Reflection
Outdoor education is part of our seamless curriculum, contributing to the totality of schooling, and not outside and apart from it.
The challenges involve the development of character. Boys are separated from their normal city comfort and learn to survive in the bush without roofs over their heads, toilets, showers, music, and ready prepared meals. Successful outdoor education programs ensure a reasonable element of personal risk and an exhaustion of personal resources, so the participants learn that survival depends on teamwork and preparation.
Most of the boys enjoy themselves immensely with many boys finding ways of helping others, and thrive in such an environment. Some boys depart for camp unsure of their ability to cope being away from the comforts of home, unsure of meals prepared by their peers, and anxious about the absence of electronic media. Many return proud to have survived and somewhat surprised that they actually enjoyed themselves!
It is always a joy to meet boys on their return and witness the sense of satisfaction and mateship as a result of their experience. Often enough, they have been assured by what they have learnt about themselves and about what it means to belong to a community.
These experiences are part of the compulsory component of our education program and whilst some boys contest their involvement, it is very much our belief that the value of their participation is of great significance.