Secondary School News

YEAR 8 NEWS - PASS THE REMOTE!

To say that Term 2 has been different is an understatement! What a transition, but how well have the students (with the support of their fantastic parents) of Collingwood College adapted? Extremely well would be my answer.

At the beginning it was a bit shaky – we were all learning new things by the hour; teachers, students and parents and I don’t mind saying that I was absolutely exhausted by the end of each day, wondering if it would get better, but by week 3 it felt like we were all old hands. Of course, there are still some hard days, but overall, I feel that everyone is adapting well and coping to the best of their abilities with this strange new world we’re finding ourselves in.

The most important thing to remember at this time is to keep communicating – with your peers, your teachers and your parents! If we stay connected, we can help and support each other through this.

Everyone is working so well, you’re all a credit to yourselves, your parents and your school, well done!

Lisa Bianchi

Year 8 Coordinator

AROUND THE YEAR 8 TRAPS

Ken Watson Year 8A

I would like to congratulate the students for working so well through these strange and challenging times. They have embraced online learning with enthusiasm and a willingness to participate and help each other. I was receiving emails from a student at 1:30 in the morning! I was about to lecture him on good sleeping habits when I discovered that he and his family are in Turkey!

With such limited social interaction in our lives our Google class meetings have not only provided a platform for learning but also to touch base, share experiences and have a joke. Ella showed us a pair of mushroom shaped earrings that she has made, and Laszlo has become the 'Sumdog' champ of the school! The novelty has worn off and routine has set in, but the vast majority of the class continue to work well. One thing we all agree on, however, is that we'd all rather be at school.

Michelle Bregar Year 8B

After a few bumps in the road, 8B students have made the transition to remote learning and are adapting quite well. Overall they are participating in their online classes and are working well.

In Year 8 science we have been looking at light and studying the eye. Here are some drawings of their irises. We also did an experiment looking at how light refracts. We made bubbles and took photos!

Lisa Bianchi Year 8C

The students of 8C have adapted to remote learning really well – they’ve always been up for a challenge! We are in the middle of learning about the Renaissance, the art, the beauty, the political and social structures. It’s been interesting teaching a main lesson remotely and I wasn’t sure how it was going to go but, as you can see by from these work samples, it’s going extremely well. I would like to thank the parents of 8C for being so supportive in your new role as home schooling parents, it’s such a cliché, but we are all in this together!

Rosie Campbell-Miller Year 8D

The students of 8D are doing well with remote learning. We have completed the Renaissance Main Lesson in which we looked at the artists Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo among others. Some beautiful samples of the students' artworks are attached. We are now working on the Rhythms and Cycles in Nature Main Lesson. Attendance to online classes and work completion has been very good, but I miss seeing their faces every day!

COMPUTATIONAL and ALGORITHMIC THINKING COMPETITION

On Wednesday, 29th April, students in Year 7-10 participated in the Computational and Algorithmic Thinking Competition. Students had the opportunity to explore different problems from the comfort of their homes. Some of these students are also participating in the Oxford Univerity Computational Thinking competition which will be occurring on the 27th of May.

Congratulations to Tadhg Bryant, Darren Lim, Casey Mathieson, Idris Meffin, Matilda Milewska, Kunuz Mohammed, Matthew Murphy, Daniel Parsons, Amalia Tadday and Sophia Twigg-Edwards.

Hannah Young

Maths Coordinator

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Adjusting to Remote Learning presents many new challenges for students (and teachers) and this can be even more overwhelming for students who speak English as an additional language and are studying abroad without family. The International Support Team would like to commend all international students on their positive attitude, patience and persistence in adapting to this new situation. A number of support processes are put in place for our international students including weekly well-being phone check-ins and separate year 7/8, 9/10 and VCE Meets every Wednesday afternoon to discuss successes and challenges with learning.

Yesterday, a presentation was delivered which focussed on strategies for compiling vocabulary lists, engaging in contact sessions and managing the completion of set tasks.

Additionally, international students and their families/homestay providers are reminded of the importance of prioritising health and well-being:

Diet (eat well)
Have regular Breaks from the screen (this includes phones)
Maintain Connections (family, friends & teachers)
Exercise daily
Sleep (8-10 hours for teenagers!)
Balance (find time to do something you enjoy, or something that helps you relax)

I encourage all families to contact me, or a member of The International Support Team (Lucy Wang, Angie Pantelidis, Felicia Peh) should you have any queries.

Take care

Lori Michael

Words of Wisdom from our International Student School Captains

At the start of remote learning, I definitely needed to adjust myself to the whole layout, but I had already adapted to this new routine by the end of the first week of term, and I’m currently doing well. Though online learning is slightly different in terms of more hours spent sitting in front of our screens than usual, there isn’t actually a vast difference between this style of learning and the normal classes back at school; I am still able to be up-to-date with things and get the most out of my learning as I stay in contact with my respective class teachers. It can be a bit stressful not clearly knowing how the rest of Year 12 is going to be like, but with the constant help and support of my teachers, family, and friends, I am more able and confident in doing my best to succeed in Year 12. Some advice I can give to younger international students to help them get through remote learning would be to always stay connected with your loved ones and reach out to your teachers if you ever feel like you’re struggling with anything. Make sure you devote enough time throughout the day to take a breather and unwind by doing the things you love to help keep you sane and happy throughout this period! :)

Cassandra Leong

International Student School Captain

Remote learning is something that is novel to all of us and the scale of its impact is unprecedented. Certainly, it comes with its fair share of issues and many of us may be plagued with anxieties trying

Collingwood College

Issue 4 · 08 May 2020

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