Newsletter, Term 1, Week 5 3 Mar 2022

Professor Asha Rao, Associate Dean of Mathematical Sciences at RMIT University in Melbourne is passionate about addressing these questions, particularly about how mathematics is vital for young women to ensure they are on an equal footing with men in the workplaces of the future. She has been inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for her work to improve gender equity in the mathematical sciences. She will be speaking on the topic of what studying mathematics can do for you. The presentation is not just for passionate mathematicians but all those who wonder why studying mathematics at school might benefit them. This event on 17 March is open to all. To attend, please book your place here.

As is often the case in reporting about education, the mathematics curriculum coverage often boils down to a debate over the value of explicit teaching of skills over the importance of inquiry learning. However, the headlines do not tell the full story. The concern is not so much about inquiry learning but about how much time is dedicated to inquiry at the expense of learning key skills. I do not believe that a student has really learnt mathematics unless they are able to undertake mathematical inquiry. While it is possible to reduce mathematics lessons to memorisation of formulae and performing algorithms, (a basic skills approach), it would result in a very limited mathematics education.

Instead, we need to develop mathematical thinkers. Mathematical thinking is essentially about recognising patterns and finding paths to solutions. Students need to develop this from an early age otherwise we fail to train students to think, they just become good at following instructions. However, their ability to think mathematically is limited if they have not mastered basic skills.

As a teacher of Mathematics and Science, my concerns about mathematics education include:

1. Far too many students identify at an early age as being weak at mathematics, or “not a maths student”. This can, unfortunately, be reinforced by school assessment practices and parental reactions. Most students can become competent at school-level mathematics given time, good teaching, and the faith of those around them. Some cultures are better at believing in the mathematical capacity of their young students than others.

2. Any teacher can teach memorisation of tables and techniques but teaching mathematical inquiry requires modelling the practice, discerning effective mathematical thinking and providing guidance as students have the opportunity and encouragement to engage in mathematical inquiry. Finding teachers who are proficient mathematical thinkers, who can provide just the right amount of scaffolding to help students develop their own mathematical thinking and nurture this in their students is a significant problem in many schools. As more students turn away from advanced mathematics courses or learn mathematics as following a recipe, this problem worsens.

3. Some capable students are attempting the more advanced mathematics they experience in the middle years of secondary school without a solid foundation in the basic skills. Students who have not mastered their tables, fractions, and order of operations in earlier years are going to find mathematics at this level difficult and perhaps beyond them, when the real problem is they have yet to develop the foundations. I would argue too that the ability of a student to undertake a mathematical inquiry, to pose their own questions about the world and seek answers using mathematics, is a basic skill.

4. At the upper levels of secondary schooling success in mathematics is often measured as proficiency in mathematics that is preparation for university courses that are the destination of the few. There is little encouragement or opportunity in the classroom for students to apply their mathematical skills to interdisciplinary inquiry. Learning mathematics becomes a form of intelligence test that has little tangible connection to other parts of the student’s life. Evidence suggests that those from more advantaged educational backgrounds persist with this kind of study more as they believe there is a reward in the long-term. This results in perpetuating disadvantages for those without this persistence. 

So engagement of students, highly skilled teachers, a solid foundation in basic skills and opportunities to meaningfully use mathematical thinking are areas I believe deserve considerable attention. Despite the panic about changes in the mathematics curriculum, in my observation, Mathematics tends to be taught in a very traditional way. It remains relatively quarantined from other changes in pedagogical practice. Simply going ‘back to basics’ or alternatively allowing the students to attempt mathematical inquiries without the necessary skills or teachers to guide them would be disastrous. Instead, students need a rich education developing them as competent mathematical thinkers who can use their talents to interpret the world around them and to improve it. Whether the latest curriculum better supports that education is debateable, but the curriculum itself will not ensure the education needed is delivered. 

I encourage all students to work at their mathematics and parents to encourage this. Not all students will shine as mathematicians but all can make progress. Come along and hear what Professor Asha Rao has to say. You might find out some answers to the question: “Why do we have to learn this?”

Ross Phillips, Senior Dean of Learning Futures

Of course, there is nothing like an actual job placement, and students are still encouraged to seek opportunities this year as these open up again, but Strathcona has now obtained a VR headset from Sydney-based Work Window, offering our girls a range of virtual workplace settings, from Pharmacist to Architect.

As Work Window’s website describes: ‘You don't watch something in virtual reality, you experience it. The visceral experiences we have created are as close as you can come to a job shadowing and informational interview experience without actually being there.’

Once the headset is on, students become fully immersed in a work setting of their choice, making them feel they are actually there, and giving them a wonderful chance to understand what the role is about. A ‘host’ chats to them about their job and takes the user around their place of work, whether that’s a national park or a physiotherapist’s consulting room.

There are currently 22 jobs available to experience, with a further 28 planned to be added by Work Window in 2022. Here is a link to examples of the experiences students can access using the VR headset. Those students wishing to take advantage of this technology should contact Ms Buckley in Careers.

‘I have a few possible future career paths at the back of my mind and using the VR workplace simulator was the perfect insight into some of these, helping me understand things such as the lifestyle, environment and demands of a job before deciding whether it might be suitable to my interests. The VR set provides a guide who tours you around the selected workplace and I would be keen to use this fun technology again with an open mindset to all different jobs’. - Naomi Attalla, Year 10

Joanna Buckley, Head of Careers and Partnerships

Items in the Career News include -

• Australian National University: Applications for 2023 Entry

• Monash Information Evening: Webinar

• News from Federation University

o Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)

o Bachelor of Nursing

o New Bachelor of Cognitive Enterprise

• Career in Nuclear Medicine Technology

• Engineering Heroes Podcasts

• Medical Speciality Fact Sheets

• Nursing and/or Midwifery Degrees in Victoria in 2022

• Nursing – Division 2 (Enrolled) Courses in Victoria in 2022

• Snapshot of The Australian College of the Arts (Collarts) in 2022

To visit the  Careers page or view previous versions of Careers News click here.

Below are some reflections from our students who are exploring inequality in all its forms. This unit is positioned well for the girls who are becoming increasingly aware of local and global issues. Through the course, Lyall Nelligan and I support and engage the classes with some complex and confronting topics including housing challenges, gender-pay gap, discrimination, access to education and healthcare.

This year we are strengthening the ability to find and interpret data about our State through the use of the Victorian Health Atlas a free resource which provides a range of maps and graphs to show trends in all locations across the state, from Melbourne to Mildura to Gippsland.

In the lead-up to International Women’s Day our students in Year 10 Geography will be ready to question and engage with the theme #breakthebias. I can’t wait to see how the students continue to question their and other women’s place in our global community.

Q. How has researching one of these women changed your view of the world?

Researching these women has opened my eyes to the struggles of women of all different ages and races. The strength they display standing up for themselves and others is inspiring. Yet no matter their struggles they kept fighting for what they believed in.

Charlotte Noonan

By researching Inna Modja my view of the world has changed because of the way people in her culture are treated. Female genital mutilation is a common practice used in her culture and her experience makes me feel grateful for the kind of treatment we get.

Lucy Gration

Q. What surprised you about the journey of some of these women

It surprised me how many women go through so much trauma and still remain strong and are able to stick up for others.

Anna Wright

I was surprised that there is such a big difference in the culture/race ratio shown in television and film. Miranda Tapsell is very passionate about changing that and pushes for more diversity on Australian TV.

Izzy Chequer

Promoting social and emotional literacy has been the main focus of our Wellbeing time this term.  On Monday, students were shown this short clip from Dan Siegel explaining the Science behind showing kindness and how it impacts an adolescent’s mental health. We have spent this week focussing on recognising small examples of kindness and being a caring community – kinder to ourselves, our families and our year level. Given the past two years have been spent largely in one’s own house, these skills are needing to be taught, practised and encouraged. Hopefully one or two families even observed a random act of kindness or a sign of gratitude?

In Envision students have planned their city walking tour for next Tuesday afternoon, selecting sites that their group agreed on and organising people to speak at each location. Our Envision Creatives classes have also focused on developing collaboration skills as part of the design thinking process. I was fortunate to hear some of the music students writing and performing their own song riffs about creating a sustainable future – the old house was reverberating with bass guitar and drums on Wednesday morning!

It has been pleasing to observe the collaboration of many students at Year 9 – whether it be in Humanities classes, on the oval during PE, at rowing, or working together on a shared city experience. These vital life skills are ones which we will draw upon way beyond the Tay Creggan gates.

Best wishes,

Karyn Murray, Head of Tay Creggan

Tuesday 8 March 2022, 7.30am - 9.30am
Chin Chin, Melbourne 
To book in for this special event click here.

Don't miss out - limited seats available! 

Come and celebrate International Women's Day with us. This special breakfast is the first event in our inaugural ‘’Strathcona Women's Series’’. The International Women’s Day Breakfast brings the community together to recognise how far we have come towards achieving gender equality, how far we have to go, and the outstanding work and contribution of the women in our community and beyond.This year's theme for IWD is Break the Bias. Specifically, striving for a gender-equal world, free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. Strathcona's International Women's Day breakfast aims to bring our community together to celebrate women's achievements and raise awareness and continue to advocate for gender equality both in Australia and around the world. 

We look forward to hosting the event at the beautiful Chin Chin upstairs event space and providing our community the opportunity to come together, enjoy a delicious breakfast, and listen to our guest speaker, author of Leader by Design, and former CEO of Sportsgirl Colleen Callander. Colleen empowers and encourages women to have the confidence to believe in themselves, their ability and to share their voice. 

The breakfast will commence at 7.30 am. A ticket to the breakfast will include a sit-down meal, a special gift, and a chance to celebrate the women in our community on International Women's Day. Tickets are limited so book in quick!  Tell your friends and bring them along too, and come and meet some others in the community!

Our IWD Breakfast will also raise money in support of our School Charity Partner Women's Property Initiatives (WPI). Women's Property Initiatives create new beginnings for women and children at risk of homelessness by providing permanent and affordable homes, access to support, and ongoing advocacy. 

To support WPI, we will be hosting a raffle at the breakfast. The prizes have been donated by our wonderful Strathcona community members. 

Raffle prizes:

Major Prize - Loreal Product Hamper donated by the Khuu Family. (Valued at $1200)

High Tea for 2, at No 35 Restaurant at the Sofitel Melbourne

Raffle tickets can be purchased on TryBooking along with your ticket or on the day at your table. Good luck! 

We invite all Strathcona dads and caregivers to the Strathcona Family Association annual dads' pub night at the Hawthorn Hotel Beer Garden.

$25 per person for finger food and drinks at bar prices.A great opportunity to relax and meet other dads and have a few laughs.

Please note the Hawthorn Hotel requires you to be double vaccinated to attend and you will need to show your certificate to staff on arrival.

Relax and enjoy an evening out with other Strathcona mums and caregivers. A great opportunity to meet our new mums and reconnect with others after a long two years.

$25 per person for finger food and drinks at bar prices.

We have reserved a large private area at the recently renovated Hawthorn Hotel.

The evening has been arranged by the Strathcona Family Association Mothers' subcommittee. 

The Hawthorn Hotel will require double vaccination status to enter the function and will require proof of your COVID-19 vaccination on arrival.

Tuesday March 17 2022. Click here to book.

Asha Rao will share with us her journey to becoming a mathematician. She has not always wanted to be a mathematician. Like many career journeys, hers has not been linear. Now she is a strong advocate for girls and women studying Mathematics and will talk of the benefits of doing so. She identifies one of the differences in workforce opportunities between men and women to be their achievements in mathematics at school and will share with us her efforts to break through this source of inequity. This presentation will be valuable to those who enjoy mathematical studies and those who question whether it is worth them taking mathematics subjects any longer than they are required to.

Indian-Australian Professor and Associate Dean, and former Interim Director of the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI), Prof. Asha Rao was inducted into the 2021 Victorian Honour Roll of Women in the Trailblazer category. She is passionate about mathematics and gender issues that stymie the progress of women and girls in STEM careers. As the founding chair of Women in Maths, Prof. Rao has put in place several initiatives to improve gender equity within the mathematical sciences in Australia.

You are warmly invited to Strathcona Girls Grammar Parent Seminar Series event on how to strengthen all children and teens against anxiety, and build courage and resilience with Psychologist, Karen Young.

What could our children do if they knew in their hearts they were brave enough? All children and teens are capable of their very own versions of greatness. For too many though, anxiety will shut down their capacity to discover their potential - but it doesn't have to be this way. This transformational session will provide the essential information and strategies to help all parents and carers support children and adolescents to build courage and resilience, uncover their strengths, and take anxiety back to small enough. We will discuss ways to nurture the skills and qualities that will strengthen all children for life. Participants will learn:

• a new, empowering way for children, teens, and adults to think about anxiety, and how to use this to manage anxiety;
• taking the 'anxiety out of anxiety';
• how to build courage, resilience, and confidence in children and teens with anxiety;
• proven, practical ways to calm and strengthen an anxious brain;
• the power of parents to move children towards brave behaviour, and how to do this when anxiety is in the way;
• how to respond to anxiety in the moment to make way for calm and courage;
• how children can switch on the relaxation response;
• the different ways anxiety can manifest, and what to do;
• how to build the mindset that will strengthen against anxiety and make way for brave behaviour;
• how to build the solid neural foundations of resilience in all children;
• why new behaviours take time, why old responses can feel tough to change, and the simple explanation for children and teens that can build resilience and grit.

Because we know our children are mighty. Now to make sure they know it too.

Our guest speaker for this Parent Seminar Series event is Karen Young. Karen has worked as a psychologist in private practice, and organisational and educational settings. She is now a sought-after speaker, educator, and consultant, both at home in Australia and overseas. Karen is the founder of ‘Hey Sigmund’, an internationally popular online resource that provides contemporary, research-driven information on anxiety and the neurodevelopment of children. She has written three books, including the bestselling ‘Hey Warrior’ and 'Hey Awesome', which creatively assist children to understand and manage anxiety.

We look forward to you joining us for this event.

You are warmly invited to this upcoming Parent Seminar Series Event. 

'Body image' has been named as one of the top concerns across adolescent age groups and genders consistently in a number of surveys and studies over the last decade. Far from being a superficial or harmless concern, body image worries can span across physical, mental and social aspects of health and life to have significant impacts on young people, their families and communities. Significantly, this topic has never been as important as has emerged over the last 2 years with the various challenges that have been presented to all of us. It's not unusual that we are concerned about our teen's body image, but we might be unsure what to do or say. Should we be concerned or not? What is 'normal' anyway?

The good news is that parents, families, schools and communities can play powerful and important roles in supporting young people to understand their own experiences and provide environments where they are more likely to take care of their bodies from a place of respect.

This Parent Seminar will be presented by Body Image specialist and Dietitian Fiona Sutherland and is for parents and caregivers who would like to understand how to support a body-positive environment at home. The aim will be for attendees to leave with a deeper understanding of how body image concerns show up, how to have constructive conversations and take timely action if/when needed.

Parents’ Night Out – Dancing Under the Stars 2
Saturday 26 March 2022

The Strathcona Family Association are delighted to invite parents to join them for a fun evening at Dancing Under the Stars 2. Last year's event was a huge success with parents enjoying an evening on the Deck socialising and dancing the night away.

Enjoy a complimentary drink on arrival and then drinks can be purchased at the bar. Bountiful finger food and a DJ to entertain you who will be happy to play your requests!

Blow the Covid cobwebs away and have a fabulous evening with other Strathcona parents!

Smart casual attire and only $45per person.

* Please note that parents must be double vaccinated to attend