St Johns Preparatory School

St Johns Preparatory School Houghton Tel: 011 645 3100/ 087 550473 4th June 2013 Newsletter Number 5

From the Headmaster

I have written about the studies of Professor Carol Dweck before as I am fascinated by her work. I have just read her latest book, Mindset, which has been equally thought-provoking. It made me wish that I had read it 10 years ago as it would have had such 04/06 Housemasters Assembly Travelling Bookshop an impact on the way that I brought up my own four Boys, Books & Braai children. Carol Dweck studied the concept of failure for 40 years, focusing on understanding how children and adults cope with it. She believes that people have a consuming goal of proving themselves in the classroom, on the sports field, in their careers and in their relationships. Every situation calls for confirmation of their intelligence, personality, ability / talent or character. Every situation is evaluated: Will I succeed or fail? Will I look smart or dumb? Will I be accepted or rejected? Will I feel like a winner or a loser? But our society and our schools value intelligence, personality, talent and character, dont they? Yes, but Dweck feels its all about mindsets. She believes that there are two types of mindset: a fixed mindset your qualities are carved in stone; or a growth mindset the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts. Dweck feels that with a growth mindset, you can deal with failure and, in fact, it is extremely beneficial for development and so-called success.
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Reminders from the Diary

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Every parent would do anything or give anything to make their children the best that they can possibly be. Unfortunately, however, many of the things they do boomerang and end up having the opposite effect. 24/06 Their helpful judgements and motivation techniques 25/06 can send the wrong message. In fact, every word and action sends a message to children about how to 27/06 think about themselves.

Squash matches Soccer vs Edenglen LII -& UII English Assessments LIII & UIII Maths Assessments HONK! JHB Childrens Theatre St Johns X1 Soccer Ravens Park 08/06 Soccer vs Pridwin Chess Matches Squash Matches UIII Solar Powered Boat Race Day (long Walk Pool) Soccer vs Reddam Chatterbox LIII & UIII Afrikaans/ isisZulu Assessment LII & UII Maths Assessment Public Holiday Headmasters Assembly Squash Matches Junior Inter-House Quiz Interschool's Music Evening (Jan Celliers) Independent School Rugby Festival (WHPS) 1st XI Soccer Festival LIII & UIII Science Assessments LII & UII Afrikaans/ isiZulu Assessments Soccer vs St Davids Shrek Production (Big School) Housemasters Assembly Squash Matches Grahamstown Arts Festival

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It can be a fixed mindset message that says: You have permanent traits and I am judging them. Or it can be a growth mindset message that says: You are a developing person and I am interested in your development. It is remarkable how perceptive children are about these messages. We have always been led to believe that we must praise our children and I would agree with that, but its how we do it that is important. Let me give you an example: You learned that so quickly! Youre so smart! If you are like most parents, including me, you would consider this a supportive, self-esteem-boosting message, but in fact what the child is hearing is: If I dont learn something quickly, Im not smart. So does this mean that we shouldnt praise? Not at all, it just means that we should keep away from a certain type of praise: praise that places a judgment on intelligence or talent. Rather we should praise the process what they accomplished through practice, study, persistence and good strategies. Giving the right sort of praise is the one area which we can work on, but what about the more complicated matter of dealing with failure? There is a strong message in our society that we need to protect our children from failure and perhaps this is where our helicopter parents come in, hovering over their children to ensure they dont fail or when they are toddlers, dont fall. Dweck believes the growth mindset is important. When our children fail or dont do as well as we expect, we need to help them to go back and reflect. What did you do in preparation for the task? What could you have done better? We need to help them fix something, build a better product, or do a better job and, in the process, ensure that they are learning, developing and bettering themselves with an attitude of self-belief and self-motivation. The child is not being judged on the outcome, he or she is being helped to learn from the process. In conclusion, I would like to put some questions on the table If failure is always an opportunity to grow: Are we willing to see low(er) marks / ratings not as an indictment of our children (or their teachers) but as a healthy element of education? Do we believe that success is defined less by a mark but more by a mindset? If we must be careful how we describe talented individuals: Are we celebrating the right things? Do we value the talent of our children more than their problem solving, resourcefulness, resilience, creativity, curiosity or focus? If we are to help children see that the final responsibility for their success lies with them: Are we confident that the best gift we can give to our children is the inner confidence in themselves that will enable them (and us) to embrace challenges without the fear of failure? Adapted from the book, Mindset, by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. Patrick Lees Headmaster

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Dear Prep Parents We have completed three weeks of Trinity Term and it is pleasing to note the positive energy in and around the Prep. The boys are well settled into a routine and we find it encouraging seeing the boys involvement at school. We do offer a wide range of activities, in and out the classroom, and my sense is that our boys are embracing these opportunities and they are making the most of all that is on offer. I would, however, like to take this opportunity to address a few topics: DRESS CODE We do believe that the Prep Cap has enhanced our uniform. It is wonderful to see the boys doffing their cap as they greet an adult, and it has certainly added value to their manners and general respect. Please be reminded that by Monday 4 June we do expect all boys to be wearing their Prep Cap. It is vital that these caps are marked, as with all items of clothing.
MANNERS We have spoken to certain grades recently about their manners. This does concern me. We are also rather appalled at the way boys speak to each other, and most importantly, how some boys are speaking to their teachers. Please reinforce this in your homes. We do expect our prep boys to be courteous and well-mannered at all times. BOOK BAGS For some time the staff have been getting increasingly worried about the size and weight of the school bags that the boys are carrying from class to class. Boys have been getting bigger and bigger bags to carry more and more.

Unfortunately the bags with shoulder straps are not being worn over both shoulders, as per the design, and are carrying up to 20 kilograms on one shoulder. Notwithstanding the damage they are doing to their bodies, we feel that boys should not be carrying heavy bags all over the school, and should rather be practising good organisational skills, by only carrying the books they need for the lessons ahead. All boys in the school have a locker in their locker room. Boys will be required to visit their locker before school to drop off their big school and sports bags, together with the books for the lessons after break. At break time they will then revisit their locker and swop books, dropping off the books they have used, and pick up the books for the lessons ahead.

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During the school morning the only bags the boys will be allowed to have with them will be the new St Johns Prep Book Bag, and their pencil bags. This will have many benefits:
the reduction of clutter in the corridors and classrooms helping to preserve the boys shoulders, reduction in theft out of bags and loss

of whole bags
helping to develop the planning and organisational skills of the boy

WEBSITE Please do visit the St Johns Prep website. We have added a staff list which shows you a picture of each staff member as well as their email address, should you wish to contact a staff member.

Go to www.stjohnscollege.co.za and click on Preparatory. Then click on Contacts and a drop menu will indicate the link Preparatory School Staff.
ASSEMBLIES In conclusion, we held our Headmasters Assembly on Tuesday morning. It was wonderful to see the junior string ensemble, the junior band and the cool choir in action.

As parents, you are more than welcome to attend these assemblies, especially when your son is playing an instrument, or is singing in a choir. I will be placing a note on the Communicator by the Friday before each Headmasters Assembly, so you are informed which musicians will be performing in the following Assembly. Please be reminded that these occur every three weeks, as they alternate with Housemasters Assembly and Tutor Groups. The next Headmasters Assembly will be on Tuesday 18 June in Big School. HAIRCUT & UNIFORM INSPECTION Speaking of Housemasters Assemblies, these always begin with a haircut and uniform inspection. Your boys are please to have a haircut before these assemblies. A reminder is posted on Communicator the week prior to this informing you of the upcoming inspection.

If they do have long hair, they will be sent to a hairdresser on the property for a haircut and your account will be debited with an amount of R60. If your son has been sent for a haircut, he will come home with a letter stating that he has had a school haircut. If you do not wish your account to be debited, you may speak to Mr Harrison with regard to payment. Please do not hesitate to contact me with regard to any of the matters mentioned above. Kind regards Craig Verdal-Austin Second Master 010 492 0116 verdal@stjohnscollege.co.za

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In English this term the Lower IIIs have been reading the novel Silverfin, which is about a young James Bond. In groups the Lower IIIR boys wrote an acrostic poem on the novel.

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Lower IIIT Afrikaans dialoog: Winkels

Matthew en Bradley

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Brandon en Nikhil

Aaron en Rhys

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Andrew en Sean

Evan en Matthew

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Alistair, Christopher en Tristan

Oliver, Andrew en Riyaadh

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Although many of us feel sorry when summer comes to an end and the chilly winter weather begins, the boys accept the change with excitement. They always look forward to a new season of sport and tackle it with great enthusiasm. Football must be the worlds favourite game and it is certainly a favourite at St Johns Prep. At break, the fields are filled with mini games. Shoes or lunch boxes are used as goal posts and hundreds of little boys organise themselves into their own private games. It is a game that everybody can play and enjoy, no matter whether you have two left feet or whether you have the ball control of Messi! It encourages many skills that can be applied to other games the boys may play as they move up through the Prep and into the College - quick, dancing feet, a sense and understanding of spaces and working with the other members of their team towards a common purpose. It has been a pleasure to watch the matches and to see the quiet determination with which the boys play, their pleasing understanding of the game and their wonderful sportsmanship. Although our season has just begun, we have already had matches against KEPS, St Benedicts, Sacred Heart, The Ridge and St Stithians. These are some of last weeks results: U11A finished 3rd in the Wade Foster Tournament on Monday 20th May. The following teams won their matches against Sacred Heart: U9A, U9B, U9 Bafana 3; U10B; U10 United, U11C; U12B; Open 1st These teams drew against Sacred Heart: U10A The following teams lost to Sacred Heart: U11B and U12A The following teams beat The Ridge: U9 Rangers 1; U9 Rangers 2; U9Pirates 7; U11D; U12C; U12D; Open 3rd and Open 5th The following teams drew against The Ridge: U9 Pirates 6; U10 Eagles 1; U10 Spurs 1; U11E The following teams lost against The Ridge: U10 Eagles 2; U10 Spurs 2 Our tennis season has started and we have had a very good turnout of boys interested in playing for the teams. In the first 2 weeks of the term, challenges were held and a ladder was created. This ladder is a dynamic one and is updated each week. The boys are encouraged to keep on challenging the players above them to improve their position on the ladder. We played our first matches against St Peters last week. Our first team only lost one match out of 9 and are congratulated on their excellent results. The results were as follows: 1st Team: St Johns 43 2nd Team: St Johns 32 U11 Team: St Johns 19 St Peters 22 St Peters 67 St Peters 34

Squash has become a very popular sport and the courts are filled to bursting on Monday and Friday afternoons. The league started with matches against St Marys at the beginning of the term. Although St Marys is often a daunting opponent, our teams managed to beat them soundly this season. In the second week of the season, the B and C teams played against St Stithians. The B team played extremely well to beat their opponents quite convincingly but the C lost to a competent St Stithians team.

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Mrs De Gouveia and her cross country runners have been working hard in preparation for the approaching season. Although cross country isnt everybodys cup of tea and some boys really need to be pushed hard to try their best on the Friday runs, those who are keen have used these sessions as time trials to monitor their fitness. We thank Mrs De Gouveia for getting up early on her precious Sunday mornings to encourage the boys to participate in the monthly Zoo Trot. 62 St Johns boys (and a couple of staff members!) gathered for the 7 oclock start last weekend. Their keen and chatty presence must have made a wonderful impression on the other participants! Although the rock climbing boys have been practising all year, the official season started last weekend where 26 boys took part in their first competition. Well done, boys! Lynn Joubert joubert@stjohnscollege.co.za

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Individual Achievements
Karate
Well done to the following boys who have been selected to compete at the SA JKA National Championships to be held on the 31st of May and the 1st of June. Luka Rajak, Milos Rajak, Max Oliver, Torin Torrente, Angelo Yang, Dino Koutromanos, Nicholas Koutromanos and Brandon Badenhorst. Nicholas Ching, competed in the BKI-KWF South African National Championships on Saturday, 1 June. He won a gold medal for Kata. Nicholas has also been selected to compete in the KWF World Championships to be held in Copenhagen on 18 October 2013. Well done, Nicholas!

Soccer
Sean Jacobs and Mike Ontong have been selected to play for the central area soccer team. They played the festival from 23 -25 May.

Squash
James and Alex Barrow and Brad and Timmy Miltonplayed in the Gauteng champs over the weekend. Well done, boys!

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Captains Trinity Term 2013

Soccer: Vice-Captain: Mike Ontong Captain: Squash: Vice-Captain: Nicholas Ching Captain: Tennis: Vice-Captain: James Barrow Captain: Brandon Vermeulen James Barrow Dale Hallendorff

Prep Scholarships - Remove 2014 Academic Scholarships:

Michael Mackie Ben Macqueen Garyn Berry Gustav Durlind Sam Smart

Music Scholarships:
Harry Myburgh Nicholas Moschides

Music Exhibition Scholarships:

Warwick Roux Thendo Mudau

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4CTea 2013
For a Brilliant Performance on Asikhulume Tuesday Dylan Van Der Walt Matthew de la Ray Riyaad Haffejee Team won vs St Stithians Nicholas Ching Sam Harding Matthew Wong Brendan Thomas Andrew de Lange Taylor Williamson Rhys Jurgens Jack Lees

Dexter Harding

Daniel Segal

For Reaching his Spelling Goal Twice Marc Hersov Excellent Maths UIR Zayaan Ismail Luka Rajak

Honest, Kind and Helpful Towards Others Dexter Harding Alex Wiltshire Keagan Lion-Cachet Joshua Sansom

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Jordan Van Der Walt, has had two very successful presentations of his Just One Bag campaign. Spar and Toastmasters. Spar awarded him this Amaizeing Trophy for his campaign. Well done, Jordan!

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Jordan Van der Walt with Spar MD - Brett Botten

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On Saturday 25th May 2013 Jordan was one of the guest speakers at The Toastmasters International Annual Conference, which took place at The Indaba Hotel in Fourways. Well done, Jordan!

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Look At Our Revamped Classrooms:

Mrs J de Lange LIIID

Mrs D Mashele isiZulu

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Mr S Logan UIIIL

Mr B Bornman UIIB

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Mrs H Baker UIIH

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All Upper III boys & their dads, please join us for an evening of BOOKS, BOYS & BRAAIS
James Hendry, author, entertainer and guitar teacher at St Johns will talk about his book A Year in the Wild. This is a hilarious account of his many and varied experiences in the bush during the time he spent working at a game lodge.

Details: On: Tuesday 4 June At: 18:00 Place: Fred England Centre (Prep Library) Wors rolls & drinks for sale

RSVP: Nicky Sulter by Friday 31 May sulter@stjohnscollege.co.za

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Order form for books by Chris Bradford: Please return to Mrs Sulter as soon as possible Sons name: _______________________ Class: ___________ No required Title Young Samurai: Way of the Warrior Young Samurai: Way of the Sword Young Samurai: Way of the Dragon Young Samurai: Ring of Earth Young Samurai: Ring of Water Young Samurai: Ring of Fire Young Samurai: Ring of Wind Young Samurai: Ring of Sky Body Guard: Hostage (New Series) Price R100 R100 R100 R100 R100 R100 R100 R100 R100

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Thank You

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Notices
iCare
Whilst we hope and anticipate that all boys will feel able to approach their teachers or a member of staff should they feel that something is wrong, we understand that this will not always be the case. Some boys may feel unsure of how to approach a staff member or unsure of what they should say. For this reason we are continuing to use the iCare box, which is now located in Mrs Powells office. We also have an electronic version where boys can contact the Pastoral Care Team at iCare@stjohnscollege.co.za. The Pastoral Care team is hoping that the boys make use of these initiatives to highlight anything that they CARE about at St Johns Prep.

The aim is to provide the boys with an alternative avenue to voice their feelings around whatever may be on their minds. This extends beyond the reporting of just peer difficulties (such as bullying) the aim is to further enhance the quality of the St Johns experience. All notes placed in the box or sent via email will be treated confidentially and actions instituted where possible.

We ask that you encourage your son to make use of the iCare initiative so that we can make his day all that he hopes it can be. Hugo Meirim meirim@stjohnscollege.co.za

AFRIKAANS TUITION Is your son struggling to communicate in Afrikaans or having difficulty mastering the basics of the language (oral or written)? I am qualified to assist in both of the above areas and would be available to provide the necessary tuition between 15:00 and 18:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at St Johns Preparatory. Tuition will be provided on either a one-to-one basis or in group situations, lessons will last for an hour. Progress will be regularly monitored and pupils will be expected to perform certain tasks and complete basic written assignments. Tuition fees for individual lessons are R250 per hour and R150 per hour for group sessions. Should you be interested in the above, my contact details are as follows: Graham Carroll Tel : 011 534 1224 Fax : 011 534 1225 Cell : 076 858 9420

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Notices
Art club and extra classes
From the beginning of next term, Mr Poco is starting an Art Club (for LIII and UIII boys) and extra art classes for junior boys. Senior boys are encouraged to join the Art Club on Tuesdays from 14h00 -15h00 or Thursdays from 15h00-16h00. Juniors may arrange extra art lessons with Mr Poco at alternative times and on alternative days. We hope to see the senior boys joining the Art Club to create various exciting art works with mediums they do not normally use in class, such as print making, photography, oil painting and many more. This will be a fantastic opportunity for any boy who wishes to develop his art skills. For further information e-mail Bruno Poco on poco@stjohnscollege.co.za

Italian Language Lessons

Small age appropriate classes and individual tuition offered outside school hours at St Johns. Experienced mother-tongue graduate teacher using communicative method of conversation, maintaining cultural ties for solid IEB foundation. Contact Lisabetta on 082 682 2859 or Lisabetta@iafrica.com

EXTRA MATHS LESSONS

Lower III & Upper III boys in Mrs De Langes classroom Every Thursday 14h00 - 15h00 (Teacher recommendation only)

Shop At St Johns College New opening times from 28th January 2013
Tuesday and Thursday: 7am to 3pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 10am to 3pm For stationery and labels, as well as all your sports clothes, jerseys, bags and socks

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Life Rules by Bill Gates

RULE 1: Life is not fair - get used to it. RULE 2: The world wont care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself. RULE 3: You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You wont be vice-president with a car phone, until you earn both. RULE 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He doesnt have tenure. RULE 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping - they called it opportunity. RULE 6: If you mess up, its not your parents fault, so dont whine about your mistakes, learn from them. RULE 7: Before you were born, your parents werent as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents generation, try delousing the closet in your own room. RULE 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers but Life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and theyll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesnt bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life. RULE 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You dont get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. You have to do that on your own time. RULE 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs. RULE 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are youll end up working for one.