Middle Years 

I would like to congratulate students on their calm and settled approach in myPEC. I have been particularly pleased with the attitude and endeavour at the start of term. There is a real sense of purpose and in my conversations with students it is clear to me that we are all pleased to be at school. It is wonderful to see students enjoying quality time with their friends, and seeing many students getting some exercise at lunchtime. 

Please note, the oval will be closed if it gets muddy. Students’ uniforms and shoes end up covered in mud, and this in turn means that mud is walked into myPEC and parents have additional daily laundry. Consequently, students are encouraged to bring sneakers so they can use the hockey field at lunchtime.

“I think I can”

These words capture a basic life attitude that all parents want their children to have: If I try, I will succeed. We all want our children to be able to cope with adversity, learn from failure and work through difficult challenges. This requires self-efficacy, which is the belief you can master your environment and effectively solve problems as they arise. It is the ability to define a goal, persevere, and see oneself as capable. Parents and teachers can help adolescents develop self-efficacy by reinforcing their strengths and helping them identity steps or paths to achieve their goals.

Students who display high self-efficacy:

They stay committed to solving problems.

• They don’t give up.
• They are active when facing problems.

Study Skills

Rule # 1            Pay more attention

Rule # 2            Be more efficient.

Rule #3             Establishing strong routines.

Our study advice is to; 

• Turn off your phones. Put phones away completely.
• Control the noise, study in a quiet area.
• Study alone and without interruptions.
• Sit at a clean desk.
• Study in short sharp sessions – 25 minutes, then have a short break and study for another 25 minutes.
• Don’t multitask. Our brain needs to focus on one thing (eg: close tabs on your computer)
• Be in a state of active learning.

Julia Winter Cooke

Head of Middle Years