Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2014

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THE POOL OF POSSIBILITIES

AUTHORS Marrapatta Staff (pictured left)

rain jacket on a wet winter’s day, eating plain burritos for lunch after not choosing and managing food effectively, or feeling the frustration or elation of group tasks; there is no hiding from the responsibility of working through these situations. Students can be unaware of the deep social and emotional learning that is taking place, some of which needs a little space and time to germinate. The notion of 21st century skills has been creating waves in education circles for a number of years, articulating the proposed educational necessities of the future. Binkley et. al. (2012) highlights that success lies in our students’ ability to, ‘communicate, share and use information to solve complex problems, in being able to adapt and innovate in response to new demands and changing circumstances’. What better environment in which to foster these 21st century skills of success than in the complex and ever changing dynamics of an outdoor classroom. Marrapatta’s programming nurtures in our girls the development of the essential modern skills of collaboration, creativity, communication and critical thinking. An additional dimension of the Marrapatta experience is time spent in nature. Immersion in the natural environment is also critical for nourishing girls’ wellbeing. Marrapatta provides time for girls to stop and reconnect with themselves and the landscape, to pause and reflect and to generally absorb the wonderful subconscious benefits that nature brings. With the introduction of Year 7 to the Girls Grammar community in 2015, the opportunities for greater connection and pooling of experiences are significantly enhanced. With this in mind the Fathers Group has recently designed, planned and helped construct a new camping terrace on the property to broaden the programming offerings at Marrapatta. The planning process before the first sod of earth was turned was crucial to the successful completion of the project, and displayed a perfect symbiosis of the personal skills being taught at Marrapatta and those displayed by the Fathers Group. A high degree of critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity went into the construction of the camping terrace.

Mr James McIntosh, Director of Outdoor Education Mrs Carol McIntosh, Outdoor Education Teacher Mr Michael Ramsey, Outdoor Education Teacher Mrs Carolyn Lansdown, Outdoor Education Teacher Ms Kim Wood, Outdoor Education Teacher

THERE HAS BEEN A GROUNDSWELL of interest in the scope and purpose of education in the modern world as we prepare our most valuable resources for their future endeavours. While the classic 3Rs — reading, writing and arithmetic — will always be an integral part of a good education, there is a renewed focus on enhancing knowledge acquisition by providing a broad range of opportunities and experiences that encourage the development of deeper understanding. Brisbane Girls Grammar School has long recognised and supported the need for life-wide learning; providing opportunities for girls to broaden their pool of experience beyond the School gates. In terms of quality and meaningful education, the development of this pool is of significant interest. The pool should be deep with extensive knowledge and the ability for critical and reflective thinking; but it should also be wide, providing a variety of skills and experiences in different contexts. As a community we have the shared responsibility to prime our young people with academic and social opportunities that allow them to reflect, delve into and engage, draw meaning from and use their inner resources to solve. Marrapatta Memorial Outdoor Education Centre is one way the School provides these challenges. Here a rich array of learning experiences is provided that add significant breadth to girls’ personal, social and environmental competence. The interactions and experiences at Marrapatta allow the girls to demonstrate their personal capabilities and provide opportunities for further development. Through their outdoor journeys their personal responsibility, willingness for engagement, initiative and social capacity is on display. Often there is instantaneous and authentic feedback, whether it be the consequences of forgetting a

GRAMMAR GAZETTE