eNews Issue 17

Dear Hong Kong Academy Community,

Motivation is central to any successful endeavour and certainly with learning. We have to want to learn in order to stay engaged and put forth our best efforts. When we are motivated, we can achieve more than we ever anticipated and sometimes we learn that we are more capable than we first thought.

We were reminded of that this week in both the Primary and Secondary Schools. On Thursday, Grade 5 shared their circus arts PE unit with adoring fans (mainly parents!). The students’ enthusiasm for their new skills was palpable and the energy in the gym was high. The students did a great job but what strikes me most is how PE teacher Tracee Cook characterised the learning. She structured the learning to encourage students to be self-directed about what skills they wanted to learn, to form their own groups and then to choreograph their own routines. In short, they were being self-managing and self-monitoring and highly motivated in the process. Some great photos to view in the Grade 5 folder of ourPhoto Gallery.

In the Secondary School, the Grade 12 IB students are currently completing their Theory of Knowledge essays. The TOK, as it is called, is a rigorous and structured essay that explores questions of how we know what we know. The core topic is the same for all essays but the students choose the way in which they will approach the project. They start with what motivates them, whether science, art, music, etc... and use that personal passion as the entry point for the challenging questions of perception and reality. Our students’ TOK finished products are always at a very high standard and I think that’s due in part to the fact that they are motivated to answer questions that they have made their own.

Holidays are often a motivator for all of us, too! I wish you well for this break and look forward to seeing everyone in January. Safe travels!