News From the Field Studies Centre

News From the Field Studies Centre

In his book A Sense of Wonder, Carson (1965) argues that “unless we begin to care about a place, it is unlikely we’ll ever defend it”. One of the goals of Trinity’s term-long Field Studies Programme is to provide our Year 9 boys with an opportunity to engage with and build an appreciation for the natural environment. From the pristine waters of Narrawallee beach during the learn to surf sessions, to the rugged landscapes of Morton National Park and the rock platforms and foreshore around nearby Huskisson, the boys spend a significant amount of time in natural places while on the FSP. They are taught about the value of these places and the way in which humans have in the past and continue to impact the environment. We are very much focussed on planting the seeds of care and appreciation for the natural world in each boy during their term at Woollamia, and we hope that will stay with them into the future.

The Geography/Science excursion this week provided the boys with a hands-on learning opportunity to assess human impacts on the local environment. We know that tourism contributes significantly to the economy in the Shoalhaven and the boys spent time observing and considering the social and environmental pressures that are a consequence of this industry. Learning about a place from a wide range of perspectives deepens learning and challenges each student to look beyond initial impressions and inquire more deeply. We look forward to the boys presenting their own creative ideas around sustainability initiatives to their class as part of their Geography assessment task next week.

Elective activity days have been implemented this term to provide students with an opportunity to build upon the skills they have developed during the Wednesday afternoon outdoor extension sessions. Many of the activities that the boys are exposed to during their time on the FSP such as rock climbing and mountain biking can be actively pursued once the boys return home, if not immediately, perhaps as the boys take more ownership of their leisure time in years to come. It is well known that regularly engaging in physical activity has a myriad of benefits for physical and mental health. In PDHPE, the boys are encouraged to reflect upon the improvements they have made in term of their fitness and skill development while on the FSP and consider how they might maintain these fitness gains upon returning home at the end of the term.

Tim Knowles | Head of the Field Studies Centre (FSC)

Please click the photo below to see all the week’s images.

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