Are you feeling confused? You’re not alone.
The new Year 7 students certainly looked puzzled in their first week of secondary school when they were also challenged to behave like this colourful little aquatic vertebrate.
Once they had finished viewing the clip from Blue Planet (narrated by David Attenborough) describing the daily challenges faced by the harlequin tuskfish, they understood the metaphor more clearly.
The Year 7s could see how swimming out to the reef each day, searching for food and then working out how to smash through the hard shell of a clam (especially when you don’t have any hands!) could be a metaphor for facing the challenges of transition to high school and Year 7. Doing the same thing every day, this fish with its blue tusk-like teeth develops strategies to make its work easier. It shows determination, persistence and patience until it finally reaps the reward.
Whilst it is a very exciting time, the start of secondary school is not easy: there are so many new subjects and places to be; a lot more names and information to remember; more places to get lost; locks that are hard to crack; announcements on SIMON that may be missed; and changing friendships that can be difficult to navigate. But the Year 7s have been challenged to develop the mindset of the harlequin tuskfish, to ‘swim out to the reef’ every day, continue to turn up, to think about the challenges they face, find strategies to help tackle them and keep going with determination, persistence and patience. And this is exactly what they have been doing. They have made a very strong start to the year and should feel very proud of their accomplishments so far.
These accomplishments were celebrated on Tuesday evening at the Year 7 Information Night when 350 people filled the Nallerijerring Centre and families heard about all the ways the Year 7s were showing initiative to problem solve, eagerness to learn and enthusiasm to get involved. They heard from the College Leadership and Counselling and Wellbeing team, were introduced to Pastoral Leaders and had an opportunity to get a ‘selfie’ in front of their Year 7’s new locker. More information about using PAM is to follow and the slides from that night will be available on PAM for those who could not attend.
We hope that the Year 7s carry on in this positive vein and look forward to continuing to build a strong partnership with families this year and throughout their child’s journey at OLMC.
Well done, Year 7 2023!