to not only challenge, but to also explore personal characteristics, thereby developing important skills required by the girls to embrace life effectively. Tonia Gray, Associate Professor from the University of Wollongong refers to relationship, resilience and reflection as the ‘three Rs’ that are overlooked in the modern curriculum (MacGibbon, 2010). Outdoor education, however, lends itself beautifully to doing just that. Our Outdoor Education staff led the way by contributing to the Outdoor Educators’ Association of Queensland Biennial Conference held in Cairns in 2013. Mr James McIntosh, Director of Outdoor Education, is the President of the organisation, and Marrapatta staff played an integral role in the planning of the Think Outside: No Box Required conference. Furthering professional learning opportunities for outdoor educators, the Marrapatta staff hosted a weekend Active Reviewing workshop with leading international

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BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2013 Annual Review