When I was in Year 12 my English teacher read to our graduating class this poem by Robert Fulghum. 

I remember my 18-year-old self feeling perplexed and a little annoyed that after 13 years of schooling, I was now being told that I knew everything on the completion of kindergarten.  Of course, as an adult I can see the wisdom of what my teacher was alluding to; that learning is a lifelong pursuit where the dispositions and character traits such as creativity, collaboration, communication, citizenship, and character are present in the youngest of children.  

At Ivanhoe Girls’, this pursuit is made possible through our deliberate intent to develop a Community of Practice that is driven by collective efficacy. We strive for our students to be challenged and engaged in their learning. We ask them to think deeply about real life problems. And proudly aspire for ‘our girls to speak for themselves’. 

Research clearly shows that there are three guiding principles that empower students’ love of learning and support them in their aspirations: self-worth, engagement, and purpose.

The research also shows that when schools provide a supportive environment where student voice is encouraged, students are more likely to develop a confident voice and the capacity to act in the world. Not surprisingly, student engagement also increases when students feel able to exert influence and participate more fully in their learning.  

This year the Curriculum and Learning Team has been particularly interested in reflecting on the comments made by our students about their learning experience. As a response to the Student Learning Forum, we have been actively listening to our students and constantly reflecting on our pedagogy to inform our practice.

There has been much written about the skills Generation Z (born between 1995-99) and Generation Alpha (2010-24) will need to be future ready. Not surprisingly, there is a clear understanding amongst educators that transferable skills complemented by knowledge is needed by todays’ graduates: skills such as teamwork, problem solving, resilience, empathy, and adaptability. 

Indeed, it is these very skills that our students at Ivanhoe Girls’ have displayed as they have risen time and time again to the challenges of COVID-19.  We have experienced a smooth transition from Offsite to Onsite Learning and witnessed the ability of our teachers and students to work together to reimagine what learning looks like. Extending the boundaries of the traditional classroom into their homes and on platforms such as Zoom, and consequently continuing to develop our students’ love of learning. 

Our unified response to COVID-19, firmly grounded in an unwavering commitment to the holistic education of our young people, reminds me of the simple words shared by an English teacher who loved poetry with a group of young people on the verge of adulthood...

"...And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together."

It is a privilege to be part of the Ivanhoe Girls’ community and humbling to recognise how important human relationships are for all of us as we have continued to learn together throughout 2021.

Louisa Scerri
Director of Learning and Innovation