Students in Social Science subjects excelled in 2021 through the demonstration of their critical and creative thinking skills, and their adaptability which has become increasingly important in our complex world. Teachers have also thrived during the past year, with COVID-19 providing a fantastic opportunity for the faculty to deepen student engagement and focus on formative assessment to better gauge student achievement. A key feature of student and teacher success in 2021 was the expansion of digital tools to support student learning.
Our top highlights were:
Revamped Year 7 Geography Course
Our fantastic Year 7 Geography teachers, led by Ms Dieleman, reinvigorated our Year 7 Geography course to build on the positive student engagement experiences in 2020. In 2021, there was a strong focus on formative assessment with extensive opportunities for student feedback to ensure every student is provided with the opportunity to achieve their personal best. This positive learning environment was nurtured throughout the course, with students applying their knowledge and skills in the Year 7 ‘Landform Model Expo’ which proved to be a great success, as reflected in the photos. Peer feedback and appreciation were at the core of this activity which extended the already high level of collaboration and collegiality amongst the students and teachers.
Stage 5 Marine Studies
The recent introduction of a new Marine and Aquaculture Technology syllabus in New South Wales provided us with the opportunity to further develop student engagement in this already popular course. With the introduction of new topics, including Waterbirds of NSW in Year 9 and a Local Area Study and Film Study in Year 10, students have been engaged with the marine environment like never before. WBHS has several ‘birders’ who have been willing to share their knowledge of local waterbirds with their peers which has not only built their following on YouTube but allowed them to share the passion for the local marine environment. Students also thrived when given the chance to be the ‘Teacher for a lesson’. This task builds student capabilities in a safe but challenging environment, whilst working collaboratively with a peer to prepare and deliver a lesson on a marine topic of their choice. This task has also allowed for self-reflection and peer feedback to create a learning environment that fosters positivity and praise.
Fishing Excursions
The impacts of COVID-19 have been immense on student learning. This is especially the case regarding school excursions, and it was with great pleasure that Social Science was again able to offer Marine Studies students the opportunity to engage in fishing excursions to Warners Bay Jetty during lessons. Students rigged many rods, put on lots of bait, tangled a few lines, caught many weeds, and even snagged a few fish here and there. This engaging and practical excursion also saw the biggest fish ever caught off Warners Bay Jetty – not quite 3 metres, but a big flathead was reeled in by Jay (Year 9). Unfortunately, the fish managed to wriggle free before a photo was taken. Thankfully, no photo was taken of Mr McGarvey catching a seagull when casting off the jetty!
Stage 5 Commerce
The creation and implementation of a comprehensive Future Focused Learning assessment task into Year 10 Commerce has led to increased student engagement in the course. This 21st Century work capabilities task enables students to showcase the skills and attributes they have gained thus far in their lives. Students are encouraged to aim for their dream job and evaluate possible pathways to fulfil their ambition through a progressive process of skill and capabilities analysis. This critical thinking task delivers practical tools for student achievement after school including resume writing as a means to create links between classroom learning and post school opportunities for students.
Stage 6 – Society and Culture
Designed to develop a student’s social and cultural literacy, Modern History and Society & Culture students had the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts from an Afghani refugee. Memphis, from ‘A Different View’, had organised Shadiah (guest speaker) who spoke to the class about her experiences growing up in Afghanistan and then finally moving to Australia.
Shadiah also spoke about finding work in Australian and her job at ‘The Social Outfit’ which set out to provide jobs for refugees and migrants by saving textiles from landfill.
Environmental Representative Council – School Recycling System
After undergoing a Sustainability Challenge in 2019, a group of motivated students discovered that there is a lack of sustainability initiatives, particularly recycling schemes, as well as an inefficient bin system in our school. As a result, we started an Environmental Representative Council (ERC) in 2020 and successfully applied for a Sustainable Schools Grant. The introduction of a new waste management system followed and its ongoing success in 2021 is reflective of the passion of students at WBHS to ensure ongoing sustainable waste management. The introduction of Return and Earn bins in blocks has also led to a reduction in school waste going to landfill and generated revenue to reinvest in sustainability initiatives.
