Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2018

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SEVEN SIMPLE SECRETS FOR SUCCESS

AUTHOR Mrs Emma Lowry Associate Dean (Students)

REFERENCES Blankson, A. (2017). The future of happiness. 5 modern strategies for balancing productivity and well-being in the digital era. Dallas: Perseus Distribution. Capelli., G. (2018). Glenn Capelli’s vocapulary. [PDF]. Retrieved from http://glenncapelli.com/portals/0/site_content/res/Capelli-voCAP-Kaizen.pdf Covey, S. (1998). The seven habits of highly effective teens. New York: Simon & Schuster Sound Ideas. Fuller, A. (2016). Set yourself up for a great year. [PDF]. Retrieved from http://andrewfuller.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/setyourselfup.pdf Preuschoff, G. (2006). Raising girls: Why are girls different – and how to help them grow up strong and happy. California. Celestial Arts. tasks, and a 4.4 second interruption (such as sending a text) can triple error rates—a significant concern, as the average mobile user checks their phone more than 150 times per day (Blankson, 2017, pp. 28–30). 5. Create brain downtime ‘On’ is impossible without ‘off’. Brains require downtime to process all of the information they have taken in, to ‘chunk’ information and to form long-term memories. 6. Enjoy unstructured, free play Be active; break into a sweat. Co-curricular activities are an essential part of a Grammar girl’s day, and free play and time away from academic pursuits is valuable to build healthy neurological development, mental health and wellbeing, physical fitness, social development and academic performance. 7. Carpe diem Be grateful for the moment and decide to be happy now. Many people wait to be happy, or lose the moment by thinking about the future. Take stock of what is in your life at the moment. Be kind; be a good friend. Laugh and have fun. While these secrets for success may appear self-evident, it can be easy to lose sight of them in the busy-ness of a school year. For each individual girl to add her special thread to the Girls Grammar tapestry, the School’s motto, Nil Sine Labore , needs to be understood not only in academic terms, but in the context of working sensibly and strategically to be her best self.

A line in the School Song exhorts the girls to ‘draw strength from our diversity’, indicating the culture of Brisbane Girls Grammar School celebrates each individual’s contributions. At the beginning of the year, I encouraged students, parents and friends to return to simple steps that everyone can take to make this year one to remember. 1. Be open-minded toward friendliness Friendships during adolescence have the capacity to provide a sense of belonging and security, bring joy, promote self-esteem, cultivate interpersonal skills, and build a sense of individual and group identity (Preuschoff, 2006). With an open mind, girls can create many positive relationships, reducing stress levels and fostering connection (Fuller, 2016). 2. Practise doing your best Strive toward personal bests—in the classroom, in co-curricular participation and in social interactions— by becoming the best ‘you’. Child psychologist, Andrew Fuller (2016), suggests that each year, students aim to develop one positive aspect of themselves by simply appreciating that quality, and practising it. 3. Be fit for purpose—be prepared for learning Begin with the end in mind by writing down intentional goals for each semester. Written articulation of goals brings priorities to the foreground and enables students to remember what they are striving to achieve. Glenn Capelli (2018), a guest speaker who presents to Year 7, speaks of ‘ 改善 kaizen’, which translates to ‘little bit, little bit improving every day’. Highly effective teens practise discipline and patience, and surround themselves with people who bring out the best in each other. 4. Turn attention to intention Tune in; don’t zone out. An interruption as short as 2.8 seconds (the length of time it takes to read a short text message) can double error rates on simple sequencing

AUTUMN ISSUE / 2018