Their week has been highlighted by various events including some gamesmanship and fun and will be finished-off with a beautiful and meaningful Graduation Assembly in which awards, gifts and words of encouragement are exchanged. I am sure that for many of our graduates there is a sense of relief and satisfaction that 13 years of schooling has come to a close; they no longer have to respond to bells and timetabled lessons, they no longer have to keep their uniforms in order, their future is clearly calling. However, with their new found freedom comes a new set of responsibilities.
They will have to discipline themselves to ensure that they stay tuned up for the coming examinations, decisions about universities, work and what to do next will be demanding their attention and so life goes on.
In focusing on our graduates I want to return to Thomas Hassall’s, ‘Graduate Aims'. These are the characteristics that we hope to encourage and equip each graduate with as they progress through the College. Collaboration is one of those important skills which includes an ability for individuals to work together and to consider the needs of the group; essentially it means to ‘get on’ regardless of our differences and commit to the ‘team’.
As we approach the various grand finals you might expect that the best performing team will prevail on the day. In the work place it will be the best performing teams that can adapt to a quickly changing environment that will stand out and find success. The success of the Year 12s of 2017 has been built around their ability to support and build one another up. This is not always easy when personalities and different characters collide, as they inevitably do in a dynamic environment, however, a commitment to work together and find common ground is essential if a sense of team is ever going to develop. I am pleased to say that despite some differences and struggles, our 2017 Year 12 do have a strong sense of identity and cohesion, which they will take into the examinations.
In the classroom collaboration requires students to clearly and logically communicate their opinion verbally, in written texts or visual representations. To do this the students will need to reason with evidence in order to put their case and persuade others to their point of view. As effective communicators students are also encouraged to actively listen and respectfully engage with others. Thomas Hassall Anglican College provides many different and exciting opportunities for all students to develop these skills as they prepare for life beyond school. Let’s encourage each other to this end.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing
