A positive education … outdoors

 

Camberwell Girls Grammar School combines Education Outdoors with Positive Education in a very holistic program.

From abseiling down a cliff face and snorkelling with seals to floating in zero gravity at NASA Space Camp and living with a family in France, the Camberwell Girls Grammar School Education Outdoors Program provides enriching experiences to challenge its students in a positive environment.

Commencing the moment students arrive at Junior School, this program is a vital component of the Camberwell Girls Grammar School curriculum. However, the school has taken it one step further to combine Education Outdoors with Positive Education.

Education Outdoors coordinator, Shane Maycock, says the program is much more than just taking different year levels to camp. The school has implemented a holistic program that incorporates overseas study tours, local and international exchanges, as well as an exclusive Positive Education Program and unique Indigenous Education Program.

The program builds personal, social, physical and spiritual development and the school provides a variety of opportunities for students to extend their learning in a range of settings.

“Ultimately, the focus is on preparing our students for their future,” says Shane. “The program aids adaptability and builds resilience to enable Camberwell girls to successfully move between different settings, cultures and communities. When our students graduate, they will have the skills to successfully negotiate the global environment.”

In 2015, Camberwell Girls Grammar also implemented a school-wide Positive Education Program, which is now strongly embedded in all that the school does. The program draws on positive psychology‘s emphasis of individual character strengths and personal motivation to promote learning.

Shane says that by identifying character strengths, students are able to see which strengths they can nurture and which they can improve. It also enables people to develop a greater understanding of one another. “It’s fantastic to witness the girls working together to support each other outside of the classroom in a new or challenging environment,” says Shane.

He also adds that better wellbeing and a positive mindset leads to improved academic performance and more creative thinking. “At the end of the day, we just want each student to be the very best version of themselves,” says Shane.

The school also works closely with Murrindindi, Ngurungaeta (leader) of the Wurundjeri people. School principal, Debbie Dunwoody, says learning about the rich and diverse culture of indigenous people, particularly in the natural environment with Murrindindi, enables students to consider, celebrate and pay respect to indigenous perspectives and ways of knowing.

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