Conversations around the role schools play in raising healthy young men were explored by leading educators and industry experts this week as De Lalle Catholic College Caringbah hosted an innovative conference on boys’ education.
Primary and secondary educators from Sydney Catholic Schools attended the event on Monday, 22 July, to explore contemporary approaches to working with young men, and dissect some of the more pertinent issues relating to boys’ education today.
The one-day event included keynote addresses from renowned sports and exercise medicine physician Dr John Best, and Australian rugby league internationals Aaron Woods and Chris Lawrence.
Workshops encouraged shared ideas
There was also opportunity for collaboration among attendees, with a series of workshops held across the afternoon focusing on a variety of topics, from artificial intelligence and social justice to notions of masculinity and the performing arts.
The conference came as De Lalle Catholic College Caringbah aims to establish itself as a leader in boys’ education in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire following its recent expansion into a 7-12 college.
Peter Buxton, Principal at De La Salle Catholic College Caringbah, says the conference offered some invaluable insights into the future direction of boys’ education.
“It was a fantastic opportunity to bring together experts and educators to share ideas, learn from one another and better understand how we all can better support our boys,” he says.
His keynote address covered some of the developmental, social and cultural considerations around young males, including examining what it takes to be healthy and what that health then enables.
Spirituality and friendship support a positive future, says principal
Dr Best, who counts a decade as the Wallabies’ physician as part of his professional CV, also looked at the importance of both spirituality and friendship, and what the future role of young men may look like in the years to come.
With more than 500 NRL appearances between them, Woods and Lawrence shared the story of their journeys as professional athletes, detailing the lessons they learned as schoolboys and the challenges they overcame in adulthood.
Woods, an alumnus of both St Mary’s Cathedral College and Holy Cross College Ryde, spoke about how the discipline instilled in him by his educators at school helped set him up for success in the sporting arena.
Buxton described the conference as a prime example of how the college continues to be “inclusive, contemporary and at the cutting-edge of education”.
“At De La Salle, we pride ourselves on knowing what it takes to help grow young men who will go out into the world and make a positive difference and contribution,” he says.
“Days such as these are a reflection of our commitment to being at the forefront of boys’ education and providing the best possible learning experience for our students.”
