DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - TEACHING & LEARNING REPORT 

Vision for Teaching and Learning at St Mary MacKillop College - a statement that drives the development of a high performance learning culture at SMMC

At St Mary MacKillop College we have high expectations of our students as we equip them with the knowledge, skills and dispositions for lifelong learning. We pursue excellence through a teaching and learning environment that is inclusive, engaging and encourages growth. We value collaboration, innovation and building strong relationships.

A very Happy New Year to our College community. I hope everyone had a relaxing summer holiday break and our staff and students feel recharged and rejuvenated for another year of learning. The new school year brings excitement, anticipation, and an opportunity for new beginnings. I extend a warm welcome to our new Year 7 students and the other students from Years 8 to 11 who have joined our wonderful community. I wish our students all the very best as they commence the 2024 academic year. 

I am excited about what lies in store for this year. As we prepare for a successful year of learning, here are some simple tips to start the year off on a positive note.

• Set goals for your learning. Read and reflect on your Semester 2 report from 2023 and set some goals for your learning for the upcoming year.
• Practice self-care. Make sure you look after yourself throughout the year. Balance your studies with time playing sports or other activities you enjoy doing outside of school. Make sure you also get enough sleep every night.
• Strengthen your support networks. Remember your teachers are here to help you. Reach out to them if you are experiencing any challenges in your learning. Our amazing teachers will be more than happy to help you.
• Be organised. There are lots of ways to be organised. You can create a study plan, organise your folders or computer files for each subject, and organise a space to study at home.

To the class of 2024

I wish you all the very best as you begin your final year of secondary education. To all our students across Years 11 and 12 studying a Unit 3 and 4 subject this year or the VCE VM/VPC program, I wish you great success in your studies. 

The Parents Website has some interesting articles to support senior secondary students. Two articles that may help parents support their child through their final year of secondary education are:

https://theparentswebsite.com.au/vce-parents-childs-cheerleader-tips/

https://theparentswebsite.com.au/atar-surprise-tips-and-advice-on-what-to-do/

MacBook Information Session for Parents

On Monday 29th January, we ran an information session on our MacBook program for our new Year 7 parents and families across Years 8 to 12. Please find here a recorded version of the presentation.

Home Study Guidelines

At St Mary MacKillop College it is believed that home study provides the opportunity for students to be responsible for their learning. Home study complements and reinforces classroom learning; it fosters life-long learning, self-discipline, concentration, and effective study habits and routines.

Home study should require a reasonable commitment, but it should not be too onerous. Students should plan their home study to consider their family, sporting, and work commitments. Throughout a student’s secondary education, they must prepare for a very competitive educational climate.

At St Mary MacKillop College, the time and frequency of home study is different for each year level. In Years 7 - 9, a home study may include regular English and Mathematics homework tasks, revising for assessment tasks, reading of newspapers, watching the news, physical skills training or assignments, and project completion. The home study also includes the completion of formal reflection activities such as mind maps and a summary of the day’s learning. In Years 10 – 12 home study is determined more by the specific subject requirements.

Year 7 

Students should be completing an average of 2 hours of home study educational learning per week. 

Year 8

Students should be completing an average of 2.5 hours of home study educational learning per week.

Year 9

Students should be completing an average of 3 hours of home study educational learning per week.

Year 10

Monday – Thursday night, students should be completing a minimum of 45 minutes of home study.

Unit 1 & 2 VCE, VET & VCE VM/VPC

Students should be completing a minimum of two hours of home study, per week, for each subject that they study.

Unit 3 & 4 VCE

Students should complete a minimum of three hours of home study, per week, for each subject that they study.

All Year 12 and some Year 11 students have study lessons in their timetable. Students should maximise the use of this time.