‘Shark Tank’ Comes to the Year 11 English Class
What do fast fashion, bushfire recovery and girls in STEM have in common? They were all causes championed by our Year 11 English General students this term, in an assessment with a twist.
As part of their persuasive writing unit, students were challenged to do more than just write an essay. They were asked to step into the shoes of a social entrepreneur and design a brand-new Australian charity tackling a real-world issue. But the challenge did not stop there, they also had to pitch their idea in a Shark Tank-style presentation.
Turning Classrooms into Boardrooms
In front of a panel of ‘SMC Sharks’, including Director of Corporate Services, Tim Stewart, Head of Professional Development Liz De Byl, Dean of Year 9 Gemma Beekink, Deputy Principal, Teaching & Learning Jayne Kingwell, and Dean of Year 12 Lisa Taylor, students had to persuade the panel to invest in their start-up.
The stakes? High. The enthusiasm? Even higher.
Each presentation demonstrated the creativity, research skills and communication our students are building in the General English course, a subject designed to equip them with the tools they will need beyond school, whether that is in the workplace, community, or further study.
Tackling Issues That Matter
From mental health access in remote areas to creating emergency housing after natural disasters, students chose topics they cared about. Their pitches were heartfelt, well-researched and persuasive, with some “Sharks” saying they would happily fund them!
This engaging assessment model gave students a glimpse into how English skills can be relevant to the real world, in pitches, presentations, business cases, and advocacy. It also built confidence and showed them that their ideas can make a difference.
Real World Relevance
We know that learning sticks when it feels purposeful, and fun. By redesigning a traditional writing task into a challenge with real-world relevance, we are helping students see the value of their voice. And who knows? Maybe we just witnessed the early days of the next great Australian charity.
- AustralianCharities, EnglishAssessment, EnglishCurriculum, Featured, GeneralStudents, HandsOnLearning, PersuasiveWriting, RealWorldLearning, SantaMariaCollege, SharkTank, StudentEntrepreneurship, StudentLearning, Year11Students
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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