Last year my son began the most amazing journey at IFS. He started on day one in year 9. I watched him closely as he became accustomed to Project Based Learning, cheered him on from the sideline as his football skills developed and stopped taking him to McDonalds as he learned it was not the best fuel for his body! It was an amazing transformation. A boy who didn’t really care much for college, becoming so passionate that he would update his Facebook status with comments about how much he loved college, and in the holidays, how much he missed college. I wanted in. I wanted to be a part of this learning environment that was having such a positive impact on the students. I decided I was going to be a part of IFS and that was all there was to it.
Early last year I attended a Parent Information Night at IFS. I met Shane, the primary college teacher. I didn’t know him but I went right up, shook his hand and introduced myself. I told him I would be working with him next year. And now I am! And honestly, we are a great team. Shane is a fantastic teacher and I feel blessed to be team-teaching with him.
The students in years 5 and 6 are an amazing assortment of talent. We are all working hard together to develop the mindset of champions. This mindset is as important on the pitch and court as it is in the classroom.
For our first project we have been learning about ’employability skills’. Why on earth would we teach career education to 11 and 12 year olds I hear you ask. The answer is simple. Career education is about life-long learning. It is about creating an awareness of the skills and attributes that are required in today’s world, no matter what field you work in. When you have an idea of where the finish line is, it is much easier to run the race (so to speak). These employability skills are a common set of skills that are required in all workplaces, whether you are a CEO, a professional sportsperson, a tradesman or even a student. The skills are: communication, teamwork, initiative and enterprise, problem solving, planning and organising, self-managment, learning, technology and cross-cultural understanding. Developing an understanding of these skills enables our students to become more engaged in their learning opportunities.
I want to finish with one word. Excellence. We expect it from our students and we tell the students they should expect it from themselves. 2014 is the International (Football School) Year of Excellence.
Each day after college I drive home buzzing. I am excited. I am ecstatic. To work where I work is simply amazing.
Hi Karen,
I agree totally! The one thing I noticed about this new college last year was the life in the faces, not only of the students but also the staff!! In the High college where my daughter came from, that life and excitement was not seen in the college. The Teacher’s didn’t look like they wanted to be there. But something is different about this college. The students want to learn and the Teacher’s want to teach, the coaches want to teach the students what they know and the Chef is amazing!! We are all blessed to be at this college and further more, we are blessed to have Paul who was concerned for the health and well being to set fire to the hearts of others to create this amazing college in our own back yard!
There is definitely a buzz in the air. Its only week2 but I get the feeling this has been a great decision. We have one very tired but very happy student.
Well said Karen. My son started at IFS in year 5 this year. I have found my son has a totally different attitude to college this year and loves it !!