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know their strengths and weaknesses prior to the start of
each topic. Readiness to Learn Tasks will be introduced into
Year 8 Mathematics next year and into Year 9 Mathematics
in 2016.
The aim for girls is to build the strongest foundation
possible between the start of Year 7 and when they choose
their Year 10 Mathematics subject. This selection takes
place during Term 3 of Year 9 when girls elect to study
either Mathematics A or Mathematics in Year 10.
Mathematics A is the prerequisite study for VCE
Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics. Girls
who aspire to study these subjects must elect to study
Mathematics A in Year 10. The Mathematics course prepares
girls for VCE Further Mathematics but is not an adequate
preparation for Mathematical Methods and Specialist
Mathematics in VCE.
I extend my thanks to all members of the Mathematics
Department for their professionalism, hard work and
support over the course of this year. Ruyton is fortunate to
have such a strong, knowledgeable and cohesive team of
Mathematics teachers who work tirelessly in helping our
girls to make the most from every lesson.
Mr Russell Boyle,
Dean of Mathematics
PE and Health Education
The Health Education Department continues to deliver a
programme tailored specifically for the Ruyton community.
The programme aims to foster self-esteem, resilience,
knowledge and responsibility for one’s own choices and
behaviours and is delivered using the harmminimisation
philosophy.
Across Years 7-10 many of the units of study are introduced
by a guest speaker, who is an expert in his or her field, or by
a play or production, and this is then followed up within
the classroom for the remaining lessons. This provides the
opportunity to facilitate small group activities and relevant
discussions and learning guided by the teacher, in a safe
and supportive environment. Time is spent helping to
develop strength and resilience in the girls, as well as
providing them with the knowledge to make good choices
concerning their health. Topics such as digital citizenship –
keeping safe online, sexual health - puberty, disability
awareness, nutrition and body awareness, team building,
relaxation and wellbeing are explored in detail.
Mr Paul Dillon, founder of Drug and Alcohol Research and
Training Australia, returned to Ruyton to deliver his
three-year programme to the Years 10, 11 and 12 students.
He gave a presentation for the parent body entitled
Alcohol
and other drugs and young people
.
This year we introduced CPR training as a part of the Year
10 programme. This enabled each student to gain
qualifications in administering CPR. Real Response training
was also a new addition to the Year 10 curriculum. Next
year our focus is to further align our programme with the
Australian Curriculum and we are also bringing in
etextbooks and workbooks to ensure deeper progressions
and connections are developed across the year levels.
Physical Education
In Physical Education the girls have undertaken a variety of
traditional sports and have also been introduced to many
new ones. The Year 7 girls learnt the skills involved in many
of the core sports offered in the Girls’ Sport Victoria (GSV)
competition. New sports such asWater Polo and Badminton
were also introduced. Many units in Year 7 aim to foster
team work and collaboration, such as the Survivor unit,
Dance and Peer Teaching of Global Games, in which
students were required to work cohesively to achieve
success. To help celebrate Physical Education week, all Year 7
students participated in the GSV Sports Expo at Monash
University, experiencing both traditional and less ‘well
known’ sports, such as Calisthenics, Lacrosse, and Ultimate
Frisbee.
Our Year 8 students continued with participation in core
GSV sports and developed greater games sense. Touch
Football, Ultimate Frisbee and European Handball were
introduced. Girls demonstrated organisational skills and
positive team spirit in the co-ordination of the European
Handball Sport Education in Physical Education (SEPEP)
unit, by adopting various roles to successfully run a class
competition.
Year 9 students revised the rules and skills in the core GSV
sports and also participated in activities such Table Tennis
and Recreational AFL. Girls also participated in a Sport
Education in Physical Education Programme (SEPEP) unit,
which aimed to provide insight into how to organise a
sports function, this time an Indoor Soccer competition. The
girls also participated in a mini triathlon.
Physical Education lessons take on a collaborative approach
in Year 10 and students engaged in a ‘self-directed’ fitness
unit. A highlight for Year 10 students was teaching the
fundamental motor skills to Junior school students, in
which they were able to further develop their
understanding of coaching practices.
In Year 11 Physical Education classes are replaced by a
Recreation programme. At the start of each semester girls
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