From the Leader of Learning and Curriculum

From the Leader of Learning and Curriculum

High Achievers Assembly

As Dr Ireland mentioned in this Newsletter, the 2021 HSC cohort achieved the best results in the College’s 114-year history. Below is a snapshot of our High Achievers Assembly and the wonderful results.

Click here for the highlights slideshow

 

Year 12 Flex

In 2021, the College implemented an exciting initiative for Year 12 – FLEX – that responded to the feedback from Year 12 students, parents and staff regarding their learnings from COVID-19 remote learning during 2020. During this time, students enjoyed a flexible learning timetable, which allowed for independence, a further understanding of their preferred learning style and an enhanced learning relationship with their teacher. Following the success last year, FLEX days were offered to Year 12 students this year when they were not on Retreat. 

Our teachers developed an array of online and onsite workshops. Resources for each workshop are posted on Google Classrooms for students to access throughout the year.

Newman Stream Classes

I encourage parents and carers of students in Newman Class 1 and Newman Class 2 (i.e. 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1 and 10.2) to read the Gifted & Talented Report included in each Newsletter. Mrs Colreavy, our Gifted & Talented Newman Coordinator writes specifically for parents and students in these classes. This week, she includes information about extension tasks.

Year 7 Study Skills Session

This week Dr Prue Salter from Enhanced Learning Educational Services (www.enhanced-learning.net) ran a Zoom study skills evening with Year 7 parents and students. The evening helped families assess what changes could be made to help students move towards efficiently and effectively achieving their personal best. Families examined the following areas: 

  • home study environment
  • the way they organise and manage their resources
  • how to work effectively at home and deal with distractions
  • how to manage the workload in high school and 
  • the steps to studying in high school

Parents are encouraged to review the slides and handout from the session with students and discuss the main areas identified where changes need to be made: Year 7 Slides, the password is: achieve. Parents can also find extra study skills tips on the following website: http://studyskillstoptipsparents.com/

All students at the College also have access to a great study skills website to help students develop their skills. Go to www.studyskillshandbook.com.au and enter the username: MSCW and the password: 93success  

Study Skills Tips

Should you type or handwrite study notes?

If the exam is handwritten, students are better to handwrite study notes.

This builds muscle memory and helps student practice their handwriting skills. However, many students prefer to type their study notes, which is so much easier to organise. If students choose to type, when they are learning their notes, they need to read a section, see what they can write down without looking and check and see if they were correct. This will help them practise their handwriting skills while committing the information to memory.

 My daughter doesn’t know how to study; what should she be doing?

Sadly, many students think that studying for a test just means reading their notes repeatedly, which is the slowest and most ineffective way of studying.

Studying involves three steps:

  1. Make study notes or summaries
  2. Learn the notes by testing over and over so the information is to be retained
  3. Do as much practise as possible – different questions under time constraints

Remember that we all learn in different ways, so there is scope to allow students to use techniques that suit their learning style, such as recording notes to listen to.

What time should students go to bed?

Although it varies, most students need at least eight hours of sleep each night. Therefore work backwards, allow an hour or so for students to get ready for bed and fall asleep, then work backwards to the time they need to get up for school. Have students pay attention to how they feel in the morning – they may need less or more sleep than the average.

Parents and students can learn more about studying efficiently and effectively by working through the units on www.studyskillshandbook.com.au, which is accessible via COMPASS and the Star (Favourites) icon.

 

Mr Justin Hodges, Leader of Learning and Curriculum

This article on College life meets The Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic Schools – Charter #6 & #8