Teaching & Learning
Year 7 Literacy
Our Year 7 literacy students have made a fantastic start to the year. They're eager to develop their reading and writing skills, while learning more about the English language. In this lesson, students decorated their Writer's Notebooks. Their notebooks will be used to draft work for the next two years, allowing students to see their growth and feel pride in their writing.
Ohad Kozminsky
Year 7 Art
In Art, 7C and 7G are starting the year by exploring colour and shape through a painting unit. Their first task was to "paint with paper". They used scissors to create a variety of shapes and then arranged them to create abstract or representational artworks based on the later works of Henri Matisse. Have a look at these "Matisse" inspired artworks next time you are passing through the Upper B Building.
Belinda Pringle
Mandarin
Happy Chinese Lunar New Year! xīn nián kuài lè! 新年快乐!
Week 4 is Chinese Lunar New Year 春节 (chūn jié), it is a time of renewal, family, gratitude, and hope. Chinese Lunar New Year marks the beginning of spring and is one of the most important traditional festivals in many Asian cultures. It is a season filled with meaningful customs, from reunion dinners and red envelopes to lanterns and heartfelt blessings for the year ahead.
Our Mandarin classes celebrated 春节 (chūn jié) by creating spring couplets 对联 (duì lián), receiving red envelopes, and saying New Years greetings in Mandarin. Spring couplets are pairs of poetic phrases, carefully written in black or gold ink on red paper, are hung on both side of doors to welcome spring and invite prosperity (福 fú), good fortune (好运 hǎo yùn), and peace (平安 píng ān) into the home.
As we welcome the Year of the Fire Horse 火马年 (huǒ mǎ nián), we reflect on the qualities the Horse represents — energy, determination, confidence, and a free spirit. The element of fire adds warmth, passion, and boldness. May this year inspire our students to move forward with courage, curiosity, and kindness, embracing new challenges with strength and enthusiasm.
Wishing all of our families a joyful and prosperous year ahead — 马到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng) may success arrive swiftly!
Carol Liu
Spanish
Year 7 Term 1 Update
It has been a great start to the year in Spanish. So far, students have been learning how to introduce themselves in Spanish, say their name and age, and ask others the same questions. It’s been fantastic to see how quickly everyone is starting to use the language with confidence.
We’ve been working a lot with sentence builders, which help students put together their own sentences and understand how Spanish works. Using mini whiteboards has also been a big part of our lessons – they allow everyone to practise, take risks, and share their answers in a quick and supportive way.
Participation has been excellent, with lots of students volunteering, helping each other and getting involved in activities. It’s great to see the group building confidence and enjoying using Spanish together. We’re looking forward to continuing to build on this in the coming weeks.
Year 8 Term 1 Update
Year 8 students have been exploring the world of music in Spanish-speaking countries this term. Through videos, listening activities and short readings, they have been discovering different music genres, artists and instruments while building their Spanish vocabulary.
Students are learning how to talk about music in Spanish, including how to give their opinion about the music they like, who their favourite singer is, and what instruments they play. We have been using sentence builders to help structure their ideas and support them in creating their own sentences with confidence.
We are even bringing music and movement into the classroom, with students learning a few dance steps along the way (Bachata in the pictures). It has been wonderful to see such strong participation and enthusiasm as students explore Spanish through music.
Maria Barbera Fernandez
VCE VM & VET
SBAT
A school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT) gives a student paid on-the-job training while they complete secondary school.
SBATs combine part-time employment with training toward a nationally recognised vocational education and training (VET) qualification. Students can receive credit for their SBAT towards the VCE, VCE Vocational Major or Victorian Pathways Certificate.
SBATs are available in a wide range of jobs and industry areas including emerging technologies, health, hospitality, business, construction, engineering and community care.
SBAT are a unique way for students to:
make a start on their career before finishing school
get paid for time spent working and learning
get hands-on training that leads to a VET qualification and provides credit towards school
finish school with a competitive edge in the employment market
VCE VM Year 11
Last week on Friday, the year 11 and 12 work related skills VM class were visited by a guest speaker, Fraser. He talked to the class about his career pathway such as working as a geologist in mining, actively working as a paramedic and while studying to be a nurse. Students had the opportunity to ask Fraser multiple questions and get valuable insight on real world experiences.
Coco B
Yeah 12 VCE VM reflections:
At the beginning of this year, I chose VCE VM because I wanted to pursue a trade. When I first started the program, I felt excited to start what worried what will happen in the future At that time, I was hoping to start an SBAT, since then, my understanding of VCE VM has changed for the better
One of the most valuable things I have learned in Literacy is learning how real world works in the real world and the job force. For example, I am just about to do a trial in cabinet making. In Numeracy, I have developed skills in ratios, a real-world skill I am building is getting a bunch of jobs. In Personal Development Skills, I have improved my ability to talk to people
One challenge I faced over the past two years was I didn't really know what I wanted to do. However, over the past two years, I have become more confident in applying for jobs and talking to people.I am particularly proud of starting an SBAT, compared to the start of last year, I now feel a lot more confident.
My pathway goal is to be a full qualified tradesman,VCE VM is helping me prepare by starting early.
Looking back, so far VCE VM has helped a lot by starting my apprenticeship early. If I could give advice to students considering VCE VM, I would say do as many things as you can.
When I first started the program, I wasn’t sure where it would lead and wasn’t sure if it was the right decision. At the time my main reason for this path was to find a different way of learning something that would still give me opportunities but I wouldn't have to go through exams I personally did decently well in classes, got all the notes done did majority of the work but the moment that exams or test or something that involve the class to be quiet and the tables split something would happen and before you know it I’ve only just passed 40% (this was most the time with a small handful of times that I succeed). These tests were the thing that would determine how far you have come in the subject and mark if you’ve put in the work but for me and others tests don’t work to show your understanding, which ends up leaving a mark that is hard to make up for later on. This was and still is my reason for choosing VCE VM. I simply would not have passed and if I did there wouldn't be enough for me to use for the future.
VCE VM has given me something that I have worked hard for. Not only have I learned many life skills but I now have the qualification to find a job in a field that interests me. There has never been a time where I could see myself succeeding in school until I saw how far I've gotten in VCE VM. I have grown so much since I started and I know that VM wasn’t the only but VM was my first big step after starting and making that decision . Seeing that I could make a decision that big gave me the confidence to do other things, like getting a job. Not only have I managed to make some money but also learned how to talk to others.
Would I recommend this path to others, Yes, if they feel like their not getting anything from school then let them try it, if they are doing good in class but struggle when it comes to exams then yeah this may work better for them, if they need a different way to learn like a more hands on approach then yes it may be the parth for you, and as some advice to anyone thinking of doing VCE VM don’t use it as an excuse to not try in your other classes you do still need to work hard to learn important skills.
At the beginning of this year, I chose VCE VM because I knew I wasn’t planning on going to university and I saw myself going through a different career path. When I first started the program, I felt worried that I could have chosen something that just wasn’t for me. I was left wondering if I should’ve stayed in VCE. One of the most valuable things I have learned in Literacy is real life experiences that many people have experienced that I'm waiting to endure One challenge I faced over the past two years was choosing between staying in VCE or switching to VCE VM.
Over the past two years, I have become more determined to achieve the goals I set out for myself and hopefully can achieve greater things.
My pathway goal is to complete barber school and continue working in the construction agency I work at to be able to travel.
Looking back, so far VCE VM has I believe I’ve chosen the right pathway as I have a more flexible and versatile routine in and out of school.
Lydia Burns
Year 7 Sport
Year 7s have had a great start to the year in Sport classes building competitive spirit, encouraging resilience and developing skills in a range of sports including netball, cricket, teeball, volleyball and badminton. We hope they can find enjoyment in a sport that they would love to represent CHS in interschool sports or in the wider community. Keep up the great participation and enthusiasm year 7s!
Eva Loughnan