Run for your intellectual life

2 RUN FOR YOUR INTELLECTUAL LIFE

Project-based learning has been, once again, a particularly rewarding aspect of our work at the Senior Library. This year we started two new co-curricular activities, the Classics Book Club and Classical Literature Enrichment.

A group of MRC researchers: Carolyn W, Freya P, Emma Z, Anastasia M, Zara H-J, Stephanie C, Kate B.

The latter was offered in collaboration with the Countess of Jersey Society. Students who signed up for this enrichment option explored classical literature, and wrote an essay or a fictional piece based on their reading.

Students worked with Ms Trainor, Dr Stafford and me during the year developing their understanding of our literary heritage, and their writing skills. The final projects included an essay on female characters in the nineteenth century literature, a creative exploration of women’s identity based on novels by Australian women writers, and an appropriation of Cinderella inspired by Virginia Woolf’s writing. The school community had an opportunity to hear more about students’ work in our inaugural Festival of Literature on 11 November—another exciting collaboration between the library and Countess of Jersey Society. Students at PLC Sydney also had an opportunity to explore their interests and develop research skills during the lockdown. Girls from Year 7 to 10 who signed up for the MRC Research Project Elective studied their chosen topic one day a week in Term 3. From crime mysteries, technology in soccer, and gender inequality, to the Declaration of Independence and writing a song in the style of the musical Hamilton—students embraced a chance to follow their own interests. As a Year 7 student who grappled with hard questions about the mind explained, it was also a chance to watch cute monkeys on video (Do animals have a mind?). In both projects, women and women’s issues were a popular research topic. From the resourcefulness of a crime victim who managed to outwit her captor and later become a crime inspector, to the misguided power of women in the works of Balzac and Austin, students investigated a fascinating range of issues related to women’s status and identity. As a student noted, it is all about growing free minds.

Dr Suzana Sukovic

Director of Research and Library Services

Classical Literature Enrichment

‘As Josie said herself at the beginning of the book Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta, “I'll run one day. Run for my life. To be free and think for myself...I'll run to be emancipated.” Though I wasn’t running in the literal sense through my classic literature journey, this project has given me challenges and rewards through writing and reading that have, in a way, freed me. Getting to explore different books and reflecting on the different circumstances surrounding women and their treatment in society has been such a wonderful experience.

“I was so grateful to be inspired and mentored by such amazing teachers around me who motivated me when I felt like giving up.”

I’ve found that with each piece of information I extract from the books, I learn something new. Even when I read the same book three times, I still found new things every time to reflect on and think about. Getting to apply all this knowledge into a creative piece was also a marvellous experience. The journey of starting, from gathering my research to making a plan, to writing my story was quite challenging, but I was so grateful to be inspired and mentored by such amazing teachers around me who motivated me when I felt like giving up. In the end, I was able to produce an insightful piece of writing that not only taught the readers, but myself as well on how privileged I am to live in a society where women and girls are able to explore their full potentials and receive an education, allowing us to flourish and grow into who we can truly become. This was a valuable experience that I was very fortunate to be able to explore by unlocking my own potential, with the support of my teachers and friends.’ Emma Z, Year 8 ‘On the recommendation of Dr Sukovic, I joined the PLC Sydney CLassics Book Club this year. Introduced by my mum to the world of classical literature from a young age, I thought it would be intellectually stimulating to be part of a forum where I can indulge in discussions about literature. I was not disappointed! I have benefited much more from the mentorship of Dr Sukovic. Dr Sukovic introduced me to other classical authors that were very diverse and controversial for their times and, through their narratives, I gained a different perspective in relation to the life of women at the time.’ Stephanie C, Year 8 ‘This year in Classics Book Club, we explored new ways of engaging with reading, learned about different time periods and discussed the many areas of literature. I found our conversations very insightful, and at times we deviated from the text to ponder over more philosophical questions regarding purpose and meaning. Furthermore, we were also given the chance to more deeply explore an interest of our own and produce an informative, persuasive or fictional piece to showcase our research. Classics Book Club is not just a space to talk about words. It is where we come to share and interact within our own literary worlds.’ Carolyn W, Year 9

MRC Research Project Elective

‘I enjoyed the research project because it allowed me to combine my interests into one topic and research it. I learnt a lot about my chosen topic and it was really fun as we had a lot of choice as to our final idea, as well as the type of output we made.’ Zarah H-J, Year 9 ‘I found it quite interesting and liked how we had freedom in choosing out projects.’ Anneliese T, Year 10 ‘It was really enjoyable to take time to explore an interest that wasn't school related and do research on a topic I could pick for myself.’ Christina C, Year 10 ‘It reminded me that humans have searched for the greatest mystery, looking beyond our world, and it's been inside our skulls this whole time… also this project gave me an excuse to watch cute monkey videos!’ Anastasia M, Year 7