The end of a school year is about examinations and the assessment of each individual’s progress. A lot of attention is turned towards matric examinations, the results and subsequent tertiary access. For educators, it is a time to evaluate the curriculum and decide on the necessary shifts for the following year.

My attention was caught last week by an article written by Dr Mark Potterton, principal of Sacred Heart College primary school. The headline stated, “Lessons need to prepare children for a world we can hardly imagine but about which we can speculate: we know we will need innovators who can work with complex information to solve problems.”

The imperative for schools is that, to work with complex information and to solve problems, we need to deliver both breadth and depth in the curriculum.

Potterton states, “There seems to be agreement that a curriculum that prepares students for life and work is likely to be one that includes an emphasis on deep understanding of subject matter and the ability to apply what is learned; the ability to communicate and solve problems in teams; the ability to think critically and to create novel solutions; and, flexibility, openness to change and a willingness to learn continually.”

Life and work success for our students will require rigour. This is achieved through hard work, discipline, and academic convention. The irony is that, in preparation for the future, our students need to acknowledge the value in the established approach to academic study.

DEANNE KING
HEAD OF SCHOOL