SENIOR SCHOOL
The bigger picture beyond STEM
I believe it is firstly education, then
travel, that broadens the mind. It is a claim
I am happy to substantiate as a teacher
who has also enjoyed travel to some of
the world’s best known cities and their
attractions.
This edition of Forward presents a wideranging collection of School events and
activities. The articles illustrate our boys’
extensive endeavours in Drama, Music,
through Languages, Fine Arts, visiting
composers, as well as imaginative exercises
such as the Da Vinci and Mandurah
photographic competition. Resourceful and
inspired thought continues through the
establishment of the Guildford Grammar
Agricultural Society, a Guinness world
record attempt, and the deliberations of the
Theological Society.
Guildford Grammar School proudly lays
claim to a broad-based, individualised
education and there is much to celebrate
in this style of schooling. Not only do all
students have the opportunity to experience
an education formed in a broad offering
of all subjects and disciplines, but they also
Dr Clayton Massey
have the chance to find their passion in
the process, and pursue it. The strength of
this approach lies in the breadth and depth
of the educational landscape. Our boys
experience everything from the athletic
to the mathematic, from the scientific to
the creative, as well as the historic and the
cultural. Coupled with this is our focus on
excellence, ingenuity, individuality and skills
for the twenty-first century.
The current educational ‘flavour of the
month’ is for a strong focus on STEM –
Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths;
the unthinking outcome of which could
easily be the loss of many of these skills, and
especially creativity. Proponents state that
experimenting in this realm is the foundation
of innovation. No one would object to any
focus on ‘smart thinking’, rather, I believe
there is a necessary counter-balance with the
artistic, the humanistic, and especially the
pursuit of creative possibilities.
The simple fact is that almost every
“wonder of the world”; modern, ancient,
natural or manmade, I have ever visited is
now used for a different purpose than that
for which it was created. From Stonehenge
to the Pyramids of Giza, time has reinvented
their purpose and the call of the creative
– to think beyond original design, has
been central. STEM might have built the
pyramids; however ingenuity sustains them.
Travel teaches us to think big, and that
clever engineering can overcome impossible
problems; however a good education
provides the first opportunity to explore a
world of possibilities.
Dr Clayton Massey
Head of Senior School
Hasluck Leadership Award
Last year I was lucky enough to receive the Hasluck Leadership
Award and be invited on a trip to Canberra with Member of
Parliament, Mr Ken Wyatt.
The road to receiving the award involved me being nominated by a
teacher, sending my application form into the School and hoping to
be one of its two representatives. I was picked, along with another
boy, to attend a Hasluck Leadership workshop along with numerous
students from other schools. We were required to present a five
minute prepared speech on a certain topic, answer various questions
regarding our application form and finally, present a two minute
impromptu speech on a random topic. I was lucky enough to be
selected, along with a student from St Brigid’s College, to be the
2015 recipient of the Hasluck Leadership Award.
The experience was incredible; not only was I able to meet and
talk with politicians from across the country, but I also had the
opportunity to visit some amazing places and be a part of a once
in a lifetime opportunity. We had around 20 meetings a day with
politicians from across the country, including current Prime Minister,
The Hon Tony Abbott, often running from one side of Parliament
House to the other in order to get to our meetings on time. We
had prepared various questions t