Humanities

ferry to the island of Crete. On Crete, the itinerary included the port city of Chania and the Royal Palace at Knossos. Then, via fast ferry, we spent a glorious week exploring the Mediterranean islands of Santorini and Paros before returning to Athens. In preparation for the tour, Mr Gayton organised an Information Evening and Greek Feast for the tourists. A huge thank you to Mrs Georgina Bissiotis and Mrs Mary Yorath for preparing this feast. There is no substitute for travel for students to expand their comfort zone, develop in selfawareness and independence, and grow in understanding of history and culture. For all on the trip, as the photos attest, it was an unforgettable experience. We look forward to offering another overseas tour in 2016.

Curriculum innovation occurred in 2014 through the introduction of selected units from the compulsory Australian Curriculum Geography syllabus. New Jacaranda Geography textbooks were purchased for all boys in Years 7 and 8. The Year 7 course trialled the Geography unit ‘Water in the World’. The related field excursion to Hinze Dam, hosted by the SEQWater educational team, proved a great success and will now become a yearly event. In Year 8, thanks to Mr Steve Roberts, each class participated in a day field excursion from the Southport Seaway to the Tweed River mouth, exploring coastal landforms and beach-management strategies. This excursion will be expanded in 2015 to include a Stradbroke Island camp, as we further develop the Year 8 Geography unit, ‘Landforms and Landscapes’. The staged introduction of the Australian Curriculum in Geography in Years 7 and 8 will be completed in 2015. For their History studies, the Year 7 boys explored ancient civilisations, including Ancient China and Ancient Rome. In Semester One, the boys camped on Stradbroke Island, and participated in activities designed to test their survival skills and grow their respect for the skills of ancient peoples. My thanks to the dedicated teaching team of Mr Lindsay Close, Ms Paula Henry, Mr John Gayton and Ms Susan Presto.

In Years 8, 9 and 10, the Australian Curriculum History courses, which were fully implemented last year, were consolidated in 2014. The Years 8 and 9 History courses were again delivered with passion by Mr John Gayton and Mr Denzel Wilson, exploring the period from Ancient Greece through the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution to Federation in Australia and World War I. To deliver the Year 10 Australian curriculum in History a unitised approach was again used, with classes rotating through four teachers throughout each semester. The teachers – Mrs Carolyn Nelson, Mr Conan Bland, Mr Denzel Wilson and Mr John Wallace – each presented a unit that made best use of their expertise, covering topics as diverse as human rights and reconciliation in Australia; the Kokoda campaign and the ANZAC spirit; waves of migration to Australia since 1945; and historical skills development for success in Senior. In 2014, the Year 9 Geography course was taught by Mr Steve Roberts (and Mr Shane Primrose in Term Two). Classes investigated coastal processes, and learnt to understand synoptic charts and forecast the weather. The one-semester, elective Year 10 Geography course in geomorphology and biogeography, delivered by myself (Mr Robert Ritchie), again proved popular, with large classes in both semesters. In Senior Geography, field trips in Semester Two investigated the urban planning of green spaces. Years 11 and 12 geographers were tasked with evaluating the planning principles evidenced at the Broadwater Parklands, and compared this green space to Roma Street Parklands and the Southbank Parklands during their excursion to Brisbane.

As Head of Humanities, I was also responsible for the TSS delegation to the Gold Coast City Junior Council, and thank Year 10 students Yash Bhoola and Cale Kalinowski and Year 11 students Zachary McFarlane and Stephen Sandeman for their participation this year. The Honours program was again offered by the Humanities Faculty this year, with Hadleigh Green worthy of special mention for his Year 9 dissertation on the impact of geography on famous events throughout history. I would also like to acknowledge in this report the excellent efforts of our team of teachers to ‘decorate’ their classrooms to improve the quality of the physical-learning environment. In Nimmo Block, classrooms are genuinely engaging spaces, with wallmural world maps on each back wall, complemented by posters related to the School’s strategic priorities, specifically Habits of Mind, Habits of Wellbeing, Hierarchy of Thinking Skills and Learning Styles. As well, photos taken on our History tour take pride of place in some rooms. The Humanities Faculty continues to provide an academically challenging set of courses tailored to meet the interests of the boys and develop the skills they will need for tertiary success. This is possible only because of the collaborative spirit and professionalism of the teachers in the Faculty, and I would like to commend all the teachers on a highly successful year for our team. It is very rewarding to work with such passionate educators willing to embrace change and consistently seeking to improve outcomes for the boys. In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the Valedictorians of 2014 the very best for the future, and trust they will find fulfilment in life as servant leaders in their chosen fields.