DEPUTY PRINCIPAL REPORT

Your First and Forever Teacher

I’ve been visited by many excited Year 8 students this week as they hand in their course selection forms for 2021. At last, they have a choice around what they will do for 18 periods every fortnight! The materials for parents and students are available on the College website and includes a video from Head of Academic Administration Ms Helen Foster regarding NESA and IB requirements and tips and tricks for choosing courses-tip number 1, do not base your choice on what your friends have chosen! The online form has been emailed to all Year 8 students. As well as an online submission, this form needs to be printed, signed by a parent/guardian and returned to me by Friday, 21 August 2020.

As I said last fortnight, my newsletters this term will focus on the range of ways in which parents can be a vital component in the learning elements of college life. The Gonski Institute has developed a range of resources for parents around their child’s learning and how they can play a vital role in encouraging that learning. 

The key messages from the Gonski Institute are: 

Understand the difference between being involved, and being engaged. School-based involvement by parents is not linked to improved student learning. You might help in the canteen, which is helpful for the school and great if you enjoy it, but this is not the same as engaging with your child’s learning and being a collaborator.

Communicate with the school, and expect the same in return. Teachers can help parents understand what is happening inside the school gate, and vice versa. Link their school work to current events and topics of interest. Provide a stimulating home learning environment with a range of toys, books and learning materials. 

Make learning fun, by engaging in activities that your child enjoys. These can be formal, like structured activities, but they can also be more incidental, like cooking together, doing puzzles and playing board games.

Have regular conversations with your child about school. In these, try to cover a range of topics about their school work, friendships, relationships with teachers and if they are worried about anything. 

Communicate the importance of learning, and talk positively about school and learning.

Play with your child! Use this time to learn about their interests, and look for teachable moments that can be found through play. For example, playing Monopoly and talking about taxes and rent. Let your child play often and use their creativity. Unstructured play is one of the most important ways for a child to develop critical social, emotional, cognitive, and physical skills they need to be successful at school. and in life.

For younger students, read to and with your child every day. It is one of the simplest activities that can make such a difference to your child’s literacy development, and is also a great activity to bond over.

I love talking about learning. If you have any queries around learning and your child I am always happy to help, provide advice and support, or just be someone you can talk to about the one topic for which no book has ever been written (yet)-your child.

 Anthony.heffer@trac.nsw.edu.au

Anthony Heffer | Deputy Principal - Teaching, Learning and Innovation