Mastery by Working Smart
Even when we may not want to admit it, we all have a fundamental want to improve. The Number 1 tennis player in the world will not stay there if they don’t look for areas to improve in their game. So, how can you make progress with your schoolwork and find success even in subjects where you have struggled?
A talented piano player figured out how to make practice more efficient and effective so that every performance was just as good as the audience expected.
Do what doesn’t come easily
In music, it is a huge mistake to (just, always) play the piece from beginning to end. The best musicians drill the most difficult parts. You know where your weaknesses are. Concentrate on those areas and work on them until you have mastered them.
To master a skill, master something harder
Strong musicians find clever ways to complicate the difficult parts of their music, playing a passage with alternative accent patterns, speed, or rhythm. Try new approaches to the work you find difficult. Ask someone else to explain it to you. Present it to yourself in different ways, like word maps. Move up a level and see if that helps you understand.
Systematically eliminate weakness
Work out where you are weakest and drill yourself in every way you can think of until it sticks. Ask your teachers what you can do to sharpen up. What works in the subjects you are good at?
Imagine perfection
Good musicians begin with an image of how a perfect performance will sound, feel, and look and play with a perfect mental image in mind. Less-accomplished musicians play while trying to fix problems as they crop up. Always aim for the best and don’t allow ‘acceptable’ to be acceptable to yourself. Aim for the best – but also appreciate the effort and hard work you put in to improve (there is a difference between working towards ‘perfection’ and expecting to be perfect!). Ask other students how they have mastered the work and follow their methods.
You may be an excellent musician or sportsperson or gamer. What do you do to improve your game? How comfortable are you with failure as part of your learning strategy?
The same approaches will work in the classroom, or any other aspect of our lives too. Accept the challenge and make this year one of your finest performances!
Acknowledgement: “Flow Is the Opiate of the Mediocre: Advice on Getting Better from an Accomplished Piano Player” by Cal Newport in Study Hacks, December 23, 2011
Blessings,
Simon Hughes
Head of College
‘Spectacular, Spectacular!’
With less than four weeks until the Prince of Peace 2021 musical: ‘Spectacular, Spectacular!’, tickets are now on sale!
Please follow this link: https://www.flexischools.com.au/ to order. Pricing is below. Delightful food packages will be prepared and brought to your table by our hospitality students and will be bite sized nibbles such as small sandwiches, sausage rolls, quiche and cakes.
There will be no purchasing tickets or refreshments on the night so please order in advance. Food orders need to be completed by Sunday 6 June 11.59pm. Tickets will be sold until Thursday 17 June 11.59pm.
Performance dates are 18 and 19 June, 7pm in The Pavilion on the Senior Campus.
This is a show with a difference: cabaret style, intimate and with the action performed around you. Students from across Years 2-12 have combined their talents to dazzle you on the stage with their mesmerising acting and sensational singing. Don’t miss out on seeing this captivating show.
- $10 ticket for one person
- $10 standard food package for one person
- $15 standard food package for two people
- $1-$2 drinks
Walking our way at PoP
By now you would have heard that our college and church community will be walking our way with a “Walk My Way” combined event being held at the end of the Term – Friday 25 June on the Senior Campus.
Year 9 students are in full swing preparing activities to complete at stations during the event which will enhance our understanding of the stories and challenges that refugees face. You are encouraged to support the event by contributing to our fundraising page at: https://princeofpeace.walkmyway.org.au/
After a yummy sausage sizzle lunch served to us by church members, the event will finish with a whole college worship service on the oval.
Further details on how the day is going to run will be sent out to you as the term progresses.
As Mrs Schmidt wisely said in the last PoPcorn, “mark this date as a unique opportunity for our community to reflect on where we’ve come from, how blessed we’ve been, and to help those who need us now.”
Julie Grosas
Teacher Senior Campus
Are You Out of Breath?
The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. Ezekiel 37:1-5
Are you finding yourself getting out of breath lately? Perhaps you are just too busy to even breathe. Maybe you have become so burdened and worn out with the stresses of life, the worries that are growing more constant and the expectations put on you by others and even yourself. Do you feel that your life is being sucked dry by all this?
Ezekiel was taken by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley full of dry bones. In this valley of lifelessness he is asked a question. Can these bones live?
What do you do when you feel your soul, the very depth and heart of your being is fading? Do you find some time to replenish and if so how do you do just that?
Can these bones live? Ezekiel suggests only the Sovereign Lord knows. ‘Dry bones,’ he says, ‘hear the word of the Lord.’ I will make breath enter you and you will come to life.
We celebrated Pentecost last Sunday. The church celebrating the gift of God’s Spirit to His church. Not the building, rather the people who believe. God breathed life into His people, those who believe in Him. He through His only Son Jesus has washed away our sin, forgiving us and setting us free. And we get to receive this gift by faith, created by God’s Holy Spirit.
When you feel dry and lifeless call on God to breath on you with His life giving spirit. He is always listening. Hear His word of love, hope and forgiveness and be refreshed by His spirit.
Pastor Mark Gierus
College Pastor
Student Reports
We are very excited to launch our new Student Reports in 2021.
These reports will be delivered to you via SEQTA Engage so it is vital that you are logged in to this system and are regularly checking it for notifications and Direct Messages.
There has been a great deal of planning and design that has gone into the development of our new Student Reports.
The format will be much more visual and will include some new data for you to peruse. The College will now have a suite of Student Reports: Junior, Middle and Senior which all carry similarities in format. It will be very important that parents read all of the information on their child’s report carefully as we have made some changes to the reporting scales. We will send out more information as we get closer to the end of the term.
2021 International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) – Years 2-6
The College is offering an opportunity for students in Years 2-6 to participate in the 2021 International Competitions and Assessments for Schools Competition (ICAS). Year 2 students are invited to participate in the Science, English, Spelling and Mathematics components only.
In its 40th year, ICAS has taken place annually in schools throughout Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, the Pacific Region and South Africa. Your child is invited to participate in 2021.
ICAS provides opportunity for all students to gain a measure of their own achievement in an external testing situation, it provides teachers, parents and students with comprehensive reporting of results in the areas of Digital Technologies, Science, English, Mathematics and Spelling. In 2021 all ICAS Assessments are online assessments.
All students receive a certificate and an individual report indicating which questions they answered correctly and their score compared with the rest of the students tested. The student report is also useful for highlighting student strengths and weaknesses.
For more information please see the direct message sent via SEQTA earlier this week.
Year 3 – 6 Athletics Carnival
The annual Athletics Carnival for Years 3-6 is to be held on Friday 28 May 2021 at Leslie Patrick Park, Arana Hills. (Entry from Olearia Street West).
The day proper will commence at 8.25am sharp and conclude by 2.50pm. All students in Year 3 – 6 are to be transported directly to and collected from the venue by parents. If your child normally travels on the College bus or attends OSHC before or after school, a drop off and return journey from the campus to the venue will be available.
If your child wishes to participate in the 800m event, they will need to arrive for a 7.00am marshalling and race.
The day will run in two sessions. The first session will run from 8.35am – 1:10pm and then the second session will run from 1:30pm – 2:40pm. These times are approximate and may vary on the day. The first session is made up of 8 rotations and morning tea. Lunch separates the sessions with 100m finals and relays to be held after lunch. If at all possible, please do not arrange for early pick up as this can have a severe impact upon the relay events as students ‘go missing’ and replacement students are not always easy to find.
In the event of wet weather on the day please check the college Facebook page. Information regarding the day will be updated from 6.45am.
On the day of the carnival your child should be dressed for physical activity in their school PE uniform wearing their house shirt. Please ensure your children have adequate water supplies, sunscreen and their hat. They will need to bring their morning tea and lunch. Upon arrival on the day, all students will need to report to their class teacher at 8:25am to have their name marked on the roll.
Finally, parents, extended family and friends are warmly encouraged to attend the event to support their children. We are seeking the assistance of at least 20 adult volunteers to assist with officiating and supervisory roles. If you are available, or if you know of a suitable candidate, please email Mr Lawrance as soon as possible at dlawrance@princeofpeace.qld.edu.au
15km for Chloe
Chloe in 2F has set herself an amazing challenge to walk 15km in two weeks to raise money and awareness of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS).
To show their support, her classmates in Year 2 and a whole host of students from the Junior Campus joined Chloe as she walked the last 1.5km last Friday afternoon. We thank all who came along for their support of this amazing young girl. Chloe we are so proud of you!
Below is a message from Chloe:
‘This May I am aiming to move at least 15 km to raise funds to drive research into Prader-Willi syndrome. Exercise is critical in managing weight, physical health and mental health for people with PWS BUT it’s a huge effort for me. I have less muscle and low muscle tone so I get tired easily. I work really hard every day and at the physio so that I can get strong to try to keep up with my peers in the school yard.’
If you would like to support Chloe by making a donation please use this link.
Year 4 Camp
Congratulations to all involved in our first camp of 2021, the Year 4 Luther Heights’ Experience. Our students and staff excelled in their activities conquering fears, showing courage and encouraging each other every step of the way. From tree climbs, to flying foxes, mornings on the beach to night walks, our Year 4 students have experienced some of the best things Luther Heights has to offer.
To our incredible staff – we salute you! We also extend our thanks to your families for holding down the home front while you supported your students. You are all amazing!
SMART Spelling
The SMART Spelling Teaching Sequence
Weekly Spelling Sheet
SMART Spelling is the program we use at PoP to ensure an explicit and systematic approach to the teaching of spelling. SMART stands for Say, Meaning, Analyse, Remember and Teach.
This is the process that teachers use when presenting the weekly words in class. SMART Spelling incorporates both the systematic teaching of spelling each week and also personal words which we call ‘BOB’ words or ‘back of book’ words. These ‘BOB’ words may be words that we have found students struggling with in their writing or vocabulary words from other curriculum areas.
Spelling is taught through patterns as much as possible, so teachers choose a range of words (from simple to complex) from a suggested list. Students are then guided to choose from that list, to meet different needs. SMART Spelling is based around whole words with an emphasis on meaning and vocabulary development. At the beginning of the week our teachers explicitly teach the red words (simple). The teacher then does the ‘Say’ & ‘Meaning’ steps for the orange and green words (more complex). This ensures that all students are exposed to all words.
Spelling rules are taught in the context of words in a way that builds on learning from prior years. There are only 4 spelling rules which cover adding suffixes to base words.
Katrina Valencia
Head of Junior Campus
Stronger Connections
Our students are at the centre of all we do, and we believe that the development of soft skills are vital for them to flourish. Research suggests that social connection is the strongest predictor of success. As our young people navigate adolescence it is important that they learn the impact of relationships. The team from Unleashing Personal Potential ran two sessions with the Year 8 and 9 students on Monday. The goal of the sessions Stronger Connections are about building personal and social skills to enhance the quantity and quality of our interpersonal interactions.
Students were encouraged to consider the impact of their peers, building empathy and an understanding of equality of all people, the science of kindness, and the power of collaboration. It was a really dynamic presentation which the students found engaging and relevant. The students will engage with some follow-up learning in the coming weeks. Thanks to the Unleashing Personal Potential for facilitating this opportunity.
Walk My Way
We are planning to mark the end of the semester with a combined P-12 – Walk my Way – Stepping Out to Bring Love to Life. This will allow our community to join with people around Australia in a 26km walking challenge, and raise money to support refugee kids to go to school. This is a combined church, College and ALWS partnership. Please support our fundraising effort at the following link:
https://princeofpeace.walkmyway.org.au/
Michelle Nisbet
Head of Senior Campus
Junior Campus Sport
Addison Houslip – QLD Allschools Cross Country
Addison Houslip
On Saturday 8 March, Addison placed second in the Qld Allschools Cross Country.
This was a Queensland team selection event so Addison will now head to the Nationals in Adelaide in August. This is Addison’s third Queensland team selection for three different sports in three months—Triathlon/Aquathlon, Athletics and now Cross Country. Amazing effort Addison.
District Sports Representatives
So far this term, five PoP Junior Campus students have been selected for Northern District team sports to contest Metropolitan North regional trials. First, Pablo Manrique made the very difficult 12yrs Boys Soccer Team. Then on Tuesday 11 May, Lachlan Larder, Hannah McKinnon, Eva Shaw and Indianna Horgan were all chosen in the 12yrs Touch Teams. This is especially impressive for Hannah as she is just 10 years old. She has also won the district cross country three weeks ago.
Also, Thomas Forbes-Schutz has been added to the district cross country team which increases PoP’s representation in this team to four.
NISSA Cross Country
Friday 7 May saw the NISSA Cross Country at The Lakes College, Northlakes. The 45 PoP runners all competed extremely well and our team placed second out of the four schools – both overall and on percentages. Our highest placings were:
1st – Rosezen Johnston 9yrs Girls
2nd – Brylee Chaplin 12yrs Girls; Kirra Harvey 11yrs Girls; Kaelan Harvey 11yrs Boys; Hannah McKinnon 10yrs Girls; Micah Shaw 9yrs Boys
3rd – Matilda Forbes 12yrs Girls; William Thomas 9yrs Boys
NISSA Gala Day 3
After Gala Day 2 was washed out it was great for our Year 4-6 students to have a day of team sports on Friday 14 May. PoP fielded 25 teams across three sports – touch football, T-ball and basketball and it was a successful, enjoyable day.
Darren Lawrance
Junior Campus PE and Sport
Senior Campus Sport
BOSBL Senior Boys Round 4
A much tighter affair in Round 4 saw the PoP Senior boys face a real challenge against their opponents, St Benedict’s Catholic College. With only six players available for the game, they got off to a fairly slow start in the first half, trailing at the break. The boys started to find their rhythm in the second half, with Keanan Kapp leading from the front and knocking down a 3-pointer on his way to 15 points. Harry Jones, yet again produced the goods in the second half with another 18 point effort. Ben Fingland and Tyler Noakes both chimed in with 8 and 6 points respectively. A real team effort saw the team get the win, 49-42. With only three more round games to go, PoP are currently sitting in first position on the ladder. Hopefully they can continue their run of form! Well done boys!
Round 5
It was quite a low scoring game in Round 5 of the BOSBL competition with PoP coming up against a very determined Mt Maria (Petrie) team. The PoP boys struggled to get going in the first quarter, with Mt Maria taking a slender lead into the break. Mt Maria had a blistering second term which really put the boys on the back foot and from there, they weren’t able to fight their way back into it. The score ended up at 31-16 in Mt Maria’s favour. The PoP boys just weren’t able to make their shots stick and the lead eventually became too insurmountable to chase down. Special mention to Keanan Kapp who top scored, out of both teams, with 10 points. PoP are still sitting on top of the ladder with two games remaining. They face a tough game next week again—Grace Lutheran College. Best of luck boys!
Wizards Junior Boys Round 1
Our junior boys basketball team played in the first round of the Wizards Schools League this week. This league consists of the very best basketball schools in North Brisbane and surrounds. It is an extremely tough competition, with some schools having to qualify to even make it into the league. The boys were up against a very strong St. Columban’s team who got out to a fast start, which the PoP boys were never able to recover from. The boys performed gallantly, with Dylan Turley particularly impressive knocking down 3 three pointers in a row. Leon Fletcher showed some heart in defense, with Isaac Jones also putting in the effort at both ends of the court. Unfortunately, the lead became too much to chase down, with the St Columban’s taking the win 61-17. After only one training session before their first game, there are a lot of positives for the boys to take away as well as some definite areas of improvement. Looking forward to round 2!
Gabby Collman
Senior Campus Sports Coordinator
Junior Campus Music News
Composer Craig Allister Young who was here last Tuesday for the Come Sing with Me project
Come Sing with Me Project
The Senior Choir was invited to record and video part of a song for the above project. Created by Craig Allister Young, the choir will be partnered with two other choirs, Viva la Musica and Absolutely Everybody. There was much excitement on the morning and they can’t wait to share what has been created.
Juniors “Arts” Night – Tuesday 18 May
What a brilliant night of Art and Music. Congratulations to all students who have worked so hard this year in the Art classes. Junior Choir and band—you were fantastic. Thank you to Mr Bowers for your continued work with the Junior Band. Thank you to Mrs Rees for all her hard work in “The Arts”. It’s great to have a fellow ‘arty’ person to bounce ideas off. Also, thank you to Mr Hughes for sound set-up and operation.
Choir, Ensemble Evening – Tuesday 8 June
Senior Choir, Honours Choir, Band, Percussion Ensemble and Soloists will present an end of Semester concert in the Chapel commencing at 6:00pm.
Should you have any questions about the instrumental, choral or classroom music program on the Junior Campus, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sherree Cudney
Junior Campus Music
Senior Campus Music News
Preparation is well under way for our first ensemble concert in over a year, TONIGHT in the Senior School Forecourt. It will be a great night with our talented and hard working students performing in a variety of styles and genre. All of our new tutors will be here and several new ensembles will be presenting for the first time. Jazz, Rock, Classical, Folk, Pop… whatever your style, there will be a special performance for you! Plus you will be supporting the wonderful students who have dedicated so much time and love to the preparation of this material week after week.
As we move from this into new programs and repertoire I would like to remind families that a music ensemble is a long term commitment. It relies on the specific input of individual students on different instruments playing different parts which all contribute to a complex and satisfying whole. The individual parts may not be so satisfying, it is only when the students bring their work together that the rewards start to be evident. This takes time. Please be disciplined in supporting the students to be at all rehearsals and to understand that the commitment is to an event.
Our next event will be in Term 3 at the Whole School Music Gala.
Stay tuned for the August date!
Stay tuned for more…
Linda Brady
Senior Campus Curriculum Leader of Music and Coordinator of Extra-Curricular Music
Worship 30 May
9am Worship
5PM Together@5 – Messy Church
Please keep an eye on the Prince of Peace Church Facebook page for service updates.
