Humanities “Bright eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” In the recent US presidential election Mitt Romney repeatedly closed his rallies with these inspiring words. Unfortunately, they weren’t his. He’d taken them, without permission, from a popular television programme. This is the price we sometimes pay for the mass availability of information in the digital age. The Australian Curriculum is coming. This year De La Salle piloted aspects of the Australian Curriculum for History. Much of the content we already studied in our existing courses. As teachers, we aim to provide broad and rich learning experiences, with an emphasis on in-depth inquiry units. The biggest changes occur at Years 9 and 10, where we can now ensure that all our students are learning about modern Australia and the making of the modern world. Technology throws up fresh opportunities and challenges, including the use of the Moodle platform, ebooks, podcasts, prezis, and iPad tablets for Year 7 in 2013. All these tools are most powerful when allied with positive, inquisitive, critical minds. Mitt Romney was told publicly by the writer to find his own words. To find his own values. That’s the same challenge for us, teaching and learning in the humanities. Mr Chris Fleming
(Above) In June Ray Weston from the Vietnam Veterans’ Association came to De La to share his experience as a soldier and returned veteran. (Above right) George Banks tries on the weighty backpack vets had to shoulder when out on patrol. Even for a strong young man it was surprisingly heavy. (Right) To wartime 2000 years prior. Year 7 students research an aspect of Roman society. Here an aspiring legionnaire struts his (homemade) weaponry.
(Below) Year 7 fieldwork at Melbourne Zoo. Boys are made aware of the fragility of endangered species and methods by which they are protected and conserved
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