The Nazarene

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning Report

Subject Selection for 2022

We have now entered the Subject Selection season. Thank you to all the parents who attended our virtual Subject Selection Evening. All the information presented is still available on the Nazareth College website. Click on the banner at the top of the Home Page and you will be taken to the Subject Selection page. Information is also available in Knowledge Banks in the folder 'Subject Selection for 2022'.  Selections will be open on the Web Preferences portal from Monday 2 August and close on Tuesday 10 August. Importantly, the online selections are only confirmed once the student emails the form, signed by parents, to the email address subjectselections@nazareth.vic.edu.au by Thursday August 12.

We had planned to run  our annual Careers Expo concurrently with the Subject Selection evening, but COVID restrictions prevented this. We are hoping to reschedule this to Tuesday 14 September, which is the same night as Student Progress Meetings. Representatives from all the major Universities, TAFE providers, and other educational providers and many employers will all be at Nazareth College gym, an opportunity that will be immensely valuable to all Years 9 – 12 students.  To prepare, we encourage parents to look through the Australian Jobs 2020 booklet (accessible on PAM in Knowledge Banks in the folder 'Subject Selection for 2022' ), which highlights the growth industries of the past 5 years and projects the areas for growth for when our current students will be entering the workforce or undertaking the relevant study to prepare for this prospect. 

 

For students entering senior pathways in Year 11 in 2022 we have additional guidance available from Tuesday 3 August. Parents and students had interviews with a staff member for individual assistance on the Course Advice Day to help shape their VCE or VCAL program selections. 

VCE Year 12: entering the home straight

The year is flying quickly, and our Year 12 students have already completed three-quarters of their formal teaching time for VCE Units 3 & 4 studies, which will finish by the end of this term.  This will enable students to prepare for the compulsory Trial Exams during the 2nd week of the mid-semester break – from Monday 27 September to Thursday 30 September – and the intensive exam teaching and revision in Term 4. 

 

At the same time, increasing numbers of students are rightfully celebrating reaching ‘legal’ adulthood and driving age.  With these competing life milestones, it is important for students to remaining focused on looking after their physical and emotional well-being, knowing the significant impacts these have on learning and study. A few areas to focus upon might be:

  • Ensure a good night’s sleep each night: 8 hours refreshes both body and mind;
  • Keep study (and all parts of life!) on the 'exam body clock'; i.e. the end of year exams occur between 9.00 am – 5.15 pm. A student’s mind and body needs to be conditioned to waking and operating at its peak during these times;
  • Eat healthy, fresh foods in a balanced diet, minimising sugars and caffeine, and keep well-hydrated with water;
  • Maintain a quiet place in which to complete homework, study and revision (the exam centre has no music, mobiles, internet or TV!);
  • Computers and other electronic devices are used only when necessary to complete the required work;
  • Attending school each day of the week and providing medical certificates when absent.

 

Ms Claire Nailon

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning