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King’s a winner
at digital learning
When Debbie Leatheam, Head of Information
Services at The King's School, first saw a demonstration of video
streaming she knew it was the way of the future so she introduced
the new technology to her students. To recognise excellence in digital
learning, the school has recently received the Marcom Leadership
in Teaching Innovative Award.
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| Head of Information Services at The King's
School, Debbie Leatheam, with General Manager of Marcom Projects,
Peter Walters, and Year 11 students Alex Mackay and Justin McInnes. |
Video streaming is a revolutionary new
tool that allows students and teachers to download approved educational
videos and photographic images suitable for every subject from Kindergarten
to Year 12, said Ms Leatheam. Video clips can be incorporated into
lessons and re-edited for use in students' multimedia projects.
For example, a teacher may prepare a
multimedia PowerPoint presentation for students that includes several
video clips inside the online lesson.
Accepting the award from from Pat Farmer
MP, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, Science
and Training, Dr Hawkes said that the model of a teacher talking
at the front of a classroom is being replaced by lessons that are
student-centred and
individually paced. "Students need to gain knowledge and wisdom,
and the challenge for teachers is to find ways to engage students
in learning, particularly for boys who are easily disinterested
in reading and writing," he said. "Electronic means enables
a teacher to tailor information to a student's ability and interests.
At King's we are working on many ways to give
students greater control over the material they use and to make
the learning process interactive and engaging."
Brisbane based company Marcom Projects
has the Australian licence to distribute United Streaming to Australian
schools. This consists of an extensive collection of 4,000 educational
videos, 40,000 photographic images, teacher's guides, student worksheets
and quizzes.
Ms Leatheam said that the school is introducing digital learning
into all subjects and developing projects to involve boys in multimedia.
Last year the school set up King's TV. It also ran a short film
festival that will be expanded this year. Boys are encouraged to
develop personal websites and many assignments are set as online
tasks. "The way forward in the Information Age is for students
to search globally for information, to be in control of their own
resources and to be engaged with the learning process," she
said.
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King’s
looks at global issues through bright eyes
Modern students see themselves as members of a global community,”
said Mrs Carolyn Rhodes who teaches the Year 5 and 6 gifted and
talented class at The King’s School.
Topics such as terrorism, wars, natural disasters and ethical dilemmas
are just some of the issues that her 11 and 12-year-old students
research in the Scholars’ Class.
“Today’s students are more accepting of differences
than past Australian generations and they have a strong social conscience.
They like to understand events and debate the human responses to
them, said Mrs Rhodes, whose students respond well to research-based
learning where tasks are open ended and work is presented in creative
ways.”
Sam Billyard (11) says he listens to speeches and reads the newspapers
daily because he wants a broad base of knowledge. “It’s
good to be well informed and have a point of view to debate with
the class,” he said.
Mrs Rhodes advises that gifted and talented education starts with
the correct identification of able students. It may be that a child
who is not intellectually challenged is under-performing or misbehaving.
“When you match the learning style to the child the troubles
tend to disappear,” she says.
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Learning In A New
Age
Young children today need more interactive
activities than they did a decade ago, according to Kate Highfield,
Kindergarten teacher at King’s and a coordinator of the the
early learning centre at the Education Expo.
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Early childhood specialist Kate
Highfield will help coordinate the early learning centre at
the Education Expo. |
Ms Highfield who is studying for a Master in Early Childhood Education
at Macquarie University said that in 10 years of teaching infants
she has seen many changes in children.
“Our multimedia generation demands more action based learning”
she said.
“While children still love a good storybook, they are not
as transfixed by the spoken word and they need multi-sensory stimulation
to motivate them. They still love to play and make up fantasy images
but the pace of their learning has accelerated,” she said.
When children start school it helps
them if they know some basic skills such as how to tie their shoe
laces, do up buttons, use the toilet and open a lunch box. This
makes them feel independent and confident from the start. “One
of the best things a parent can do to ease separation is to talk
in positive term about the coming educational step.”
She advises parents to talk about the
excitement of preschool or kindy, rather than the anxiety that they
will feel as a parent. “Don’t make your child feel guilty
that they are leaving you to be alone and suffering a sense of loss.
Be glad for them and show it, and don’t worry about your child
making friends. As children learn to share, wait patiently, not
demand attention, listen and be polite to other children and to
their teachers, they develop social skills that help them fit in,”
she assures.
The Education Expo is on the weekend
of 14 and 15 May at Rosehill Racecourse. For details go to www.edexpo.info
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Nursery
Rhymes Promote Learning
Parents who read aloud to their child and develop the habits of
listening and reading establish a foundation for a good education,
says Mrs Belinda Baxter, Director of Infants at The King’s
School.
“Every subject is dependent on reading ability and a good
place to initiate a child’s appreciation of literature is
with nursery rhymes,” she advises.
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Mr Peter Grimes uses nursery rhymes
to develop linguistic skills in early learners. |
Research indicates that a knowledge of nursery rhymes at the age
of three is linked to reading development at the age of six. A child
with 70 basic phonological units of sound can read most English
words. The ability to detect rhyme and linguistic patterns is an
important aspect of literacy development.
Teacher, Mr Peter Grimes, says it’s important to hook a boy
on reading when he’s young and it’s never too early
to introduce books, even in the pram.
“When a boy starts school his teachers can tell straight away
if he has been exposed to reading by the way he turns the pages
and the respect he shows for books.”
Mr Grimes likes nursery rhymes that are exaggerated and comical.
“These stories are predictable, rhythmical and entertaining
and boys respond well to humour and nonsense verse,” he says.
“A child who understands rhythm is more likely to progress
successfully to reading and writing poetry in later years.”
He suggests that when parents read to their child, the parent selects
one story and the child selects another. The child will usually
choose a familiar story but the parent can gradually introduce a
variety of literary styles to build up the child’s vocabulary
and listening skills.
Enrolments for Kindergarten in 2006 are being taken now. For an
information pack contact 9683 8423.
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Bossy
Bullies Make Bad Leaders
“You are never too young to be
a leader,” said Dr Hawkes when he addressed a group of Year
2 students in the school’s Centre for Learning and Leadership.
Dr Hawkes said that leadership has changed.
“No longer is leadership about power, privilege and authority.
Good leaders are not bossy bullies. Instead they serve others, show
consideration, and work in a team to motivate people to follow them.
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Dr Tim Hawkes in the school’s
Centre for Leadership and Learning, talking to Year 2 students
about leadership. |
The seven year olds were captivated by Dr Hawke’s stories
of heroic leaders when he used the tales of the Antarctic explorers
Scott and Amundsen to illustrate endurance, Winston Churchill to
explain courage, and David and Goliath to show initiative.
Dr Hawkes told the parents listening
to his talk that young people need to be taught their cultural inheritance,
to be reminded of the great myths, stories and legends associated
with leaders, past and present, so that students have role models
for leadership.
“We want to create authentic,
service-oriented leaders at The King’s School,” said
Dr Hawkes, who is writing a course on learning leadership for students.
It takes a long time to change the culture of a society, and the
place to start is in the hearts and minds of our youth,” he
said.
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Finding
a voice in a new school
When the Weatherall twins arrived at
King’s on their first day they met 140 strangers whose company
they will share for the next six years.
Coordinator of Year 7, Linda Perkovic,
said that one of her first tasks is to help build bonds between
students who come from different backgrounds, areas, religions and
cultures and help them form a close-knit community with a sense
of belonging.
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First day in secondary school:
Jane Weatherall has enrolled her twin boys as weekly boarders
at The King’s School. |
“We carefully mentor students in the first few weeks and show
them where to go, where to put their things, the uniform to wear
and who to talk to about their needs. On a huge site of 120 hectares
we don’t want anybody feeling lost or alone,” she said.
At the same time that social bonding
is taking place the boys learn new skills in critical illiteracies
so that all students start work with a strong learning foundation
on a level platform.
Lessons on the use of the school’s intranet, library resources,
email accounts and how to use computer programs such as photoshop
and powerpoint occupy the first term and help smooth out learning
gaps.
“We keep boys very busy with study,
sport and extra curricula activities and this helps them settle
quickly and overcome their anxieties about making new friends, talking
to teachers, tackling assignments and finding their voice in a new
environment,” said Miss Perkovic.
The school conducts tours throughout the year at different times
of the day. To book a place on a tour please contact 9683 8423
First day in secondary school: Jane Weatherall has enrolled her
twin boys as weekly boarders at The King’s School.
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Old
Boys Win Golden Oars
Two old boys, Ed Boyce and Ben Vining
were members of the crew that won the golden oars at the Gold Cup
Regatta. The boys were coached by Andrew Randell and Marty Rabjohns
at Sydney University Boat Club and rowed for Sydney university in
the Men’s Open Eight.
Ed Boyce, 18, who left King’s in 2002 is also an old boy of
Tudor House. He is presently studying Agricultural Science. In 2002
Ed was a member of the King’s winning team in the Head of
The River. In 2005 he won the Youth Cup in the NSW Championships
in an Eight.
Ben 21 (OB 2001) will graduate this year from Sydney University
with a degree in Applied Science. He now runs his own multimedia
business and one of his project is making the 2005 King’s
rowing film.
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Ben Vining (left) and Ed Boyce
from Sydney University after winning the Gold Cup Regatta in
the Men’s Open Eight. |
Ben who rowed in the bow seat at the
Gold Cup regatta said it was a great feeling to cross the line first
to the cheers of the crowd after battling very choppy and windy
conditions in the late afternoon on the 1500m course. “In
rough conditions experienced rowers have an advantage,” said
Ben who has taken out gold at the Gold Cup regatta three times -
in a Schoolboy Four in 2000 representing The King’s School,
in a Schoolboy Eight in 2001 and again this year representing Sydney
University.
Ben is the co-ordinator of land training
at The King’s School. “Rowing is an extremely hard sport,
and as a coach I like to build stamina and strength in young men
and teach teamwork, commitment and endurance.” These are qualities
that last a lifetime.” he said.
The King’s School Eight came second
in the Gold Cup Regatta which was hosted by St Ignatius College
on the Lane Cove River.
Ben Vining (left) and Ed Boyce from Sydney University after winning
the Gold Cup Regatta in the Men’s Open Eight.
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Enrolling
at King’s from Afar
Before the new commanding officer of
Kattabul left Washington DC to take up his post on Garden Island
he wanted to settle his family in Sydney.
Lieutenant Commander Brett Chandler
said the family's priorities were to buy a house, arrange a job
for his wife Lisa who is a school teacher and enrol his two children
Guy (12) and Blake (9) in school. “Arranging
a school from afar can be quite difficult, but when we spoke to
the Registrar at The King’s School, Mr Bruce Hilliard, everything
fell into place with ease. “Nothing was too much trouble,”
said Commander Chandler on the first day of the school year when
his son Guy entered Year 7. “We were very impressed with the
flexible approach and the ease of transaction.”
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Lieutenant Commander Brett Chandler
with his son Guy who entered Year 7 at The King’s School
this year. |
Guy undertook the entrance exam at
a university in the USA via online testing. A phone interview with
the Headmaster, Dr Tim Hawkes, completed the enrolment process,
and five months later the Chandlers received the news that Guy had
been accepted to enter one of Australia’s leading independent
schools for boys. Indeed, Guy did so well in his tests that he was
awarded an academic scholarship.
One of the first things new students
undertake in term one is a critical literacies course where boys
learn how to use the latest technology, search online for information
across the curriculum, prepare school assignments, create Powerpoint
presentations and locate, borrow and reserve texts from the library.
Mr Hilliard said that students come
into Year 7 from so many places and bring so many varied experiences
that the school gives all boys a solid foundation in information
and communication technology to enable each one to access resources
with confidence from the internet, the school’s intranet and
the library. “The school has a long tradition of supporting
families from the Armed Forces and we are well prepared to handle
distance enrolment enquiries efficiently and take boys from different
education systems,” said Mr Hilliard.
For an enrolment pack contact the admissions
office on Ph. +612 9683 8423
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New model of leadership launched at King's
At the launch of 'Learning Leadership' this week, the author, Dr Tim Hawkes,
said that we are facing a serious leadership vacuum in Australia and that a
new model of leadership is needed for our youth.
"Too many politicians and business leaders are seen as self serving and are
reviled for greed and self-aggrandisement rather than respected for building
better communities," said Dr Hawkes who is the Headmaster of The King's
School.
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Dr Hawkes talks about his new book with Year 11 students James Baldwin, Manning Doughty and Rob Grant. |
In a speech before hundreds of parents and teachers he said that we
desperately need a model of leadership that values good character above all
else.
Dr Hawkes said that one way for students to learn the virtues of leadership
- honesty, integrity, resilience and optimism - is to study the heroic
leaders of the past as well as the inspirational leaders of the present.
But it is also necessary for young people to learn the skills of leadership,
he said. These include public speaking, teamwork, goal setting, conflict
management and risk taking. Such skills can be developed at school and home
when adults have high expectations and insist that young people undertake
challenging experiences in a broad range of endeavours.
"I am not interested in assisting precocious youth to build a life of
arrogance, hell-bent on securing a future of privilege and power," said Dr
Hawkes.
The model presented in Learning Leadership is based on the Christian
philosophy of service. "I want to see a new style of leader who is ethical
and able to initiate change for the public good," said Dr Hawkes.
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Dr Tim Hawkes (right) talks with parents Ian and Amanda Holswich at the launch of 'Learning Leadership'. |
Attending the launch were parents Ian and Amanda Holswich who were
interested to hear of research that shows that heredity plays a 60 percent
role in determining a child's character, but the environment in which a
child is raised accounts for the the other 40 percent.
"That gives us 40 percent worth of potential to nurture leadership qualities
and good character in our son, so I want to learn as much as I can," said
Mr Holswich whose son Elliott will enter King's in Year 7 next year.
Learning Leadership is designed as a text for upper secondary students. It
is the first of four books that Dr Hawkes is writing on the subject.
"These books represent what I really want to say to my students and the
values and skills that I really want to develop in young people at this
school, in Australia and around the world to fill the leadership vacuum."
Dr Hawkes leaves for America next week to deliver a keynote address on
leadership at the International Boys Conference in Washington DC.
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Tale of hardship inspires young writers
Students from The King’s School listened in awe as the best-selling author Li Cunxin recounted a life story that took him from a poor village in Northern China to the stages of America and Australia where he was one of the world’s greatest ballet dancers.
Li’s inspirational tale of hope and hard work was delivered with the message to students that natural talents alone can only get you so far. Hard work and absolute commitment are needed for success.
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Students at The King’s School and head of the prep school, Mr Keith Dalleywater, ask author Li Cunxin to sign the new children’s version of his book Mao’s Last Dance. |
Li’s book Mao’s Last Dance, which reached number one in the non-fiction section in Australia, has just been released in a version for children.
Librarian Di Letham said the book appeals to students on many levels. “It’s a beautiful heart-warming autobiography but it has many cruel and suspenseful moments. On an historical level it gives personal insights into communist China during the Cultural Revolution.
“In my experience, when students meet authors and listen first-hand to their stories the impact can last a long time, up to two years or more.”
“We invite authors and illustrators to the school to inspire our boys to read quality literature. They provide good models for budding writers about ways to express their creativity and talk about their emotions,” she said.
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Director of Leadership Studies appointed
Dr Grant Bell has been appointed Director of Leadership Studies in a
pioneering move by The King's School.
The appointment reflects the commitment the school is making to raising
young leaders based on the Christian model of leadership.
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Director of Leadership Studies, Dr Grant Bell, talks to Year 11 students |
"Kings is promoting a model that is values-based and works towards the
development of good character with a sense of civic responsibility and a
desire to help others," said Dr Bell who is an Anglican minister with a PhD
in Leadership Studies from the University of New England.
"We want boys to look at the ethical issues of leadership and stand up for
what they believe is right in a world that puts pressure on them to
conform."
Dr Bell is developing a leadership program for each year group with many
exciting initiatives that include overseas study tours to examine
charismatic leaders, community work in underdeveloped countries, overseas
exchange programs and visiting speakers.
"Leadership starts with the ways in which students react with their peers,
so we are developing age-appropriate programs for different years with
challenging experiences to match the learning objectives," he said.
In Year 9 it will be compulsory for all boys to undertake the Duke of
Edinburgh Award Scheme where they will push themselves to the limit as part
of understanding perseverance for character development.
In Year 10 the focus will shift to the international framework where boys
will look at themselves in relation to other cultures. Students will
consider the limitations of leadership and the effects of power.
Dr Bell says that as students mature they are more ready to think about the
service nature of leadership. Experiences here may include a visit to
Bangladesh to work at the school that King¹s established in 2002. "This will
move boys into new environments outside their comfort zones and require
risk-taking," said Dr Bell.
In another area, King's is piloting an e-learning virtual parliament to
provide a platform where students can debate social and ethical issues
online with politicians and other other schools.
Applied Leadership is the theme for Year 12. "Boys are now in a position to
take up the roles of captains, student representatives, cadet corp officers
and monitors where they have authority to direct others and they can
influence and train the next generation of leaders," said Dr Bell.
"I would like to see changes to the way boys are appointed to these
positions. I believe there is merit in a system where a boy nominates
himself for a leadership position and then undergoes a selection interview,"
he said.
In conjunction with Dr Hawke's new textbook 'Learning Leadership' the school
is set to redefine leadership.
"It's certainly an exciting new position in the school and it has the
potential to change the way boys view their role in society and the
contribution they can make to the good of humankind," said Dr Bell.
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