Pedagogical Approach - Junior Secondary
Topic: Quality Teaching Rounds
In relation to our goal to strengthen our pedagogical work as teachers we are delighted to share that we will participate in the Strengthening Induction through QTR programme offered by the University of Newcastle. This initiative is a four-year partnership between the Australian Government and the University of Newcastle to provide 1,600 Australian teachers the opportunity to participate in the award-wining Quality Teaching Rounds (QTR) professional development programme. The QTR is a professional development programme for teachers that was firstly implemented in schools in 2009. The approach has been shown to make lessons more intellectually engaging and challenging, improve the learning environment, and make learning more meaningful for students. Click here for more information.
Quality Teaching Rounds
Quality Teaching Rounds was developed by Professor Gore and her former University of Newcastle colleague Dr Julie Bowe. It enables teachers to draw on their collective strengths and the advice of their peers to find creative ways to improve their teaching practice.
Quality Teaching Rounds involves a rigorously tested process where small groups of teachers come together to observe a lesson, which is followed by analysis, coding and collaborative discussion using the QT Model. Over several weeks, each teacher in the group takes a turn to host a round in a process like the medical rounds used to teach junior doctors in hospitals. Click here for more information.
A team of eight teachers from GISS will participate in this programme and we are looking forward to implementing our gained insights in our lessons to make learning more meaningful for our students.
Simone Hessling, Head of Secondary Curriculum & IB Coordinator
The boys of Year 8 wanted to publish an article about their Village. In it, they explained why their Village is so important to them and how much they learn through their constructions.
Next to the preschool building is a green area that sat empty and unused for years. Today, it is the favourite hangout spot for the Year 8 boys. But how did it become “The Village”?
It all began in Year 5 during a lesson about the Stone Age. We learned how people survived by building shelters and using simple tools. At the time, it seemed like just another topic. We didn’t realise it would inspire us for years to come. One day while playing tip, we discovered an unused space behind the preschool, hidden by a thick wall of bamboo. Curious, we started experimenting. We wedged
bamboo sticks between trees and covered them with leaves. That first structure became “The Town Hall,” the pride of The Village.
After that, we kept building. Some designs worked well; others failed completely. The Town Hall itself was rebuilt seven or eight times after being damaged for different reasons. The final time it was removed, the supporting branches were cut down, making it impossible to rebuild the same way. Seeing it gone was heartbreaking—it felt like The Village had lost its most important building.
Despite this, we continued creating new huts and shelters. We experimented with different designs, learning what worked best. Our strongest huts use a thick bamboo stick balanced between two trees as the main support, with smaller sticks leaning against it and tied together. We cover everything with layers of dry leaves for protection.
We even tried building teepees, but they collapsed when the leaves slipped off. Not every idea was a success. Over three years, we’ve learned where to find the best materials. We collect dead bamboo from along the fence and use dried sword grass as rope to tie our structures together. Large pieces of leaf litter form the roof.
The Village has taught us creativity, teamwork, and resilience. Even when our buildings are destroyed, we rebuild. Right now, the Year 8 boys are working on another hut. Supplies are running low, but we will keep building the structures we love.
If you’d like to visit The Village or help us build, talk to us.
By Johann Tonn
Schüler der 8. Klasse wollten einen Artikel über ihr Village in der Gutenbergpost veröffentlichen. Darin erklärten sie, warum ihr Village für sie so wichtig ist und wie viel sie bei ihren Konstruktionen lernen.
Neben dem Vorschulgebäude befindet sich eine Grünfläche, die jahrelang leer und ungenutzt war.
Heute ist sie der Lieblingsaufenthaltsort der Jungen aus der 8. Klasse. Aber wie wurde sie zum „Village“?
Alles begann in der 5. Klasse während einer Unterrichtseinheit über die Steinzeit. Wir lernten, wie die Menschen überlebten, indem sie Unterkünfte bauten und einfache Werkzeuge benutzten. Damals schien es nur ein weiteres Thema zu sein. Wir ahnten nicht, dass es uns für viele Jahre inspirieren würde.
Eines Tages, als wir Fangen spielten, entdeckten wir einen ungenutzten Bereich hinter der Vorschule, verborgen hinter einer dichten Bambuswand. Neugierig begannen wir zu experimentieren. Wir klemmten Bambusstäbe zwischen Bäume und bedeckten sie mit Blättern. Diese erste Konstruktion wurde zum „Rathaus“, dem Stolz des Village.
Danach bauten wir immer weiter. Manche Entwürfe funktionierten gut, andere scheiterten völlig. Das Rathaus selbst wurde sieben- oder achtmal wieder aufgebaut, nachdem aus verschiedenen Gründen beschädigt worden war. Beim letzten Mal wurde es entfernt, weil die tragenden Äste abgesägt wurden, sodass ein Wiederaufbau auf dieselbe Weise unmöglich war. Es verschwunden zu sehen, war herzzerreißend – es fühlte sich an, als hätte das Village sein wichtigstes Gebäude verloren.
Trotzdem machten wir weiter und errichteten neue Hütten und Unterstände. Wir experimentierten mit verschiedenen Bauweisen und lernten, was am besten funktionierte. Unsere stabilsten Hütten verwenden einen dicken Bambusstab, der als Hauptstütze zwischen zwei Bäumen ausbalanciert ist, während kleinere Stäbe dagegen gelehnt und zusammengebunden werden.
Wir bedecken alles mit Schichten aus trockenen Blättern zum Schutz. Wir haben sogar versucht, Tipis zu bauen, aber sie sind eingestürzt, als die Blätter herunterrutschten. Nicht jede Idee war ein Erfolg. Über drei Jahre hinweg haben wir gelernt, wo man die besten Materialien findet. Wir sammeln abgestorbenen Bambus entlang des Zauns und verwenden getrocknetes Schwertgras als Seil, um unsere Strukturen zusammenzubinden. Große Mengen von Laub bilden das Dach.
Das Village hat uns Kreativität, Teamarbeit und Durchhaltevermögen beigebracht. Selbst wenn unsere Gebäude zerstört werden, bauen wir sie wieder auf. Im Moment arbeiten die Jungen der 8. Klasse an einer weiteren Hütte. Die Vorräte werden knapp, aber wir werden weiterhin die Strukturen bauen, die wir lieben.
Wenn Ihr The Village besuchen oder uns beim Bauen helfen möchtet, dann sprecht uns an. Von Johann Tonn
the village
an important person
This term, Year 10 students explored the context behind The Weeping Woman (1937) by Pablo Picasso and created a collaborative project titled “PiGISSo.”
Students investigated how and why The Weeping Woman was created, examining its connection to the Spanish Civil War as well as Picasso’s relationship with Dora Maar, who is believed to have influenced the imagery of the weeping figure.
Building on this contextual understanding, students then worked collaboratively—forming two groups in each class—to produce their own large-scale interpretations of The Weeping Woman. Each group experimented with Cubist-inspired fragmentation while applying their knowledge of the elements and principles of design. The artworks also incorporated contemporary themes and messages, encouraging students to connect Picasso’s expression of political and emotional turmoil with issues that are relevant today.
I hope the students enjoyed the creative process, but the results truly speak for themselves—true PiGISSo talent! - Melinda Jordi
year 10 physics - physik unterricht klasse 10
The Year 10 students recently took part in a science lesson on waves, where they conducted investigative experiments. During the lesson, they explored different properties of waves and collected data through practical activities.
This type of investigative work is designed to mirror the style of Internal Assessments (IAs) they will complete in Years 11 and 12, helping them develop important skills such as planning experiments, analysing results, and drawing conclusions from their findings.
Die SchülerInnen der 10. Klasse nahmen kürzlich an einer naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichtsstunde zum Thema Wellen teil, in der sie eigene Untersuchungen durchführten. Während der Stunde erforschten sie verschiedene Eigenschaften von Wellen und sammelten durch praktische Experimente Daten.
Diese Art der Untersuchungsarbeit orientiert sich an den sogenannten Internal Assessments (IAs), die sie in den Klassen 11 und 12 durchführen werden. Dabei entwickeln sie wichtige Fähigkeiten wie das Planen von Experimenten, das Analysieren von Ergebnissen und das Ziehen fundierter Schlussfolgerungen aus ihren Beobachtungen.
Year 11 completed a Driftwood Inquiry as part of their introduction to studio practice, aligned with the new Visual Arts Syllabus (first exam in 2027). This investigation introduced students to lines of inquiry, a key feature of the revised course structure.
Students began by closely examining a piece of driftwood through the elements and principles of design, analysing qualities such as texture, line, form, value, balance and rhythm. From this starting point, the object became a conceptual thread, encouraging students to move beyond purely observational responses and into more exploratory and conceptual directions.
Through drawing, experimentation, research and discussion, students explored how a single object could generate a wide range of artistic possibilities. This approach reflects the mindset of working studio artists and will continue to guide students’ practice over the next two years. Here are some of the results. Melinda Jordi
DRIFTWOOD
