Learning and Teaching
Ms Jodie Connell - Deputy Principal
From the Deputy Principal – Learning &Teaching
Welcome to Term 2. The holidays were needed by us all to relax, recharge and rest.
We know that every day counts when it comes to young people experiencing success at school in all areas, learning, and social and emotional development. And this has always been the message from the experts, the education department, and schools.
We want our students to get a great education, and the building blocks for a great education begin with students coming to school each day. If students miss school regularly, they miss out on learning the fundamental skills that will set them up for success in the later years of school. There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind and can affect their educational outcomes. Each missed day is associated with progressively lower achievement in numeracy, writing and reading.
Attendance Requirement
In order to maximise student achievement and outcomes, Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College requires students to be punctual and attend all classes with appropriate materials and set work completed so that teaching and learning can be effective. The College attendance requirement requires at least 90% attendance (face to face) in each unit/subject to achieve a satisfactory result for that unit/subject. This is regardless of whether or not the student has satisfied the coursework outcomes for that Unit/subject or not.
Approved absences are:
- Those covered by a medical certificate or other relevant documentation.
- Those caused by the student’s participation in another aspect of the College’s educational program (such as SSV sport, music, excursion or camp)
Unapproved absences are:
- Absences not covered by a Medical Certificate or other relevant documentation
- An absence from a whole-school activity
- Family holidays taken by students during the school term. Teachers are not responsible for, and may not provide work for students on holidays as this will lead to authentication concerns.
Holidays during school time
What does this mean for your child’s assessments? To request that assessment be moved or deferred to a later date due to an absence requires the student to apply/ request for special provision.
Special Provision and School-Based Assessment
Students are eligible for Special provisions for school-based assessment if they are adversely affected by illness, impairment or traumatic personal and/or family circumstances. The usual provision granted in this category may include allowing the student to undertake the task at a later date, allowing the student extra time to complete the task, substituting or replacing one task with another task or using technology to complete the task. All these possible provisions will be dependent on the resources of the College.
If a child is away on a family holiday for an exam, assessment or SAC they will receive a zero for that task. This is because family holidays do not meet the requirement outlined above to qualify for Special Provisions.
It is important that if you are planning on taking holidays during the school year, you have a conversation/email with your child’s Wellbeing Leader to assess the full impact of the absence.
Home Study Routines – What is homework? What is study?
As a College we are always looking to improve students results. Students who have a regular study or revision routine are more likely to achieve success in their schooling and have better outcomes for their VCE. So, what is the difference between homework and study?
Homework is work formally set by teachers to be completed outside of the classroom. For example, completing set questions or Maths problems. Study is the independent tasks that students complete on top of the homework given by teachers. The study may consist of reviewing content from each subject on a regular basis. Students might choose to make flashcards to test themselves on this content, there are some great websites such as Quizlet that provide sets of flashcards for many different topics. Another way to study that are helpful for students is to complete practice questions, this is a highly recommended strategy for VCE students, but can be helpful at any year level.
In a recent article from the American Psychological Society ‘Six research-tested ways to study better’ several strategies were suggested such as, concept mapping, students quizzing themselves or asking friends or family to quiz them, and forming study groups. These are all great suggestions that could help to improve students' learning outcomes. Dr Stephen Chew a Professor of Psychology has created a video about how to study, including 10 study principles for successful learning.
By encouraging our students to develop an effective home study routine, not only will this improve learning outcomes but it may also improve students' mindset to feel more positive and empowered as learners.
Year 7, 8, and 9 Study Skills Seminars
On Friday 31st March our Year 7, 8, and 9 students had presentations from Elevate Education on reading skills and note-taking. They were also introduced to “Trigger Word Notes” as a way of condensing notes from a large body of information into a few key phrases or words. By reducing how much we write down, we make it easier to increase how much we can remember. Students also were introduced to “Mind Mapping” as a way of collating and analysing information.
Here is some of the feedback from our students:
“The most important thing I learned today was to use trigger words or mind maps.” Lizzie Dourley Year 7
“I learned how to take notes and study more efficiently.” Harper McRae Year 7
“I learned to take notes that contain 2-3 keywords, not 10.” Blake Kenos Year 7
“The most important thing I learned today was how to efficiently get information and take notes.” Carmine Burslem Year 7
“The most important thing I learned today was to manage and plan my usage of time correctly.” Tara Van Den Heuvel Year 8
“I learned how to manage my time by making a timetable.” Lily Smairl Year 8
“Breaking down the work into segments will be helpful to me in upcoming years, particularly because I procrastinate a lot and it can overwhelm me”. Mathilda Joske Year 9
“I learned a few tips for homework, like looking at my schedule and getting it done early.” Regan Guest Year 9
“I learned how to actively manage my time and also have the motivation to do it.” Olivia Pedley Year 9
“I learned to look at my schedule and to save a minimum of ten minutes for revision.” Ryder Dowlan Year 9
Year 10 Work Experience
Forms were due back to the office at the end of Term One. We still have a number of students looking for placement. If you are able to help by placing a student in the week of Monday 19th June to Friday 23rd June, please let Jenny Damon know via email on jdamon@mmcrc.catholic.edu.au
Year 11 Structured Work Placement
Our Vocational Major students have a two-week block release for structured workplace learning. If you are able to help by placing a student in the period of Monday 29th May to Friday 9th June, please let Jo Knox know via email at jknox@mmcrc.catholic.edu.au
Elevate Education Parent Webinar Seminars
Elevate Education are continuing to provide parents of Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional Student College exclusive access to their Parent Webinar Series for Term 2, 2023.
To reserve your spot, you can register for free below,
Wednesday 10th MayHow to Help Get (& Keep) Your Child Motivated
Click here to register for free
Here's what Elevate will be covering on the night:
✅ What impact does praise and reassurance have on your child’s motivation?
✅ What are the best type of goals to be setting with your child?
✅ How can you help your child create meaningful and lasting motivation?
Wednesday 24th May Ask Me Anything
Wednesday 7th June Exam Preparation
Wednesday 21st June Exam Room Skills
The webinars are run live online from 6.30pm – 7.30pm (AEST) where the presenter will share Elevates key research and skills, and will conduct a live Q&A so you can ask them questions directly. If you are unable to make the webinar, don't worry! If you sign up to attend, you'll receive the webinar recording on Thursday morning.
Should you have questions or would like to contact Elevate directly, their details are listed below.
✉️ auscoaching@elevateeducation.com