Returning from the winter holidays marks the beginning of perhaps the most sustained and intensive time for students undertaking Units 3&4 Humanities subjects. The students are now fully immersed in the nature and style of learning needed in Accounting, Business Management, Economics, Global Politics, History: Revolutions and Legal Studies. They are working with their teachers to get through the final weeks of SACs and prepare for their exams. Teachers too are taking the time to guide students in Years 8 to 10 on their future subject selections and potential career choices in Humanities during the subject selection process. 

In the context of all this heightened thinking, planning and decision making, it was good we were also able to take time to embrace and immerse ourselves in the various points of interest and activities during Humanities Week which took place last week.  

Humanities Week began with the Student Executive running Humanities Assembly, which involved, among many moments, student presentations on the role of women in historical and contemporary political revolutions. Students conducted a conversation with guest speaker and St Catherine’s Alumnae, Ms Cecilia Riebl (‘97). Returning to St Catherine’s many years after completing her time as School Captain in 1997, Cecilia spoke of her career journey from self-professed ‘total Humanities student’ at St Catherine’s, through a Law degree, working as a Judge’s Associate, then in a private law firm to reach her current role as Senior Policy Adviser with Trust for Nature (Victoria).  

Cecilia affirmed the importance of following your interests, but also employing high level skills to achieve outcomes beyond school. She was able to communicate how her work in facilitating private landholders to be agents of conservation of the natural environment formed a practical part of responding to the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, in the context of legal responses. Cecilia also noted how impressed she was by the intelligence, humour, diversity, and sense of togetherness she saw in the students at the Assembly. 

During Humanities Week, VCE Legal Studies students visited the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court to see the law in action and make connections with the concepts and processes they were studying in class. Ms Nicole Horton, who previously worked as a criminal law solicitor along with the highly experienced Year 12 Legal Studies teacher, Ms Curnow, supported the students’ understanding of court proceedings. 

In a very different experiential form of learning, Medieval Day returned to St Catherine’s for the first time since 2019. Our Year 8s wandered the School in home-made costumes referencing medieval periods which they had begun to learn about in their History classes with their teachers, Ms Curnow, Ms Yokouchi, Mrs Reddish and Mr Chris Gates – who has joined our Humanities Faculty and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge as a History teacher. The students attended sessions with external presenters who gave them hands-on experience about medieval weapons, armour and fighting, medieval punishments, the role of women and finally some fun and games and dancing. Head of Year 8, Ms Liv Cher facilitated a lunchtime fashion parade to celebrate the creativity of the students. 

Additionally, Mr Clint Blennerhassett, our VCE Geography teacher organised and encouraged students to roam the School on a scavenger hunt, testing the geography skills of orientation and map reading of eager Years 7 to 9 students (and even some Year 12s seeking distraction from an upcoming SAC). Finally, the week ended with a fun quiz on Humanities questions in The Jamie and Rebecca Gray Theatre at lunchtime. 

Humanities Week was an opportunity to lift Humanities out of the classroom, and bring life to elements of what is studied in these courses. Watching Year 8 students enthusiastically cheering on a classmate dressed in medieval costume and using all of their physical power (and in some cases sporting abilities) to attempt to take down a heavily armoured medieval warrior (i.e. adult presenter) seemed to symbolise the energy in which students here embrace their learning, but also the idea of giving your all to achieve a goal.