Standard+8.5

=Teachers advocate for current initiatives within the school and wider community that express the ethos and values of the school. =

Over the past few years there has been an emphasis on seeing KRB as a P-12 school rather than a high school with a junior school attached. This year I have been given the opportunity to put into place a plan of teaching Science in the Junior school. There will be more of this in 8.6; however, as a result of this I have become more involved with the junior school and when a day for gifted and talented students from various schools in the relatively local area was planned I became involved in the planning of the program, [|Email trail re Space Workshop] in particular activities in the afternoon.

The topic for the day was “Space” (outer – not mathematical), thus experimenting with rocketry was the obvious choice for outdoor activity.

Catering for the needs of individuals and an awareness of your community are important aspects of the school’s ethos and thus providing days which allow students of like mind and aptitude can form friendships based on their gifts and talents is an appropriate activity.

My role was to facilitate strong interactions between the students while pursuing the understanding of the practical workings of the scientific method. Thus setting the problem of trying to find the best combination of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda (i.e. rocket fuel) engaged all the students as they tested, observed and modified their experiments in the light of evidence gained.

The day was successful and has had a number of positive reports from the students, their parents and their schools. [|Jnr Memo re Space Workshop], [|Snr Memo re G&T Space Workshop] and [|Thank you note]This type of collaborative event thus expresses the ethos and values of Kincoppal-Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart.

As mentioned in 8.4 the 2012 SciFest will again involve the entire school and local community.