Mr Richard Dobrenov | Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School

Yesterday, the College hosted the University Showcase where five Universities, TAFE, QTAC and the Defence Force all set up stands to speak to our eager Year 11 & 12 students.  It was a perfect opportunity for students to speak to the various representatives about possible career choices, and find out more about what the world might hold for them beyond the College gates.

Rich Tasks in Mathematics

Mrs Rebecca Grayson | Maths Teacher

Part of learning mathematics at SCOTS PGC involves an class activities we refer to as ‘Rich tasks’. These tasks are complex and challenging mathematical problems that require students to apply critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills. Last week in Mrs Grayson’s Year 9 maths classes, students were challenged with a painted cubes problem. Students worked in groups of various abilities, and all contributed to solving the problem.  As a teacher, I love seeing all students challenged by a problem, especially when everyone can work together and be part of a solution.

Giving students these opportunities to work together with rich tasks, helps develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts by applying them in real world contexts. It also allows them to think creatively and develop their own problem-solving strategies rather than simply following prescribed algorithms. This in turn promotes higher-order thinking skills and helps students become more independent learners.

Career Profiling in Year 10

Mr Peter Pickering | Careers Adviser

Last Friday during a session in the Assembly Hall, our Year 10s received their ‘Career Profile’ from Stacey Nottle, an adviser to Career Avenues.  We’ve been working closely with Career Avenues over the last 20 odd years to provide testing services for our Year 10s, in order to help them with their future career choices and subsequent subject selection in Years 11 and 12.

This is all a part of the Year 10 SET Plan which is mandatory for Queensland students. The profile assesses four aspects of a student’s career readiness:

1. Personality,
2. Career interests,
3. Abilities,
4. Generic work skills.

The final results of the profile are the top three recommendations for the student. For instance, this could be: Environment and Primary, Health and Medical or Tourism and Sports. There are 10 possible areas in total.

Within each of these areas, the students are given a selection of 20-30 options. This is then reduced to a more manageable total of six that they are asked to investigate.

The report is very detailed and an electronic copy will be sent to all parents.