All Year levels face a number of decisions and challenges on any given day – from what to pack into your school bag, friendship issues, or what homework is due. Sometimes the challenges are those that occur in a moment, whereas others are those that are days or months in the making. For the Year 11 students, they have learnt from the many challenges they have faced over the last four years in the Senior School.

As the Year 11s embark upon their VCE years, they are using past experiences to draw upon to best guide them through the year. Year 11 students have embraced the opportunity to finally be studying six subjects of their choice. Yet, in the first few weeks students were challenged to varying degrees by the new content being delivered, a new teacher teaching them or greater expectations than what was expected of them in Year 10. Many are also undertaking a Unit 3&4 subject this year and are facing their first SAC, another new challenge.

Others have selected a VET subject and are excited about the different curriculum being offered, yet faced with the challenges of finding their own way to the venue, and meeting other young people from different schools and different experiences.

Challenges are presented to us on any given day, it is how we approach them that is important, with an open and positive mindset.

As part of St Catherine’s Teaching and Learning Framework, four character dispositions are being focussed on to guide students in their development, they are; Bold, Independent, Creative and Resilient. Through the attention given to these, all students at St Catherine’s are able to reflect on their previous challenges and see where they have improved, and how these dispositions will assist them.

For example, the Senior Years Learning Model, which was introduced last year for Years 11 and 10, sees students engaged in Independent Learning Tutorials and Flexi-Tutes, along with a Masterclass for subjects. At first, some students were unsure, however when they approached the new learning model with an ‘Independent’ disposition, the students soon realised these Flexi-Tutes enabled them to take responsibility for their actions. The students embraced the challenge and realised these sessions developed their intellectual rigour. The students are now able to reflect that the ILTs sparked their independence and allowed them to take control of their learning.

The VCE journey is often described as a rollercoaster, a series of ongoing challenges. Throughout the VCE years students are learning detailed and comprehensive content and completing internally assessed tasks (Outcomes and SACs) whilst maintaining positive social connections. What is wonderful about St Catherine’s is the supportive community that surrounds the students. They are supported by their friends, peers, teachers and support staff, all assisting them to meet the challenges they face.

As parents we can be role-models to our young people, reminding them that it is good to be challenged, it is okay to make mistakes, that the making of the person is to grow and learn from the many challenges faced in life.

As educators the staff at St Catherine’s also embrace the opportunities given to help guide the students to face and learn from their challenges, and in turn grow into the wonderful adults all St Catherine’s Old Girls become. To be challenged is to experience a growth mindset, to be open to improve as individuals. As Morgan Freeman once quoted, ‘Challenge yourself; it’s the only path that leads to growth.’