Student Information For Prize Giving

Senior Academic Prize Giving
With this annual celebration fast approaching on the academic calendar I felt that it was time to examine the measures we place upon academic excellence.  I can recognise in myself that throughout my career I would fall victim to an over estimation of the 'value' of my subject.  I would unfortunately take pride in teaching Maths (one of the 'STEM' subjects). 

A while back read an interesting book by Sir Ken Robinson called The Element - How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything.   In this book Robinson presents a reasoned argument against pushing students into 'traditional subject' education towards a more open learning where students learn what interests them most. 

Robinson puts it that "School systems everywhere inculcate us with a very narrow view of intelligence and capacity and overvalue particular sorts of talent and ability."  This left me wondering how much I've contributed to this? 

I think that we have come along way in our prize givings to recognise the talents of students from a full range of subjects.  I'm looking forward to the celebration of the diversity of learning here at Waihi College. 




Please book in Wednesday 5th November from 7pm (week four of the term).  In order to gather some information on how the students have been progressing through their senior programmes of work.  I've created a feedback form four teachers to fill in (one per class).  Here is a copy...

There are two key factors that we're looking for academic success (the top three from NCEA results) and those students that have put in extraordinary efforts - but not necessarily had this reflected in their results.

This post relates to RTC # 7. promote a collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment.