Issue#10

We have embarked on a Thinking Skills journey at Durban Girls’ College that will empower our girls to develop explicit Thinking Skills, thus ensuring that learning is made more meaningful and enjoyable. These skills allow girls to experiment with more resourceful and creative problem-solving techniques.

Our aim is to develop critical, creative and collaborative skills through a visible process and to encourage our girls to incorporate these capabilities across all areas of the school curriculum. These life-skills enhance optimal performance and well-being. Our focus is on process and not merely results, whilst establishing a growth mindset. This focus ensures that all abilities are developed, and allows for an all-inclusive engagement in learning.

The benefits of teaching Thinking Skills at Durban Girls’ College areimprovement of student independence, engagement and learning strategies, whilst building competence and confidence.

The Primary School has started this exciting journey by being exposed to Thinking Maps. Our girls learn a variety of “thinking tools” as part of our pedagogy. These tools are a set of graphic organisers that help structure ideas and thoughts, and are all linked to a specific cognitive process. Please follow the links to find out more about theseempowering initiatives:

• www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ• www.thinkingmaps.org

Carol-Anne ConradieHead of Junior Primary

From the Helm

AlexiaMitchellCongratulations to Alexia Mitchell for her achievement in ballet!

College Moments

P1info@dgc.co.za 3.11.17 www.dgc.co.za

Giulia TorinoGiulia has performed outstandingly in synchronised swimming over the years, representing both KZN and SA in various competitions. We would like to congratulate her on receiving a Special Honours Award for Synchronised Swimming, as well as the trophy for Best Synchronised Swimmer at the Sports Awards Evening.

Giulia Torino

SP DrummingGroupThe SP African Drumming group had the whole of SP tapping to the rhythm of drums during assembly on Tuesday!

ThinkingSkills

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Thinking Skills Circle Map

The Grade R girls demonstrated their use of a Circle Map, highlighting their understanding of circles. The Grade 1 girls used the Circle Map to brainstorm their ideas before writing about the JP Sports Day.

Junior Primary

Senior Primary

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Grade 4 Roman Day

The Grade 4 Roman Day was held on Wednesday. The girls had fun dressing up as Romans and enjoyed a delicious feast. They also made laurel wreaths, played Roman Numeral Bingo, made beautiful mosaics and had chariot races!

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Grade R Thinking Map

Grandparents’ Day

Grandparents’ Day is celebrated once a year in each Grade at Durban Girls’ College. What a special time it was having our Grandparents to tea!

High SchoolCollege House Halloween

A fun evening was had by all at College House on Halloween evening! The girls and boarder mistresses dressed up and enjoyed a Halloween-themed meal in the dining room. The menu was “ghastly ghoul with maggots and putrid roots, followed by pumpkin crisps and frozen milk”. Ghostly candles were lit and laughter filled the air. It was a great way for the girls to unwind before settling down to study for exams.

Grade 1 Thinking Map

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College is such a special place for me! Having been an old girl, and now on the other side as a staff member, my roots at Durban Girls’ College run deep. I absolutely love teaching Grade 00, and every day for me is one filled with love and hugs.

Since leaving Durban Girls’ College, I obtained my Honours in Inclusive Education from UNISA and have now been teaching for almost four years. I joined the College family as a staff member in 2014, and opened up the Grade 00 unit in the Junior Primary phase. What a privilege and heart warming experience it has been.

I am so grateful to work in a place such as College, and I look forward to many more happy years of teaching here!

If you would like to keep up with daily life at DGC, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram! Our likes have increased from 1 898 in April to 2 636 in October 2017. Also be sure to check out our new and improved website!

“Little flock, do not be afraid. Your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.” Luke 12:32

Worry or anxiety are natural responses to stress or fear. No doubt something the Grade 7 to 12s can relate to at exam time! The bible addresses the reality of these feelings but also nudges us to consider our response to them. In Luke 12:13-34 Jesus reminds his friends that their Father in Heaven knows what they need. He provides for birds and wildflowers and as such can be relied upon to care for people, made in His image and precious to Him. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls his friends ‘little flock’. As a parent might gently sooth a small child, so Jesus says, “Don’t sit in your worry, little one. Focus on the treasure of knowing me. I know what you need now, and the best is yet to come.”

From our Chaplain

Meet Our Staff

AlumnaTaryn Hompes (nee Rebeck) - Class of 1991 - is our new Chairlady of the Durban Girls’ College Old Girls’ Guild. Taryn also sits on the Board of Governors of the School.

Taryn was born and raised in Durban and attended College for 12 years from Grade 1 to Matric. She was a School Prefect and was in Greenacre House. After leaving College, Taryn attended the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, where she obtained her Masters Degree in Economics. She then moved to the ‘big city lights’ of Johannesburg and worked at Reuters, followed by 10 years as an Economist for global investment bank, JPMorgan.

After spending 20 years in Jozi, and being a Durban girl at heart, Taryn moved back to the tropics at the beginning of 2016, with her husband Derek and their children Daniel, Grade 5 at Clifton, and Rebekah, who is now also proudly a “College Girl” in Grade 4 and absolutely loving it!

Taryn now co-owns online retail and lifestyle site, Macaroon - at the forefront of design and ecommerce in South Africa. Taryn’s years at Durban Girls’ College hold some of her happiest memories and were the beginning of lifelong friend-ships. She feels strongly about giving back to the school.

DGC Online

Online Portal: https://dgcogg.alumnet.co.za www.facebook.com/DGCOGG/

info@dgc.co.za www.dgc.co.za

www.facebook.com/DurbanGirlsCollege/

www.instagram.com/durban_girlscollege/

www.dgc.co.za

3.11.17

Jamiedu Plessis

TarynHompes

P4

HIGH SCHOOL

Sport

Indoor Hockey:

Performing Arts

LAMDA Performance Examinations:The following of your learners participated in this year’s highly esteemed LAMDA Performance Examinations:Klara RobertsonKiara Padayachee

Kiara completed her LAMDA Acting Gold Medal Examination – which is QCF certified and internationally recognised. Klara entered the Solo Musical Theatre as well as the Acting Examination.

Music

Trinity College London:Kelly Corbett (Grade 9) -Trinity Grade 5 Singing – 80% (Merit)

Results

info@dgc.co.za www.dgc.co.za3.11.17

Team 1st Team Squad 1st Team Squad1st Team Squad

Opposition

St Mary’sCCLKloofCCLKloof

Result

DGC lost DGC won DGC wonDGC won DGC won

Score

3-42-15-17-07-1

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SENIOR PRIMARY

Music

Trinity College London:Certificate: Level 2: Grade 4 Piano: with Distinction: Zöe Pearson

Sport

Indoor Hockey:U13A vs Our Lady of Fatima lost 1 - 2U13A vs Reddam College won 5 - 0U13B vs Penzance U13A lost 0 - 1U13B vs Chelsea A lost 2 - 3U12 vs Our Lady of Fatima lost 0 – 1U12 vs Northlands lost 0 – 4

Water Polo:Durban Girls’ College hosted the first U11 and U13 tournaments of the year at DGC. Our U11 teams consisting mainly of Grade 4s, who experienced their first Water Polo matches, acquitted themselves exceptionally well and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Our U13 teams were exceptional in the pool and their results are as follows:U13A vs Maris Stella A won 3 - 2U13B vs Maris Stella B won 7 - 2U13B vs Thomas More B won 10 - 0U13A vs St Mary’s A won 3 - 0U13A vs Thomas More A won 7 - 0Well played to all our Water polo players!

Performing Arts

LAMDA Performance Examinations:The following of your learners participated in this year’s highly esteemed LAMDA Performance Examinations:Charlotte NicolsonMilla di PaoloSarah SparksThantasiwe Dwane Charlotte entered her first LAMDA Acting Examination. Sarah and Milla entered both the Solo Musical Theatre and the Acting Examinations. Thanti entered the Group Musical Theatre Examination.

JUNIOR PRIMARY

Music

Trinity College London:Lily Corbett (Grade 3) – Trinity Grade 2 Singing – 87 % (Distinction)

Results

info@dgc.co.za www.dgc.co.za3.11.17

The Week AheadMonday 6

Tuesday 7

Thursday 9

Friday 10

Day 614h10 JP: Gr 3 Tennis Fixture: Maris Stella14h30 SP: Tennis Fixture: DGC 15h10 SP: Indoor Hockey League U12 vs Crawford North Coast: Reddam

Day 707h30: ‘DGC Mums Who Pray’: College House 10h30 JP: Gr R 2018 Orientation Parents’ and Daughters’: JP Hall14h30 JP & SP: Clifton Gala: Clifton School

Day 809h00-10h00 JP: Gr 1 Girls Orientation Morning: JP Classrooms10h30 JP: Gr 00 Parents’ and Girls’ Orientation Morning: JP Hall 14h30 JP & SP: Friendly Gala: DGC17h30: JP Gr 1 (2018) Parents’ Information Evening: JP Hall

Day 918:30-20:30: “Space 2017”: Presentation by Astronaut: Lecture Theatre

Day 10SP: Gr 7 Exams end09h00 HS: Moms’ Liaison Breakfast: College House

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Wednesday 8

3.11.17

Double, double toil and trouble;Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

William Shakespeare

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