Horsham College Newsletter

Academic Councellor News

Jenna Argall | Student Academic Councellor

USING THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE 

 

Congratulations on making it through the first term of your final year/s of secondary schooling! How fast did that go?!

 

Whilst it is important to have some R’n’R during the holidays, it is vital to use the time to continue your study. By doing so, you will continue to cement good study habits, minimise future stress and improve understanding and comprehension later in the year. Gaining an advantage is never a bad thing!

 

Try and aim for 16-24 hours each week if you can. Make a timetable and commit to it!

 

Here is a list of things you can be doing:

  1. Revising topics covered in Term 1 and creating summary / revision notes on each.

As highlighted in an email previously sent to students, note taking is not a highly effective method for content retention, and should not be the only practice for studying. Discussion with and teaching of others will drastically help aid comprehension, as can creative methods such as making up songs, drawing infographics, recording and listening to yourself reading information.

 

Summaries are a way to review content, not learn it. Moving forward, try and incorporate summary making into your schedule immediately after you have learnt content. It will take less time than if you try to do it later on in the year.

  1. Reading (or re-reading) English texts.
  2. Getting ahead and working through topics to be covered in Term 2

Start with the weakest subject/s or those with an assessment topic being held first. Even if it is only a one or two week head start, this lead can be maintained once school returns.

  1. Completing past exam questions on the topics covered.

The application of knowledge is one of the best ways to improve results. Leave the last two official examination papers for revision later on in the year though! 

 

During the Easter break, you may like to attend some revision lectures (on-line or in person) for your subjects.

 

Here are two that are available during the upcoming school break. Don’t leave it until the last minute to register, otherwise you may miss out. Most subjects are covered.

 

 

Other companies will begin promoting their revision programs soon, and these will be held during the mid year holidays and beyond. Access Education has a ‘one day sale’ for their sessions in the Term 2 break. This will be held on Friday, March 22. https://www.accesseducation.com.au/VCE

 

Jenna Argall

Senior Academic Counsellor