Magis

Our Gifted and Talented program here at John XXIII College is aptly named Magis – meaning 'more' or 'to a greater extent'. It captures the spirit of Ignatian pedagogy – emphasising the development of the whole person – intellectually, spiritually, and socially. This approach encourages students to become 'people for others', using their God-given talents not merely for personal advancement, but for the service of humanity. The concept of our Magis program sits at the heart of this philosophy, calling students to excellence not as an end in itself, but as a means to greater service and deeper understanding.

Gifted and Talented Program

All students at John XXIII College are challenged to strive for the Magis, to strive for excellence. One key element of this is the College's Gifted and Talented Program. The program strives to assist students to develop their potential into performance and maximise their talents to better serve their community and the world.

Our Magis Program has two components:

The Magis Elective Course

  • Offered to Year 7 and 9 students
  • Has timetabled classes, like all elective courses
  • We focus on cultivating skills of careful observation, critical thinking, resilience, time management, creativity, independence, leadership, persuasive writing, oral expression and moral reflection
  • Students study philosophy and engage in various academic challenges
  • The course centres upon academic stretch beyond the core curriculum and beyond the year level. This is best exemplified in the inquiry component of the course. The inquiry is mainly conducted through independent research – supported with academic mentoring

Magis Co-Curricular Program

  • Offered to Year 7 to 12 students
  • Opportunities to compete in the top state academic competitions, as well as in national and global events. Opportunities include (but are not limited to): WADL Debating; Mock Trials; da Vinci Decathlon; Tournament of Minds; Ethics Olympiad; Robotics; Lego League; Various public speaking and writing competitions; Jesuit National Debating Championship; International Debating; World Scholar's Cup including global rounds and the Tournament of Champions at Yale University
  • Special events and programs on offer include Academy Conferences, TED-X, Bell Shakespeare Incursion, the USA Space Camp, UN Youth Summits and State Conferences, Astronomy evenings etc.

The key principles of Magis are:

  • Excellence in teaching and scholarship
  • Rigorous thinking and the pursuit of truth
  • The cultivation of lifelong habits
  • More development is inseparable from other intellectual pursuit
  • Development of the whole person
  • Academic excellence
  • Talents are to be shared with others, for others.