“Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon ‘em…”

Twelfth Night, Act II Scene 5

The Grade 7s certainly had greatness thrust upon them as they bravely performed sections from Twelfth Night for the inaugural St Mary’s Art’s Festival. The girls have been reading the play in their English lessons with Dr Warner and they have shown that they are capable of bringing the text to life on multiple occasions. As they compare and contrast film and theatre renditions of the play, their understanding of the characters and themes explored have deepened. Dare we say it, but the girls have learnt to play the fool in the process and learnt to appreciate some of Shakespeare’s skill and wit?

THE GRADE 7 ENGLISH TEACHERS

Can virtual reality enhance learning in the History classroom?

The Grade 7s have been learning about the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and the experiences of enslaved people on their journey from West Africa, through the Middle Passage to the Americas.

VR Classroom, presents an opportunity for the girls to be immersed in historical content and to visualise certain events more clearly. The possibility exists that well-chosen VR experiences could enhance the teaching of History, as well as other subjects. The Grade 7s will have several lessons in the next few weeks where they will give feedback on an Introduction to Colonial America and Life aboard a Cargo Ship. We look forward to the girls’ insights and as we explore how best to integrate this technology into their learning.

LAUREN HOWDEN AND DANIEL JANSEN VAN VUUREN