Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2005

IN Focus

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combining headandheart

a sense of competence and confidence in he capacity to do things. Dr Deak not only affirmed the positive outcome of academic rigoui; but even more powerful Iy she communicated the profound importance of a caring, conne~red community: one in which should exist the understanding that for girls in particular, emotion is always connected to thinking and learning. This occurs partially because females have a strong emotion a memory and because use of both sides of the brain occurs in every tho ght process. So for girls, good teaching grabs the emotional side of the brain and focuses on teaching the girl, not the subjed. The initiative of the professional develop ent experience provided by an international guest of Dr Deak s eputation was indee a worthwhile one and her ideas continue to underpin much of our discussion and decision-making. Mrs Manse MCConaghy Dean of Students

She talked about the components of a strong sense of self as "the three CS , which include competence, confidence and connected ness. She believes that young women need to be challenged to do the things that they are reluctant to do and that our role as educators and patents means that in order to help our daughters grow in a real sense we have to provide them with authentic situations where they learn to overcome feelings of anxiety, fear or the "I can't do this attitude". Girls need to do things that feel "hard and scary for good brain development and genuine seinegard. she urged us to take a look at what our girls face: are the challenges difficult but do able? Dr Deak illustrated for us, using scientific evidence and narrative, how girls' brains register emotions, now they feel anxiety very keenly and react by a desire to avoid the situation entirely. By staying with the difficult task - whether it be mathematics, learning a language, outdoor education or a difficult social situation, cognitive struggle causes brain cells to develop new dendritic branches as well as forming new neural pathways between the areas of the brain involved in knowledge and understanding. So then not only does learning occur but so too does the girl feel invited to contribute to the ongoing success of Brisbane Girls Grammar by making a bequest to the School. One of our alumni who responded to this invitation was Dr loan Godfrey. A student at Girls Grammar from 1936 - T939, Dr Godfrey has enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a nurse, nurse educator, historian and author. She was pleased to support the Bequest Programme, as she says, ... I believe I owe a very great deal to BGGS for my personal and scholastic development. The School is honoured that Dr Godfrey and other valued benefactors have chosen to contribute to its future through making provision for Girls Grammar in their wills. ,

Dr loann Deak, internationa Iy recognised psycho o9ist, educator and author of Girls will be Girls Raising Confident and Courageous Daughters, visited the School in April of this Year to present to staff and parents the implications of the latest brain research particularly relating to girls, She was an inspiring speaker who opened many new ideas whic, were all the more powerful because they am Fined ways of doing things which we as educators and parents ave always insti ctively known. Dr Dank, however, was able to support her views with contemporary neuroscience and brain imaging thus providing a modern context for s to un erstand our work. The optimu setting for learning and character development, she considers, is one where there is a good combinotion of head and hear - real challenge and caring, connected support.

Dr Deak with Ms Monteith

ribold

VIS

if you would like to know more about how a bequest Will benefit the studen s of Brisbane Girls Grammar School, please contact the Principal s Office on 3332/300 of email bequests bggs. qld. edu. au

Maintain our founder's vision bold A life enriched by learning

Embracing change, we build and hold A Iuture more discerning'

I Excerpt from the School Song

. The Brisbane Girls Grammar School Bequest Programme was officially

launched in 2004 as part of a proadive initiative by the Board of Trustees to encourage philanthropic support for the School Through its founding Patrons, Dr Margaret Mittslheuser and Dr Cathryn Mittelheuser, members of the School community were

Dr Cheiiell Hiist, Dr loan Godfiey, Dr Calhiyn Mittelheuser a Ms Am anda Bell

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