Strathcona. Bring out her best.

The Middle Years at Strathcona offer a broad based academic program, supportive pastoral care and a wide range of co-curricular opportunities.

Strathcona Middle School

Our priorities are to ensure that your daughter makes a smooth and confident transition into her secondary school years and that she lays the foundations for future success. Challenge and rich learning experiences, developing positive attitudes, resilience and a strong sense of self are the hallmarks of this important stage in your daughter’s educational journey.

To learn more about the Strathcona’s Middle School Co-Curricular activities click and download the following PDF:

• Years 7-10 2010 Handbook

Optimum Learning

The philosophy and rationale of the academic program of the Middle School are grounded in strong educational research. The work of Howard Gardner shows that there exists a range of different intelligences, for example: linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual, musical, kinaesthetic, intra and inter personal and conservation: effective learning occurs when all intelligences are involved.

Hermann’s four quadrant model of the brain explains the different ways of processing information and constructing knowledge that are involved in learning—analysing, organising, personalising, synthesizing. It has also been found that students have preferred modes of learning which tend to influence their approach to classroom activities.

At Strathcona, programs are designed to specifically target the different intelligences and learning styles to ensure that the girls are given extensive opportunities to work in their preferred mode of learning and that they are involved in activities which target their less preferred mode. In this way we ensure that all intelligences and all thinking processes are experienced and developed.

At Strathcona, two innovative programs address and implement these research findings. Skills and strategies explicitly taught in these programs are also incorporated in all subjects across the curriculum.

Principle Learning Programs

Year 7: Nautilus Program

The Year 7 Nautilus Program focuses on co-operative learning and the development of multiple intelligences.

In a series of specialist study weeks throughout the year, students participate in a range of activities—team work, workshops, research projects, online learning—all of which are designed to ensure that they experience the subject matter through one or more of the eight intelligences. For example, in the unit on Indigenous Studies, kinaesthetic and musical workshops enable students to explore music and dance, while in an art activity, the girls combine their visual intelligence with their computer based design skills. A similar approach is taken in the Asian Studies unit to ensure students become adept at working with all the intelligences.

Regular reflection and evaluation encourage students to think meta-cognitively about how—and how effectively—they have been learning. Just as the nautilus shell adds new chambers to its spiral, the experiential nature of this program helps students develop and add to their many individual capabilities and potentialities.

Year 8: Starburst Program

The Starburst Program is designed to help students recognise, understand and utilise a variety of learning styles in their academic and co-curricular activities.

Over the course of the program, a day is dedicated to each of the four key thinking processes of Hermann’s whole brain model. In activities associated with a particular subject area from the main stream curriculum, the girls acquire a repertoire of thinking strategies associated with a particular way of processing and learning.

These days, with their focus on problem solving and higher order thinking skills, encourage an understanding of how to learn and how to apply appropriate thinking skills in a variety of learning situations. Because Starburst is carefully integrated with the ongoing curriculum, all strategies learned are applied and reinforced throughout the year.

Pastoral Care

The Pastoral Care program of the Middle School concentrates on charting academic progress and helping each student find her social place, establish well-balanced personal relationships, affirm her personal identity and build assurance. Each class has two Form Tutors who work with the girls. These Tutors teach the girls in at least one subject and they play a vital role in developing and monitoring students’ individual learning plans. They oversee the Life Skills Program which covers such topics as personal development, protective behaviours, anti-bullying, organisational skills and good study habits. Under the guidance of their Form Tutors, students are encouraged to try out new activities in the extensive co-curricular offerings.

This personal attention is part of the wider, strong pastoral care network at Strathcona and Form Tutors work closely with the Year Co-ordinators, the Dean of Students, the School Counsellor and the Deputy Principal, all of whom will know your daughter.

During her Middle School years, we help all girls to develop significant social values: respect for self, caring for others, tolerance and compassion. Fundraising activities and community service help students learn how each can make a valuable contribution to the School, the local and global communities.

Strathcona has a total commitment to girls’ education and is a member of the Alliance of Girls’ Schools of Australasia.

Cumulative Skills

In the Middle School years there is an emphasis on acquiring the computing skills and information literacy so vital to students’ progress through the School.

Information and Communications Technology

Confidence and expertise in using ICT are essential to contemporary life and learning. In order to ensure that all Year 7 students gain strong foundation skills, a dedicated period per week is provided in which they complete the ICT Skills Course. A major aspect of the course is the “Computer Competency Program“. This program is based on Skills and Competencies found in the VET Certificate II in Information Technology course and includes units on Internet Access, Health and Safety, Capture of digital images, Identification of the components of multimedia, Computer Hardware and the maintenance of System integrity, the operation of computing packages, including word processing and presentation software and the use of ‘Blackboard’. Within the ICT Skills Course, Year 7 girls also complete the “Computer Based Art Program”, which covers a range of digital tools and techniques that are invaluable in most subjects today. Year 8 builds on these vital generic skills, using Forum time to further hone competencies in word processing, use of databases and spreadsheets, computer aided design and multimedia presentations. All of this work at both Years 7 and 8 is supported in all subject areas through the extensive use of the School’s online learning platform, ‘Blackboard’, to enhance learning.

Specialist Information Technology staff work collaboratively with classroom teachers to advance online learning, with software programs and saved student work available from home via the Internet and the School’s Homelink infrastructure.

Research Skills Our current information age means that students must be skilled in locating, accessing, evaluating and processing information. A structure and sequence of information skills ensures that students are trained in the six stages of the research process. Resource Centre orientation programs run by experienced information managers teach the girls to search the catalogue to find appropriate materials in a variety of formats, from book to audio visual to electronic. Research projects designed by Library and teaching staff ensure that students practice note taking skills, evaluating the suitability of resources and searching the Internet and online databases. Assignments are constructed to encourage the development of higher order thinking skills of analysis, evaluation and synthesis, as well as producing outcomes utilising the multiple intelligences.

Middle School Curriculum

Students learn best when programs cater for their individual needs and talents. The Middle School curriculum offers a diverse range of subjects. The strategies in each subject encourage students to think critically and creatively, to develop global awareness and to work cooperatively to establish the skills needed for life-long learning. The Middle School curriculum is designed so that subject specialisation is deferred as long as possible. The core subjects of Personal Development, Christian Education, Physical Education and Information Technology ensure the development of personal skills and values. History and Geography assist in the provision of a broad education, global appreciation and thorough foundation. Languages from which girls may choose include French, Italian and Mandarin. The language program offers girls the opportunity to acquire the skills of communicating with others and learning how languages are constructed, as well as appreciating cultural diversity.

The Visual and Performing Arts subjects of Art (ceramics, design, digital imaging, textiles, painting and drawing), Music and Drama challenge and excite the students and provide them with skills required for senior study as well as inter-house and inter-school competitions. Great value is placed on the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science and their role in providing a stimulating and sound basis for the senior years.

Co-Curricular Offerings

Drama, Music and Sport are integral to life at Strathcona. Drama is an outstanding way to develop confidence and a sense of self and to learn exciting means of expression. Performance and dance are available within drama classes, within Houses and in the great variety of school productions, including musicals.

As well as classroom music, girls are able to undertake private instrumental music lessons and participate in the many ensembles, bands, orchestra and choirs. Sport is available at many levels inter-form, house and inter-school. The size of Strathcona allows a very high level of participation and success for all students.

Facilities

In each year level, classrooms are located around a carpeted central area, creating a feeling of belonging, a relaxed mixing of the classes and flexibility in the use of the spaces.

Strathcona girls enjoy a range of facilities including a gymnasium, a swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, playing fields, state-of-the-art science laboratories and four computer laboratories, together with nodes of computers throughout the school. The new Library has direct access to computing facilities.

The plans for a new Creative and Performing Arts centre will include specialised art rooms (painting and drawing, ceramics, textiles, design), a drama studio, music studios, individual practice rooms and performance spaces, a multimedia centre and a new food technology laboratory.