Middle School Report – August 25, 2016

Let me take a brief moment to thank Mr Ross Wise for all that he has achieved whilst performing the role of Director of the Middle School for the last 8 months. I wish Ross and his family all the very best as they transition their lives to England, especially now that they are facing two Winters in a row!! These are large shoes to fill but the transition to date, has in my mind, been quite smooth. I am lucky to have the full support of the wider College, the Year 9 Team and the boys, your sons, who you entrust to our care.

As a matter of introduction I have been working at St Patrick’s College for the last 8 years, predominantly in the role of Year 12 Coordinator and Director of Cricket. I have three sons, two of which are current students of St Patrick’s College. I have taught for 26 years in all male Catholic Secondary Colleges and at my previous school I was the Head of the Year 9 Campus, so I have had experience in a similar role to what I begin at this time. I am excited with my promotion to this new position and I am looking forward to working with your sons as they continue their journey into the Senior School in 2017. Please contact me whenever you feel the need arises.

Classroom Behaviour

It seems an import time in the term when I remind boys that their journey into the Senior School is assisted by their subject results and classroom behaviour, as this information is used to assess their readiness to undertake VCE Units 1/2 in Year 10 and thus accelerate their schooling. Poor classroom behaviour is detriment to everything we need to achieve as our core business within the College. Quite simply; teachers need to teach and students need to learn via a myriad of experiences offered in each of our classrooms every day. When this formula is broken, teachers are thus required to stop teaching and then to correct the behaviour which ultimately stops the rest of the class members from continuing their learning. Calling out across a classroom, misuse of the IPad and loss of concentration levels are the most regular disruptions I am witnessing this week. I would like to pose just one thought for this edition of the Crest: Just imagine what a teacher and their class could achieve if there were never any interruptions to the teaching and learning process?

As always I look forward to many great teaching and learning days ahead.

All the very best

Mr Michael Busscher

Director of the Middle School.