Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 1997

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Sarah Hack wi s constitutional essay prize

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students must overcome to realize this potential

Georga Cooke

For the past three years, peer tutorino has been integrated into the school prograni. This active learning approach, organised by Mrs Stubbingon, gives a select oroup of students the opportunity to assist Grade Two students of Brisbane Central Stale School with their literacy prooram on a weekly basis. These peel' tutors work with the younger students Ibllowing a varieiy of learning SII'ategies and collaboiative. creative writin, , pro^Cis

Peer tutoring is a co-operative learnino strategy where students work in pail's on designated Iasks. 11 is a procram that essentially involves students helping other students with their studies. h is based upon the assumption that one of the most powerful influences o11 a student's behaviour, and consequently learning is other students.

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Peer learning sri'ategies call be divided Into three basic groups: peer 1,110rino, Peer tutors are required 10 preseni peer collaboration, and co-operative infonnation 10 their partneis in a learning. Peer learnino is simplified, uricomplicated form cliaracterised by and based upon Therefore, by learning to clarify, equality of age, ability knowledoe or organise, and re-organise the material skills. it also entaUs mutuality. a so enta s inutu 11y. that they are dealing with, and b meaning the extent to which peers are explaining this material in differe I, synchronized, sensitive to one innovative terms, the tutors de I another's needs, challenge by one better understandino of themselv , d another, and essentially compatible strategies to their own studies peer learning as it is the sirateoy which SIudents gain insight into teachino. involves the most one-on-one, student- learning processes, sensitizino theIn to to-student contact. Therefore. it relies these techniques and, therefore, makino heavily on the positive naru^e of the It easier to identify and respond to relationship between the students these processes and patterns in their own classrooms Mrs Anne Stubbington, the coordinator of the pee tutoring program at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, was responsible for The peer tutor becomes a trusted helper and friend. "I learned as much as my their o1w, preferred learning styles. They are then able to apply thes previously unexplored learning Peer tutoring is the approach which focuses upon the mutuality factor of

Sintil, HncA. ,it, ceivi, 18 he, p, 12 for he, e, ,,, y in 1/1e Fo, ,,, dull0, I o1 A1, , Fair",, o11s, in, liond! Resen, t/, t, ,, d SII, ates Essay Co, ,11 eiiii0, I 1,111,141 v W, "so, ,. M Pi 7' Be, lire/I. and Sinn/, K, e, 1,111, DJ, I DoIrula, 141$ College. foolvoo, ,Iba. F1, UFOg""/,. 10/1/1 Rowd/ Following is Sarah Hack's essay which won First olds Subject: "me A"sir@It@ AC, s off986pro"Me tnnt the Gorer, ,ors""116e " g"ee, , s represe"to, ipei" e@cfo SI@te. " Explain what this means. In discussing Australia s system of executive coverrunent. iris nece look at the role of individual States and their structure. To ether with Ih ederal system centred in Canberra, the states and the TelTitories make h Commonwealth of Australia. Each Australian State has a vice-re I representative. the Governor, who is directly appointed by the Queen. The position of the Slate Governors is entrenched by the Australia c f 986. To change this Act an agreement needs 10 be mad by all the Paniam I ' each State. 11 can also be changed by altering the Constitution b a ref^ d Likeihe GovernorGeneralof the Commonwealth* the State Governor ' invested with very wide powers. No law can be passed unless the Gove agrees to it. He or she can decide when the Legislative Assembl shall SI. H or she 11as the power to appoint and dismiss Ministers and to dissolve Parliament. The Governor's role is an essential part of the to isIative The position of State Governor is an important one. Some peo re believ Ih I The Queen of the United Kingdomis our Head of State. The factis she is t. Our monarchy is not a Britisli one, it is an Australian one, as a result f legislation introduced into the Australian Parliament by Prime Minister M nearly 40 yeai's ago - the Royal Style and Titles Act 1953. Betoie 111e AUSrialia Acts or 198 . the Slate Goveinors had access to 111 Monarch Ihrougli tile Briiish Government who 11nd an advisoi'y role. in Australia Acts esiablislied their independence front Britain. Tile ACi. established the role of Ihe Governoi' as Her Majesty's represent, inv in Ih Stale. This nieans Ihat the rinonarchy only has the power 10 a oinr and telminate, Ihe appointment of a Governor. Advice in relation to these in 11 . '. made 10 the Premier of Ihe Slate. Although tile Ministers and Premier advise the Governor, the Gove d need to follow tileir advice. On occasion i is necessary for the Governo I exercise POWeis to make his own decisions and not on the advice or the P Tilese POWeis are known as reserve powers. 11'is important to reinembc Ih, the consiiiutional conventions governing the marinei in which these owers exeicised are 1101 laws, and are not enrolteable by the courts. The conventio are up held because they are regarded as bindino and because a tradition f political fail ness has developed around the monarchy and her re resentati As left Kenneli stated in a recent address to the Samuel Grimth So ' I . ' eserve powers without the convention and traditions emanatin from Ih Crown are dangerous. " TheI'efore, the reserve powers not affected by the Australia Acts. When Ih Governor makes a decision without. or against, the advice of Ih M' ' I , h' gives an important check and balance in our constitutional s SIe . One of tile antitiiects of fodemtion, anal Death, spoke of the Constitution as alofty achieve menL "I venom to subrntt, " he said, 'that aniono all the federal constitutions in the world you win look in van for one as broad in its popular base, as fibersl in its working philCipleS, as generous in its aim, as tints. me netne " ein Division 2 for I, - 5 vear

student did", said Saran, a two year veteran of peer tutoring, "and I felt I was doing something real". Not only does the peer tutoring program at Brisbane Girls Grammar School give its participants control

introducing the peer learning strategy into the school program. She designed the peer tutoring program to cater for students who experience some difficulties in adjusting to the competitive academic environment in

the school. Mrs Stubbing10n no only recognises the often untopped potential over their own learnin" bu al , d these students have to contribute both perhaps more importantl , a co fd 10 the school and the wider in their ability to con o1 and have community, but she also understands power over their entire school the difficulties and obstacles the experience

Editor'al Committtee SI, sap, ,, a Sjeg@I FFevr Panerso" Cacheri, ,e CIMp, ,, a"

SiCfi'Consuli@", s: Kris, file Cooke Neil DC1, issal Torii Reddac/!@' loft, , Rowe" GinMMAR GAZETTE 1997 - Po e 9

Ediior: Spor, s Ed"@r: Ar!s Editor: