Welcome back to Term 4 as we head into our final block of learning for 2025.
Over the term break I took my family to the beach and we stumbled upon something remarkable that sparked our curiosity. We had found some very active pipis on the shoreline. They were emerging from the sand with each wave only to burrow back down again when the water moved away. I only just caught them out of the corner of my eye. We had discovered the disappearing and reappearing pipis!
My children had never seen this before. Their eyes lit up and I could hear gasps of wonder as they looked at these curious little creatures. “How do they do that?” they asked. And from there began a beautiful conversation about muscles, movement, and the marvels of God’s creation. They observed them for over an hour. It was a precious moment that highlighted the pure joy of having curiosity. It opens doors to discovery, connection with prior knowledge and deeper understanding.
When I welcomed back the Junior School students at our Monday morning muster I shared with them this story. I challenged the students to always carry with them that same sense of curiosity as they approach their learning at College. It was the theme for the week.
Our teachers intentionally frame learning around inquiry questions such as “What are you wondering?” or “What might happen here?”. Learning at the College involves cultivating a mindset that embraces what is yet to be known and encourages students to immerse themselves in understanding the world God has made. As we guide students through their educational journey, we are not simply filling minds with knowledge. Rather, we are nurturing a spirit of wonder that seeks, explores and continually grows a deep understanding of the world.
One of the Junior School teachers shared the image below with the class and invited them to explore it through the lens of curiosity. One child looked closely and commented, “Why don’t the big droplets fall onto the small ones and squash them?”. What an insightful question. It’s moments like these that remind us how powerful curiosity can be in unlocking deeper understanding. I wonder what questions your child might ask if they were looking at this image.
The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.
- Proverbs 18:15
What a joy it is to inspire our students to be curious and bring a sense of wonder in their learning journey.
You have also received an Operation Christmas Child Box and are invited to participate in this annual initiative at the College. This is another opportunity to instil curiosity as you talk about why you are packing a box and the impact this act of generosity could have on another child similar in age to them.
I am looking forward to a great term ahead.