Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2015

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GUIDING PRINCIPLE LIFE-WIDE LEARNING

AUTHOR Ms Maggi Gunn Dean of Co-curriculum

THE INCLUSION OF LIFE-WIDE LEARNING IN OUR STRATEGIC DESIGN 2016-2019 ONCE AGAIN ACKNOWLEDGES THAT LEARNING OCCURS IN DIVERSE CONTEXTS, AND REFLECTS OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM. Learning at Brisbane Girls Grammar School is not limited by time or place. As stated in the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto (2006), ’learning outside the classroom builds bridges between theory and reality, schools and communities, young people and their futures’. Opportunities beyond the classroom offer students the chance to gain experience, learn about themselves, collaborate with others and interact with the world. School-based opportunities such as membership in an interest club, sporting team, music ensemble or drama production provide arenas where girls can engage and discover new, or strengthen existing, interests, talents and passions. Participation in service and charity activities encourages a meaningful link between school, life and the wider community and enables students, through experience, to grow, develop and aspire to make a difference.

REFERENCES Department for Education and Skills (2006). Learning outside the classroom manifesto. Retrieved from https://www.education.gov.uk/ publications/eOrderingDownload/LOtC.pdf Euler, J. (2013). The constancy of change. Grammar Gazette.22 (Spring), pp. 2–4. Jackson, N. (2011). Learning for a complex world : a lifewide concept of learning, education and personal development. Bloomington, USA: AuthorHouse. and Brisbane Girls Grammar School is committed to providing the diverse learning, experiences and opportunities that allow our students to thrive in the world beyond the classroom and into the future. Engagement with opportunities beyond the classroom provides the skills and capacities to contribute to society and resilience and tenacity to face the challenges of the future. However, as stated by our Principal Ms Euler (2013), ‘A Girls Grammar education is preparation for the future, but also celebrates a joyful appreciation of the here and now as we nurture the interests, character and spirit of each girl and consider who we want them to be, not just what we want them to do’. awareness. Through active participation, Grammar girls are challenged and encouraged to explore personal characteristics, work interdependently and develop important life skills. As Jackson identifies ’the potential for who we might become resides in the possibilities afforded by the spaces and opportunities in our lives’ (2011). Student travel experiences expand student horizons well beyond the white picket fence. Domestic travel opportunities such as the Desert Colours Art Tour and Sydney Drama Tour and international opportunities such as Language Study Tours, US Space Trip, Northern Hemisphere Summer School Programme and the Antipodeans Abroad Programme provide memorable learning experiences and insights. Although a two week international experience offers limited scope to engage deeply with a culture, it does add value to the educational experiences and personal development of students. The modern world is complex, dynamic and innovative

Experiences beyond familiar routines and comfort zones offer opportunities for exploration, reflection and growth. The Brisbane Girls Grammar School outdoor education programme is delivered through the annual camp experience at our Marrapatta Memorial Outdoor Educational Centre and ensures that students develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in relation to the focus areas of personal discovery and reflection, social development, and environmental appreciation and

SPRING ISSUE / 2015