What's happening in schools around Tasmania
With Term 3 coming to an end, we wanted to look back at some of the exciting things happening in Australian schools — this time, in Tassie. The last couple of months saw visits from international sister schools, National Aboriginal Day celebrations and a workshop for male students.
Credit: Fahan School, Hobart
Tokyo Jogakkan visits Fahan School in Hobart
From July 24–29, Year 6 Fahan students had an incredible opportunity to host 14 girls and their teachers from Fahan School’s Japan sister school, Tokyo Jogakkan. The school participated in activities like bushwalking, visiting Bonorong Wildlife Park and hosting an Australian barbeque.
The Japanese students got a taste of living in Tasmania through homestays with the Year 6 Fahan students. Fahan students dressed in kimonos, drank Japanese tea and learnt how to write calligraphy. School principal Penny Curran-Peters said that the trip was enjoyable as the girls shared many commonalities despite having cultural differences.
Source: Fahan School website
Credit: Norwood Primary School
National Aboriginal Children’s Day at Norwood Primary School
Norwood Primary School in Launceston celebrated National Aboriginal Children’s Day on August 4. A round of activities were hosted by Aboriginal Early Years Education Workers, Cecillia and Camilla. The students came together to celebrate the rich Aboriginal history, where the hosts organised different activities for the kids.
It was an incredible experience for students where prep and kinder kids painted with ochre, played with kelp, made an Australian Aboriginal flag collage and even cooked damper in a fire pit. Cecillia and Camilla also shared the history of Punchbowl Reserve, how the palawa kani language came to be and even showed what a true smoking ceremony looks like.
Source: Norwood School Facebook page
Credit: St Patrick’s College
Boys @ Work at St Patrick’s College
On August 27, St Patrick’s College in Prospect, Launceston held an event on for male students to progress in their journey towards adulthood. With a turnout of 70 people, the event was created to further develop the relationship between Middle School boys and significant male figures in their lives. A range of sporting activities was held that encouraged teamwork, good fun, competition, movement, and the importance of good physical and mental health.
The construction challenges were a great opportunity for collaboration, encouraging communication and problem-solving. In teams, the students constructed bookshelves, cube shelves and wheelbarrows. The following items built by the students are now available for purchase in hopes to raise money for St Giles, one of Tasmania’s key organisations providing education to children and adults with disabilities.
Source: St Patrick’s College News
Credit: Hobart College
Chinese sister school visit at Hobart College
Each year, Hobart College hosts staff and students from their Chinese sister school, Fuzhou Number 8 Middle School. August saw four days of cultural exchange between both schools. The visitors enjoyed trips to the Marine Discovery Centre in Woodbridge and met native animals at Bonorong Wildlife Park. The Chinese students had a wonderful experience with their homestays, trying new food and attending classroom sessions at Hobart College’s Sustainability Learning Centre.
Source: Hobart College Newsletter