{item_alt_tag}

19 January 2024

{item_alt_tag}

New year - new us?

We hope you had a lovely break!

Many of our daily rituals, such as having coffee and brushing our teeth, run largely on habit - automatic reactions to familiar contexts that unconsciously guide our behaviour. Such habits influence long-term pursuits like student success and well-being, like studying consistently, sleeping sufficiently, and exercising regularly. However, habits operate outside conscious control, leading people to underestimate their power. Many students struggle to build good habits, yet stick with bad ones like phone overuse. Motivation and self-control often prove inadequate to change entrenched habits, good or bad; whatever our latest intentions, old patterns like procrastination and late-night screen time persist within stable contexts, i.e. our normal environments. Though crucial for learning, motivation and willpower fail to fully explain how students maintain recurring behaviours over time compared to habit's role.

Contemporary habits research integrates the influence of context, goals and self-control in governing routine student actions like concentrating despite distractions and getting adequate rest. Over the coming weeks, we will explore the role of habits in learning and will consider what science has to say about helping students form good ones. Both school and home have a significant role to play in this.

A reminder that we would love to hear any thoughts you have on CSG’s Learning Matters: learning@csg.school

Ms Cohen’s Sixth Form Writers

We have had a really fruitful term in the Sixth Form Writing Enrichment run by Ms Cohen, with a great selection of writing in different styles produced by our talented students. Here are some of the term’s highlights for you to enjoy! 

1) This first is by Zoe in Y12, writing in response to a list poem by Olivia McCannon that focuses on the evocation of the past through details about places.

Zoe Y12 - The oldest parts of me

2) Now here is Goldie, Y12, explaining the task and her poem:

“This task was to look into and attempt a rhyme scheme called Terza Rima. I figured that I would attempt to portray my feelings when it comes to creating things, and how difficult it can be to feel unappreciated despite the effort you might put into creating work, whatever it may be.”

Goldie Y12 - The dauntless scribe

3) Finally, here is Alex, Y12, writing in prose. The task was based around shifts in time starting with one character from a visual stimulus - in Alex’s case, the painting “Carolina Morning” by Edward Hopper.

Alex Y12 - The Presidential Address

National Youth Orchestra

Students from CSG, Dora, Jessica and Charlotte, have been selected from musicians all over the country to join the prestigious National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain this year. The first course took place over the Christmas holidays, culminating in concerts around the UK where the orchestra played works by Smetana, Strauss and Dani Howard. This photo shows the orchestra at the end of their fantastic concert at the Barbican Centre in London, conducted by Sir Mark Elder.

Many congratulations to our three students!

Ms Birchall-Sampson

{item_alt_tag}

British Library Event

 

Book your tickets here