It’s not every day you get to build and test a raft on the Swan River or climb a stack of crates in a harness. But that was what the Year 5s did instead of going to school on the last Monday of Term 3! Students spent the day at the Swan Valley Adventure Centre to practice teamwork and leadership skills. This was a special excursion organised in preparation for being the leaders of the primary school next year.
We split into two groups in the morning to complete two different activities. One group tied knots and straps around wooden poles and four huge barrels to make a raft, while the other group completed a commando course on the oval, first independently and then as a team. Students enjoyed morning tea with their friends on the grass before swapping activities. Once both missions were complete, students ate lunch then completed a crate-stacking activity, which involved two students at a time, climbing stacked crates passed to them by other teammates. There were three students attached to the end of each rope to belay the students in the harnesses.
At the end of the day, we returned to school to discuss the strengths and challenges experienced during the excursion, as well as what it means to be a leader. Mrs. Donoghoe introduced the students to the acronym TIME, which stands for ‘Talent’, ‘Interest’, ‘Making a difference, and ‘Experience’ (four characteristics that all leaders should have). We also spoke about everyone having their own time to shine, and that sometimes it is just as important to follow as it is to lead.
With these new leadership ideas in mind, students practiced teamwork again with cooperative games on the school oval before making fires in groups of three to cook their own hamburgers for dinner and smores for dessert. Mr. Bailey gave a devotion on leadership and related the TIME acronym to the story of King David. Everyone was tired by the end of the night, but they had an unforgettable experience and an opportunity to stretch their collaborative skills. A big thank you to Mrs. Donoghoe and Mr. Bailey for organising a fun-filled day of hands-on learning for us.
