Current research into character education has shown that educators should not be focusing solely on preparing students for their Year 12 final exams but should be supporting them to become humans who exhibit good character and virtues to contribute to creating a healthier society (The Jubilee Centre, 2022). The Jubilee Centre, which is attached to the University of Birmingham in the UK, maintains that good character is the foundation for improved attainment, better behaviour, increased employability and, most importantly, flourishing societies. Furthermore, Clarke, McLellan and Harold (2023) and Morris (2015) contend that students need to develop a strong sense of self to achieve academically and develop critical and reflective thinking whilst developing a conscience that allows them to engage in the wider community after school. According to Spratt (2015), schools are uniquely positioned to explicitly nurture the character skills and dispositions needed to become individuals who flourish, contribute to society, and lead meaningful lives.
In the Junior School, the staff recognise that we are fundamental in building the foundation of this very important process. Given this understanding, the Junior School has introduced a fortnightly vertical House meeting, which we have named Mates. Mates aims to enhance the current Pastoral Care program by providing students with opportunities to participate in activities that assist them in developing the skills to be independent, well-balanced and successful in life, as well as to respond well to challenges and achieve lifelong wellbeing.
Each term, there is a topic or theme chosen through consulting research and surveying students and staff. This topic allows boys to practice skills that will develop their character. In Term 2, the boys participated in activities that honed their ability to acknowledge and follow the rules of a game. For Term 3, the boys are building their resilience in a variety of ways, from attempting tasks they may not be able to finish and playing games that rely on luck, not skill. During the sessions, our oldest Junior School boys assist and lead our younger students in completing the tasks with a sense of responsibility and pride. Following the practical experience, the boys have a House discussion led by their Head of House, sharing ideas for ways they may complete the task next time and issues they noticed during the task.
The boys have engaged in these lessons with great humility and respect. The older boys have identified their need to communicate effectively and be aware of all boys’ skill levels when working together as a House. Moving forward, the boys will be engaging in topics like conflict resolution, teamwork and positivity during challenging times, as well as discussing the history and traditions of our School and the importance of upholding them. Throughout the sessions, boys are encouraged to show integrity in all that they do by doing things because it is right and not because they are seeking rewards.
We believe that developing the character of our boys will allow them to develop the integral skills required at key times during their education and life (Ganeson and Ehrich 2013).
- Mrs Jessica Galbraith, Teacher - Junior School
Latest Blog
Gummingurru Excursion - Deep Time History of Australia on our Doorstep
Gummingurru is unique in being the best-preserved initiation site in southeast Queensland, including bora rings and various stone arrangements that have ancient links to the totems and kinship practices of the Jarowair and Giabal people of Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, as well as the broader region within the highly significant cultural landscape of the Bunya Mountains. The boys were welcomed to, and guided through, the site and its learning centre by Mr Shannon Bauwens, a Western Wakka…
Responding to Negative Peer Interactions
As we approach the end of Term 3, we find it is typically a time when boys start to get tired and emotional and are most likely to make poor decisions that can lead to relationship challenges between peers. Comments and humour shared between mates that may have been received without concern in the first week of the term may change as boys start to tire and their tolerance levels decrease. This may lead to boys reacting with heightened and overly emotional responses. This is normal as boys are…
Boarding is who we are
Our boarders make up nearly one third of our student cohort from Years 5 to 12, which enables us to consider the boarding experience in all that we do at the School. Every boarding experience at TGS is about equipping boys with the skills to function as a student and preparing them for their future.
Making a Positive Impact with Homework Assistance
The Anglicare Homework Assistance Program (HAP), run in conjunction with Darling Heights State School, sees many of our boys volunteer their time on Wednesdays after class to help many young refugee and primary school students facing challenging times with their homework, or to chat and play games. Our boys thoroughly enjoy meeting, supporting and learning about the lives of the younger children. This forges community connections and fosters inclusion for the Darling Heights students; it also…
Fresh Faces Guide - TGS Sportsmen into the Fray
With their dedication to excellence and player development, TGS athletes are in good hands as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of competitive sports.
Honouring Tradition, Preparing for the Future
They will invariably be inspired by effective teaching and the satisfaction of personal achievement will always be motivating. At Toowoomba Grammar School, the power of high-quality instructional practices has resulted in the development of a strong academic culture that has endured for nearly 150 years. Preserving core principles provides stability and continuity. However, we must be open to continuously adapting our methods so that our students are well-prepared for the ever-changing world…
We See You - Mitchell Wilkes
That was the heart-wrenching diagnosis for Year 10 student, Mitchell Wilkes, right on Christmas in 2021. Mitchell’s mum noticed he wasn’t reading properly and had a gut feeling that there was something wrong with his eyesight. A trip to the optometrist revealed a thinning in the retina, and further tests showed that Mitchell had a genetic condition called Stargardt Disease, a juvenile macular degeneration illness that results in slow central vision loss.
Correcting our School's official record commemorating World War I and World War II
On the eve of our 150th year, we're calling on the School's alumni, parents, past parents and greater community to aid us in correcting the record of our involvement in two watershed geopolitical events of the 20th century. For the last four years Toowoomba Grammar School Museum Volunteers, Mrs Ann Hallam and Mrs Sue Palmer, have been updating the School records on Old Boys, staff and Trustees for the World War I and World War II theatres of war. Over the years several staff and volunteers have…
A Pioneering Woman of TGS
My late husband was a teacher, and our four children are all teachers, which we encouraged them to do because it is the best job in the world. It’s hard to believe I’ve been here for 36 years, working under four Headmasters: Mr Bill Dent, Mr Hugh Rose, Mr Peter Hauser and now Dr John Kinniburgh. I still drive into the School each day and smile, looking at the beautiful place it is — magnificent ovals, gracious trees and historically significant buildings. It is difficult to express the…
