SECONDARY NEWS
From the Assistant Principal

Miss Kim Bailey
kbailey@arm.catholic.edu.au

Congratulations...

Public Speaking Winners (from Term 3)

Year 7 Lily Foley

Year 8 Cody Uebergang

Year 9 Maygan Cody

Year 10 Harley Hiscock

ICAS PARTICIPANTS

Congratulations to all students who took the opportunity to participate in this rigorous testing. In particular, Dustin Uebergang who received a Distinction in both the English and Science tests. Also, to Cody Uebergang who achieved Credits in both English & Science.

Australian Geography Competition

Congratulations to all students who participated in the Australian Geography Competition. Special mention also goes to Ella Fittler who received a Distinction and Caleb Squire, Halina Huynh and Cody Uebergang who also achieved a Credit.

Good Luck...

Good luck to the U/16's Rugby League team who will be participating in the Jamie Lyon Killa 9's Competition at Kamilaroi on Thursday. Thanks to Mr Uebergang for coaching the team. Please make sure you have given consent via Compass.

10K Geography Field Trip to Lake Inverell

Mrs East and 10K Geography will head to Lake Inverell on Wednesday to investigate the water quality as part of their studies on the topic of Environmental Change and Management. Mr Walsh, from LLS, will be working with the students and helping them with their research. Students are reminded to bring a packed lunch and wear their sports uniform on Wednesday. Please remember to give consent via Compass.

Reminder for Founders' Day on Friday - PE Clothes

Students in Years 7 - 10 are asked to bring their PE clothes on Friday as they will participating in some activities in Period 6 to celebrate Founders' Day. Year 9 SRC students are assisting with the organisation and running of events.

Semester Exams

Students are reminded that semester exams will be held in Week 5 for all students. In order for students to achieve their best possible results, it is necessary to prepare adequately for these important assessments. Students are encouraged to revise thoroughly in the coming weeks and to seek assistance from their teachers if required. It is essential that students catch up on missed work if they have been absent from school.

Uniform

Students are reminded to wear the correct uniform, including appropriate and safe footwear. It is an expectation that hair is moderately styled with natural tones and tied back if long. If a student is not able to wear the correct uniform, please provide written information to the roll teacher indicating when the situation can be remedied. Hats and sunscreen are also required for all outdoor activities. Summer has arrived, and it is essential that all students have a school hat or cap.

Sun Safe

The weather has been heating up rapidly, and students are reminded that they should have a hat for all outside activities. Sunscreen is also available for Sport, PDHPE and other outside lessons, however, the best protection is provided with the combined use of a hat and sunscreen. School caps are available from the Uniform Shop. Please ensure that your child has the correct school uniform cap or hat.

PREPARING FOR BLOCKS OF EXAMS

For many students, a block of examinations can be daunting. Some students have no idea where to start and what they should work on. The first thing to do if you have examinations approaching in the next few months is to find out what topics will be tested. Even a simple question to teachers can get you started such as ‘are we being tested on the whole year’s work or just this semester?’. Once you know what topics will be covered, organize all of your learning materials and make sure nothing is missing, and you have everything you need to review those topics. The next step is to make study notes on these topics if you haven’t been doing this throughout the year (hopefully you have!).

Next, it is time to start learning the notes (testing yourself on them over and over) and doing practice questions to make sure you can apply your knowledge to different types of questions.

If you have a number of weeks prior to the examinations, it is a good idea to make a plan in your diary or phone or on a whiteboard of what subjects you will study and when. Try and allocate each subject once or twice each week, depending on the number of examinations you have.

TOP TIPS FOR STUDYING FOR TESTS

Studying effectively for tests and exams is a SKILL that can be developed and make a significant difference in your academic success. Here's a checklist to help students identify and improve their study habits:

Make Notes Regularly: Instead of cramming all your studying into the last-minute rush, make it a habit to make study notes regularly. This will help you understand the material better as you go along, making studying for tests less overwhelming.

Plan Ahead: Don't wait until the last moment to finish your study notes. Start early, ideally weeks before the exam, so you have ample time to review and understand the material thoroughly. Avoid last-minute stress by planning ahead.

Create Organised Study Notes: Create structured and easily digestible study notes. Use headings, bullet points, and diagrams to make your notes visually appealing and comprehensible. This will make it easier to review and memorise key information.

Use Active Learning: Don't just passively read your notes. Test yourself on the material to gauge your understanding. Use flashcards, quizzes, or teaching the topic to someone else. Active learning reinforces your memory and comprehension.

Use Diverse Study Techniques: Don't rely on a single study technique. Experiment with various methods like mind maps, mnemonic devices, or group study sessions. Explore what works best for you and adapt your study routine accordingly.

Simulate Exam Conditions: To prepare for the pressure of exam day, practice under realistic conditions. Set a timer at home when doing questions, avoid looking at your notes, and simulate the exam environment as closely as possible. This helps build your confidence and adapt to time constraints.

Use Varied Sources: Don't limit your study materials to just one source. Diversify your resources by using textbooks, online materials, practice exams, and teacher-provided resources. This broadens your understanding and exposes you to different perspectives.

By incorporating these study habits into your routine, you can significantly enhance your preparation for tests and exams. Remember that consistency and early planning are key to success in high school and beyond.

iDisorder

Dr. Larry Rosen, professor of psychology at California State University has a must-read book for parents called ‘iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming Its Hold on Us’. In this book, he discusses changes that occur to the brain´s ability to process information and the ability to relate to the world due to daily consumption of media and the use of technology. This obsession with technology can result in signs and symptoms of psychological disorders (which Dr Rosen has labelled iDisorders) such as stress, sleeplessness, narcissism and a compulsive need to check in with our technology.

However, it is important to note the word ‘obsession’. Dr. Rosen is not anti-technology, far from it. Instead, he argues that we need to become more aware of issues that can arise from the overuse of technology and then implement strategies to deal with these. Self-awareness and a move towards restorative balance are essential.

Some of the ideas Dr. Rosen discusses are:

Ensure your child gets a full night’s sleep and that mobile phones are switched off during the night and ideally in a different room. If a student wakes in the night and checks their phone, however briefly, this will interrupt the sleep patterns for that night and disrupt essential memory processing.
Convene regular family dinners (3-4 times a week for 30-40 minutes) where technology is forbidden at the table – parents included! Dr Rosen points to the fact that many parents are also obsessed with technology and are modelling these behaviours to their children, for example not paying full attention when their child is talking to them, instead answering email on their smartphone at the same time. Rosen believes we are massive self-interrupters and we are training our children that if something buzzes, beeps or vibrates, we should jump and immediately check to see if there is something we should attend to right now.
Given the pervasiveness of technology in our lives as well as the fact that technology evokes high levels of mental activity, we need to start taking technology ‘time-outs’ to reset our brains and refresh our capacity to process information. It is important to recognise that the constant lure of multiple technologies and our obsession with them is overloading our brains. If we want to avoid iDisorder and ensure our use of technology does not make us exhibit signs and symptoms of psychological disorders, then we need to reset our brains on a regular basis. You may decide to take a 10-minute break from technology every 2 hours, or you may even decide to allocate at least one day a week where you focus your attention 100% on real life and shut off your technology for a significant portion of that day. During this time you could laugh or talk with friends or family, experience nature or do something active. The aim is to give the brain a chance to slow down and rest by doing something that does not involve electronic devices.

We live in a connected world, and we can’t turn the clock back and take away all these fun new technological tools. So, the message is, we need to learn to take care of our brains and take some small proactive steps to avoid a potential iDisorder.

Google Classroom Guardian Summaries

Remember to accept the invitation to sign up for Google Classroom Guardian Summaries. Please contact Miss Bailey if you have any questions or problems.