creative calf…

Our school gives a specific award around valued traits a student might display from time to time.  Called the “Calf Award” (we are a school based in a rural/regional/farming area) it is a pretty cool award to receive.

In a surprise today, Mac received a “Creative Calf Award”.  Here’s the accompanying information from the award…

CALF AWARD

Name:              Mac
Year:                6
Type of Calf:   Creative calf

Why:   Mac is one of our most ambitious learners – he doesn’t let anything get in the way of his learning. Making sure he doesn’t let anything hold him back requires Mac to be creative; Mac is one of the most motivated, creative and resourceful students in our school.

Mac says it’s important to him to think creatively because “thinking with creativity allows me to show that without a voice doesn’t mean without a thought.”

Mac also says that being able to think about things in lots of different ways is useful because “thinking differently uses different parts of the brain and that makes learning easier.”

Mac also says that it is very important to be able to respond in different ways; “responding in other ways is important because everyone thinks differently.”

Mac is a shining example of why creativity and resourcefulness are such important skills, and that with these two things and the drive to succeed anyone can engage and be a successful learner.

Sam, one of Mac’s peers, says “when I see Mac working he is always on task and working hard, although sometimes he cracks up laughing and that makes the whole class laugh! When Mac is working in a group he also contributes a lot and is very helpful.”

As you can see, Mac is a valued and integral member of the class, and of the school as a whole.

We are lucky to have as motivated and creative a learner as Mac at our school.

Well done Mac – keep up the amazing learning in high school next year!

What a great award to have him receive and for us to read about. The language used by the staff and by his mate, Sam, just cement his role as valued student, valued learner and valued classmate.

I love reading his quotes, and his perspective – he offers some pretty powerful insights.

How great that Mac and his mates get to grow up simply knowing this about a person, ‘never underestimating’ has become part of their DNA.