Skills and Achievement - Research Reports

Pastoral Academic Care (PAC) Focus

Wellbeing Element: Skills and Achievement

Character Strength: Perseverance

Parent Wellbeing: With your fingers together, concentrate on your breathing and make

them open and close as you breathe in and out for five minutes several times daily.

Focus - RESEARCH REPORTS

Encouraging students to follow their curiosity, experiment with and question their learning will assist them to develop resilient, resourceful and reflective lifelong learning habits. Also, teaching them how to communicate their learning using a report process slows down their thinking to analyse, compare and evaluate what they discovered. Doing this will cultivate creative and critical thinking capabilities in them.

To clearly and meaningfully communicate to others what they have learnt and how it relates to their worlds, the thinking habit Communicating with Clarity and Precision comes alive here. They should tap into their dominant Multiple Intelligences on how they wish to present their investigation and findings, which could include, oral presentations, idea maps, thinking tools such as the Five E’s of Learning and Learning Jigsaw, role plays, essays, power point presentations, posters, poems, blogs, songs or a combination of them. The main thing is to present what they have learnt and conclusions they made in a coherent and interesting manner.

There is considerable discussion about differentiation, ie, personalising teaching for students. This should also apply to how they present their learning. Students and teachers are finding that the variety of structures that the different Thinking Tools offer effectively enable this.

“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.” Aristotle

Year 7

Welcome back to school. What a fantastic start to the term we have had already. A little rain (praying for more), sunshine and great learning.

Year 7 are making a positive start this term in their final term of Year 7.

This week students have already received commendations and are demonstrating some keen learning.

In PAC this week students have created kindness chains to refocus ourselves on our theme - Strength in Kindness. Students were to decide on ways they could be kind to one another and the wider school community, wrote them down and collaborated to create their kindness chains and don't they look fantastic?

A reminder to everyone that to complete our best learning we need to come to school equipped to learn, this means with books, pencils, pens, rulers, glue sticks, highlighters and more.

Year 7 also had their needles this week. If your child missed out on this opportunity can you please contact the school's office if you need to reschedule.

Yolanda Kreuzen

Year 7 PAC

Year 8

Welcome back to the last term for 2019. Year 8 have been working hard and I would like to take this opportunity to share some reflections I have collected from everyone about this past year.

What is something you accomplished this year that you are proud of?

I am proud of the gearbox that I made in engineering that was able to winch over 100 washers off the ground. I am proud of this because it was very successful.

What person at our school has made the biggest impact on your life this year? Why?

Ms Donelly, because she gives us tasks that I really enjoy, especially because they are very self-driven and have lots of space for creative opportunity.

What is something you accomplished this year that you are proud of?

My placings in cattle showing and fleece classing.

Of the books you read this year, which was your favourite? Why?

Arctic zoo, it’s full of action and protest and change, overall a good read. Would highly recommend.

These are just a few of the achievements your students have been reflecting on from throughout 2019. These responses only touch the surface of the amazingly diverse year I get to work with each and every day. I look forward to sharing other amazing work over the rest of the term.

Lloyd Honnery

Year 8 PAC

Year 9

Year 9 have begun Term 4 refreshed and with renewed enthusiasm. We continue to encourage each other to strive to be the best people we can be. Our focus areas to work on are building positive relationships, treating each other with respect, being grateful for the wonderful experiences we have been offered and to work to the best of our ability. All of these focus areas do not all come easy and as individuals we may strive in one area and neglect another.

Our school was fortunate to hear from the renowned speaker John Pridmore and learnt about the life struggles he had dealt with, of which many of us could relate to. His realisation in the love of God helped him to reshape his life. He shared a powerful message of hope, forgiveness and love.

I have been visiting many Year 9 classes to see how they were going. I was inspired to see the diverse array of activities and learning experiences that are on offer. Viewing student work was a highlight as I was able to see so much quality work and was fascinated to see the wonderful projects that are in progress.

I have several commendations from teachers acknowledging quality of academic work, which is fantastic. A few chronicle entries have appeared for students who were not in correct uniform. We take great pride in the way we present ourselves, it is easy to follow the guidelines and wear the uniform as expected.

Thursday 24th October we come together for the Retreat. Information regarding the retreat has been sent to parents. It is run by the LaSallian Youth leaders and promises to be a great day for self reflection and community building. It is a compulsory school day and I look forward to sharing a fun filled day of activities.

In my short time as Acting PAC coordinator, I have enjoyed the opportunity to get to know more students and to have quality discussions about well being and general progress. Furthermore, I am touched to see the care and love demonstrated by the parents that I have communicated with and appreciate the support from all parents.

Kathryn Czinner (on behalf of our PAC team)

Year 10

I was also very impressed with the sheer volume of commendation cards I have distributed to students for their academic work, community service and other extra-curricular activities that Year 10 students have been involved in recently. Students continue to represent the school in so many ways and with such a wide variety of activities it continues to impress. Keep up the good work Year 10.

Mark Fulloon

Year 10 PAC

Year 11

At the first whole school assembly first day back, we were able to announce the incoming College Leaders for 2020 and present them with their badges. Congratulations to all of the students who nominated for positions. The speeches were very professional and well executed, demonstrating a great degree of thought and self reflection. Captains are Liam Smith and Ellen Hawthorne, Vice-Captains are Sam Bible and Emily Meehan. Faith and Service Leaders are Kieran Wicks and Ruth Toakley. Sports Captains are Nathan Czinner and Tori Brazier. All students in Year 11 have the ability to lead and be excellent role models for our younger students. I look forward to working with all of the students as we progress through the next important chapter of schooling together. All of the nominees for leadership positions.

It will be a very busy term for Year 11 as they begin their HSC patterns of study. Students need to be on the ball with their time and work management in order to keep the upper hand on the workload and assessment tasks that will start to click into gear in the coming weeks. It is so important that you utilise the people around you this term, and into 2020. We are all here to help you. Set good habits now and you will definitely reap the benefits as you work through this year and next.

We welcome returning student Sahra Dennehy and new student Fergus Sweeney to the cohort. I am sure their time at O’Connor will be rewarding and students will make them feel at home.

Congratulations to all of the students who participated in a number of sporting, musical and cultural events over the holidays. We wish Sam Bible all the best as he travels to Sydney to participate in the New South Wales State Schools Constitutional Convention at Parliament House on Monday November 11th.

10 students from Year 11 and I travelled to Sydney to attend the celebrations at St Ursula’s College in Kingsgrove on Sunday 20th October, returning on Tuesday 22nd. More details about that later in the newsletter.

Vicki Channon and the Year 11 PAC team.

Year 12

While Yr 12 no longer attend classes at school, their hard work continues as they complete the HSC Exams over the coming weeks. So far students have approached these exams with a fantastic attitude. They have been punctual and well prepared, but what has impressed me most is the strong sense of collegiality and support that has been evident as students gather before exams. A sneaky agreement to all wear funky socks has been a simple example of them coming together as all students undertake the challenge that is the HSC.

The HSC is more of a marathon than a sprint and I strongly encourage all students to maintain the healthiest of habits across the next few weeks. Key aspects of this include maintaining healthy and consistent sleep patterns, eating a well balanced diet, completing some physical activity and connecting and talking about how they are feeling with people you trust. I encourage Parents and Guardians to closely monitor your students and keep an eye on how they are coping. If students are struggling, please contact Mr Russell to discuss your situation and remember that the School Counsellor is always available to talk to.

Students, I encourage you to continue to be diligent in your preparation and do your very best. Strong results in the HSC really do provide a bit of a head start in transitioning into the world beyond school. In saying this, remember that the HSC is just an exam and that it does not define you as a person or determine your level of success in life. This is an important time, but it is equally important that things are kept in perspective.

James Russell

Year 12 PAC

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