Teaching and Learning

 

2020 VCE Information Night

Students who are currently in Year 10 and 11 have a VCE information night next Thursday, 30 May. All students are expected to attend, and parents are very welcome to come too. We will cover the key areas of the VCE, including the requirements for VCE completion, VETIS programs, ATAR and GAT. There will also be time for students to discuss subjects with the relevant Heads of Faculty. The evening commences at 7.00pm in the Simons Auditorium. Please see attached for the program.

Examinations

The examinations commence next Tuesday for Year 10 and 11, and Wednesday for Year 7 and 8. Students have been emailed the examination timetable and we met with the Middle School students on Monday to discuss the week. A copy of the timetable is also attached to this newsletter.

It’s important for students to know when and where they need to be for each session. They are encouraged to take note of the following details:

• Altered times for each period are shown at the top of the timetable.
• Year 7, 8 and 10 have a few sessions where they will have their normal timetabled class.
• Year 7s need to bring PE gear next Thursday.
• Year 11s who want to study at home need to fill out the form provided by Ms Waldron and return it to her before the start of the examinations.

Why do we have examinations?

A relatively simple answer to this question is that all VCE subjects have examinations in Year 12, so it makes sense to practise preparing and sitting examinations in the earlier years. This is usually called ‘exam technique’.

However, it’s easy to criticise examinations. After university, it’s unlikely that students will sit too many examinations in their day to day life. They’re a bit artificial. Examinations also require students to respond under time constraints, so there’s a little bit of pressure involved. One might argue that examinations assess how well students can take a test, rather than how well students can use the skills and knowledge taught during the semester. In the worst case, they might become superficial assessments of learning.

Do students gain anything from sitting examinations? Or is it just one of those things that schools do because they’ve always done them?

Recently, our Teaching and Learning Executive team has discussed these questions, considering the purpose of examinations for our students. We believe that examinations are beneficial for student development, both as learners and as individuals.

Pressure is part of life. Feeling a little bit of pressure is a healthy sign that we value what we are doing, that we are invested in our performance. In that sense, the pressure felt in sport, music, drama, debating and job interviews isn’t any different to the pressure felt in examinations.

Pressure is different to stress because it is time specific and directly connected to specific events, rather than being an ongoing burden. Of course, we don’t want pressure to build up into stress, so we have to practise managing pressure. Learning how to prepare for and sit examinations is a valuable way to learn how to manage pressure.

Morevoer, there is significant educational research that suggests both sitting and preparing for examinations is beneficial for learning. There are a variety of reasons but perhaps the most important is that examinations prompt students to revise material that they have learned over a long period of time, turning short term learning into long term learning. In our Mathematics classes, students are familiar with starting a class with a ‘five a day’ routine. The point is to keep refreshing skills that they have learned, helping their brains to develop the ability to retrieve and apply these skills over a period of time. Studying is exercise for the brain; students are maintaining their brain’s fitness and developing its ability to perform.

How do students prepare effectively for examinations?

The first group of steps are so obvious that students often don’t give them much thought. However, it’s important that they do them now, so that they are well prepared for the week. They should not be left until next week. Students need to complete these steps:

• Know when and where each examination takes place.
• Find out what is allowed in each examination and ensure they have those items ready.

The second group of steps are more specific to each examination. Students need to complete these steps:

• Find out what topics are covered in each examination and how those topics will be assessed. Will students write an essay? Or analyse visual material? Or solve problems?
• Write their own questions, using the topics and assessment types to create their own examination tasks. They can then have a go at responding to them.
• Study with other people, sharing the mock examination questions and reponses with other students, assessing each other’s work.

The third group of steps allow students to sit the examination calmly. Students need to complete these steps:

• Stick to routine: as always, eating, sleeping and exercising affect our mood and performance.
• Each night, check that they have what they need for the next day.
• Arrive at each examination ten minutes early.
• Hope for a challenging examination. This will help students to show how well they have prepared.

Ralph Carolan

UNSW ICAS (REACH) Science

As in previous years, Year 7 to 10 Students will sit the ICAS (Science) paper during the examination week. During Period 3 & 4 on Friday 31st May, students will complete the assessment in the MyPEC classrooms. Details will be provided to students on SIMON closer to the date.

The assessment is not only an opportunity for our developing scientist to academically shine, but for all students to be challenged and identify their areas of strength and weakness. Following the assessment, online reporting will provide students, parents and teachers with key knowledge and is a powerful diagnostic tool for future planning. The assessments are based on the curriculum for the relevant year and items range from recall and routine application, through to more demanding questions.

If you have any questions about this upcoming assessment, please contact me.

Rebekah Bonnett

Head of Science and Head of VCE Studies