Little farmers

Let’s Talk Farming

If there is one thing that the college is blessed with, it is a large and relatively green campus. While the sports areas are, understandably devoid of vegetation, the number of trees on campus and the way the land is lovingly tilled makes the college quite unique among educational institutions on the island. Indeed, this love of land is instill in our students at a very early age with the youngest of all annually helping our resident gardener of the past 50 years, Joe, to plant, water and harvest potatoes. This is an experience which never leaves them. For St Edward’s College, therefore, participating in the government sponsored program ‘Let’s talk Farming’ was quite a natural progression.

This program aims to increase awareness related to food systems: food production, the consequences of climate change, animal welfare and husbandry, employment and community building. These aspects are woven into the curriculum through subjects such as Maltese, English, Mathematics, geography and creative arts. Using these subjects, the schools participating in the program take on activities which increase awareness of this vital sector of the economy. The activities which may be submitted as participation and which St Edward’s is actively working on include artistic and creative skills, school outings to food production sectors, creative thinking exercises and growing food on the college premises.

Cont pg 5

Prize fight

There is a saying that Life’s not fair. Well there is a nasty word involved so I’ve doctored it a bit. Actually, this saying is a bit inaccurate. Life may not always be fair but then it all depends on how we approach the challenges it presents us: are we moaners? Are we people who wait for others to do things then ride the wave? Are we problem solvers? Are we creators?

The value of a good education is not simply in the number of certificates a person can hang on a wall. Rather, it lies in the tools that it gives people to face life and turn the ‘unfairness’ to their advantage. This is the true value of the removal of formal examinations: that students focus more on learning and applying rather than remembering and participating in a rat-race.

This is why we do not need to fight over prizes, but focus on individual development.

3

Fishing trip

By Luana Cassar

The Year 7 Italian students finished off the topic of Articoli Determinativi. They were divided into two groups and received 6 article cards. The game was to fish for a correct word that matches the articles. Studying history is usually associated with a mountain of books and old letters, trips to the library and the occasional magnifying glass. Wrong. Just look at our Year 9 History Option students who visited Valletta on a sunny day in December to learn all about the building legacy of the Knights of St John! The students accompanied by their teacher Ms S. Abela, had a booklet to fill in as they learn about the entrance to the city and how it changed over the years; they discussed the importance of architectes Francesco Laparelli and Glormu Cassar; they visited Our Lady of Victories church where the first stone of Valletta is said to have been laid; observed the Auberges and noted their current use today amongst others. The main aim of this tour of Valletta though was not only to see with their own eyes what they had learnt about in class but also to visit the Co Cathedral of St John, one of the biggest infrastructural gems left behind by the Order. The boys were taken a back when they saw the contrast created by its mannerist outside compared to its richly decorated barqoue inside. The marble flooring comprising of various tombs was fascinating together with the majestic cieling done by Mattia Preti. The students were able to follow an audio guide that explained what they were seeing in every chapel they visited. The Beheading of St John by Caravaggio was also a special moment for them with its chiaro-scuro technique it creates a very sombre athmosphere. The lightning in the Oratory is also very suggestive.

4

The excitement of studying History

This site visit enable the boys to complete a ‘Site Visit Report’ which is a task in which their investigative and observational skills are put to test and it is also part of the LOFs required tasks.