Learning is at our core and covers all subject disciplines, co-curricular pursuits, personal development and interest areas. Helping our Toowoomba Grammar School boys view learning as a disposition that goes well beyond the classroom context is incredibly important. Learning has a life-long value in all we do. We also acknowledge that learning can be challenging at times, and it can be uncomfortable, but also wonderfully inspiring and fulfilling.
Appreciating the full range of feelings and emotions associated with learning is helpful for everyone, but particularly students for developing a sense of their own journey when approaching new concepts or working through material they are still developing their skills and competencies in, whether it be through a music piece, maths concept, sentence structure in writing, bowling in cricket or writing code. At TGS Junior School we use the analogy of “the learning pit” which illustrates the feelings and emotions when beginning to learn a new concept through to mastery; visibly going down into a pit then up and out the other side to successfully achieving new knowledge, skills or understanding. Travelling through these feelings takes courage, particularly when the learning material becomes challenging.
The learning pit commences when learning is first engaged. This can be an exciting and interesting experience but we also recognise that, for some, it can be a time of nervousness. We begin to learn and inevitably experience new information which can challenge us, stretch us, be complicated or contradict what we thought we knew. The visible line of the learning pit at this point is tracking down and our feelings and emotions may feel like that too – frustrated, overwhelmed, confused. At this point we organise the information, make sense of what we are learning about and build confidence in constructing the understanding. Our learning pit line at this point begins to turn up. When we engage support, strategies and practice, the learning pit line moves further north, our confidence compounds and we see our progress develop until we feel a sense of achievement and accomplishment in our new knowledge or understanding. Visibly seeing the learning pit journey can be very helpful for a student to understand where they are on that timeline and have the confidence to continue through the challenging sections towards success.
There are many more tools that can assist us all through the learning process, including clearly defined objectives, modelled examples, scaffolded supports, criteria for success, frequent and timely feedback, data and self-review to name a few. These are all tools in our teacher's toolkit to help our students understand their own learning. The learning pit is a nice analogy though for understanding the feelings and emotions associated with the learning journey and assuring that we do come out the other side with support, guidance and self-confidence.
- Ken Raven, Head of TGS Junior School
Latest Blog
It Takes a Village...
The Toowoomba Grammar School Boarding community plays a pivotal role in shaping the young minds of our boarders and instilling values whilst creating a sense of mateship that can last a lifetime. The nurturing and supportive network of staff not only ensure a safe and structured environment but also cultivates a sense of belonging and camaraderie among the boys. ‘The staff supply the fuel to the ship but ultimately it is the boys who steer it and decide upon its final destination’. Our TGS…
Unlocking Literacy - The Big Six Elements for Your Child’s Reading Success
Literacy skills are a core component of each day for our students, and parents often ask how they can support this from home. I am delighted to share with our parent community the essential components that underpin successful reading development. These elements, known as the Big Six, provide a solid foundation for your son’s literacy journey. These critical building blocks include: Oral Language: Communication skills are the bedrock of reading. Encourage rich conversations with your child.…
The Journey of a Boarding Mother
When you look up mother in the dictionary it reads: female parent of a child. When you look up boarder, it simply reads: a child who lives away from home. So, put “boarder mother” together and we have: the female parent of a child who lives away from home – if only it were that simple. My definition of boarding mother is: a strong, dedicated unbelievably great female parent of a child who has the wisdom to put her son’s educational needs, wellbeing and lifelong endeavours before her own. A…
The Importance of Differentiation
As parents, we all want our children to have the best possible education, and one of the most effective ways for teachers to provide this is through differentiation. Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet the unique needs and interests of each student, and it can take many forms. First, let's define differentiation. Differentiation is a teaching approach that recognises that students have different strengths, interests, and learning styles. By adjusting instruction to meet these…
Addressing Anger in Teenage Boys
As a community dedicated to the growth and well-being of our teenage boys, it is essential to address the complexities of emotions we experience during adolescence. Among these emotions, anger stands out as a powerful and intense feeling that can influence their behaviour, relationships and overall wellbeing. Untreated anger can lead to a myriad of problems and challenges for our young boys. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the dangers of untreated anger, ways to support healthy…
Study Skills Program
Just as teachers benefit from an understanding of the Learning Sciences in their lesson planning and preparation, so to do students when they are studying for major summative assessments. A survey of TGS students in Years 9 to 12 found that 70% of our boys felt that they knew how to study, with the biggest impediments to study being lack of motivation and too many distractions. The most highly preferred study technique was found to be rewriting notes. Cramming, rereading the text and rewriting…
Developing Teachers Worldwide
I recently had the pleasure of attending the 2023 International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) Annual Conference at Westlake Boys High School in Auckland, New Zealand, in my capacity as a Team Leader in the IBSC Action Research Program. Action research is a systematic inquiry conducted by teachers in their own classroom to better understand the impact that an aspect of their practice is having on their students. Each year, 40 teachers from IBSC member schools from around the world are accepted…
Developing a Sense of Belonging for our TGS Boarders
How do we adequately develop a teenager’s 'sense of belonging' in boarding? Head of Boyce House, Boarding, Mr Michael Hall has investigated how 'Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs' applies to boarding. It is a psychological theory that suggests human beings have a set of fundamental needs that must be fulfilled in a hierarchical order. The theory proposes that individuals must first satisfy their physiological needs before moving on to higher-level needs, such as the 'belongingness' that is so…
Kia Moemoeā – Dream Beyond Limits
A 12-year study has found that boys consistently perform better in an all boys’ school compared to boys in co-educational schools. This was one of several interesting topics presented at the recent International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) Conference in Auckland, New Zealand which I attended alongside three of my Toowoomba Grammar School colleagues – Mr Luke Rawle, Mr Dave Klan and Mrs Jessica Galbraith. We joined 600 leading educators from 15 countries around the world for the four-day…
