About Habits of Mind

Habits of Mind - Year 7 Personal Interest Project

Congratulations to all of you for the enthusiasm that you put into your own project, remember that the skills that you gained from the PIP may and can be applied to any subject or exercise that you are given to by any teacher.

 This year‘s PIP was outstanding with 99.9% of the students taking up the challenge.The variety of subjects that students chose for their projects was interesting. Of those who chose to use their hands and build something, there were skateboard ramps, ranging from a model of a skateboard park to one that was dug into the backyard as a permanent feature, tables, outdoor chairs, barbeques and work benches. These will be very handy for their builders for many years. Technology, this area saw an increase not only in the use of Power Points Presentation, but in the development of Websites by several students, movie making, digital photography and construction of a computer. Cooking, which the judging panel enjoyed testing the end products, was an interesting section, as some students chose not only to cook but do comparison‘s between their home cooked meal and a bought meal etc

Over 80 Projects were completed so that to list every single one is impossible. The judging panels thoroughly enjoyed hearing about all the projects, especially the reflections, where a student would discuss what they had gained from completing their PIP and what they would do differently next time.

The 2008 PIP concluded with a special assembly that was held in the Library on the 11th September to present the certificates to the TOP PIP students. Principals from local Public Schools, family and friends attended the special presentation. At this assembly six students re-presented their PIP as an example of the wide and diverse range of the projects completed by 2008‘s Year 7.

The student should be proud of their work, as we are. They applied the Habit of Minds and showed esourcefulness.Thanks go to the P & C for their support not only with the prizes but the two P & C representatives on the judging panels, thank you also goes to all Year 7 teachers for their support and encouragement.

Submitted by: B. Harrison
PIP Coordinator