Author: insights

Dr Amanda Bell, Principal Yesterday, the Prime Minister launched the International Day of the Girl Child in Australia. In her speech she commented that for most Australian girls they are faced with remarkable opportunities, which is in stark contrast to girls in other countries who are not so fortunate: Like the girl forced to work at home and watch her brother go off to school. The girl forcibly married to someone she doesn't know before she has even come of age. Or the young woman who dwells in daily fear of violence from those closest to her. (Gillard, 2012) Young women, including some Grammar girls, often cite a lack of identification with feminism and that leaves those of us who recall the 1970s and the achievements of the Women’s Liberation Movement somewhat despondent.  Feminism with its concern for gender equality and human rights is still very relevant today — both here in Australia and world-wide. When…

Mrs Lyn Chakravorty, Head of Beanland House and Year 11 Co-ordinator For our Year 11 students, the protective layer of the seniors is slowly disappearing and they will soon be the ‘big girls in the leadership play’ for 2013. What factors contribute to leadership success and how are our students preparing for this? Leadership is not something that just happens. Lessons about leadership begin early in life and are ingrained well before leaving school, according to Dr Terrance Fitzsimmons. At a function held by the Alliance of Girls’ Schools at Brisbane Girls Grammar School in August, Dr Fitzsimmons presented the results of his inquiry into the career paths of Australia’s CEOs. These provided valuable insight into the importance of family, school, society and childhood experiences in the attainment of leadership positions by women in the corporate world. Women CEOs in this study grew up in small business families where children were introduced to the world of…

‘A future more discerning’: A tale of two systems Mr Stephen Woods, Director of English I really like our school song, for two reasons. The first of these is its inherent quirkiness; it’s a jaunty and original tune, not your run-of-the-mill rewording of a familiar anthem.  It starts with gusto, proceeds stridently, and ends emphatically. The tempo is brisk, and I get left behind. I belong to that half of the world’s population who come in half way through the line of a song anyway, so I have no chance with ‘Nil Sine Labore’. One of the line endings I do better is ‘a future more discerning’ which I like to do with a bit of a trombone-ey effect (a musical colleague tells me this is called ‘portamento’). The other, more edifying reason I like that line, is its use of ‘discerning’. It is why and how we inculcate and foster discernment that has had me…

Sport builds character – but is there something missing? Ms Sally Northcroft, Director of Sport It is well documented that competitive sport provides a framework for us to develop our character in a setting where we learn how to co-operate with others, develop resilience and master specific skills. This is not a new notion and in fact was employed by the Ancient Greeks, adopted by British boys’ boarding schools as sport travelled around the globe before settling into American and Australian cultures.  The educational value of sport in any environment is well supported, however opponents to competitive sport also mount a strong argument. The evidence of sport-related cheating, aggression, and self-aggrandisement (to name a few) are outlined by Alfie Kohn in his case against competition. Based on the research, it is clear that by simply competing in sport there is no guarantee that a person will develop into a morally responsible, empathetic, respectful and well-balanced individual.…

Here in remembrance, in this season of renewal, resurrection and hope, we make present those past lives that have become intertwined with our lives. We engage with the faces that look out at us from the old photographs. We name their names. We recall their deeds.