From the Head of Senior School – Academic Mentoring and Study Success

This year we have again allocated each Year 12 student with an academic mentor to assist them with support in managing their workloads and organisation. This support is in addition to the oversight already provided by Head of Year 12, Angela Renwick, teachers and key staff. Research has shown that mentoring and positive relationships can have a number of benefits including socio-emotional benefits, resilience and positive academic progress.

With this in mind, Year 12 students have each been allocated a teacher to provide regular check-ins and guidance when planning for upcoming assessment tasks. It is not necessarily one of their current teachers, and it is not designed to be a ‘tutoring’ relationship, but more of a motivational and organisational supportive relationship. Teachers spend time developing rapport and identifying stressors and supports that the students have in their lives, providing advice and guidance around ways to best harness their academic potential whilst also making the most of the many opportunities available at MLC School.

I was very pleased in my second meeting with one of my students this week when she brought in one of the study planners in that I had given her, claiming she had never used a planner before. Her words to me were; ‘I have never made lists like this before, it is so satisfying!’ It was certainly satisfying to me, that a teenager was up for trying a new process – and who doesn’t enjoy crossing something off a list!

Good luck to all the Year 12 students heading towards examinations next week; my advice to families is to have lots of chocolate and supportive hugs on hand!

– Joanna Graffen
Head of Senior School