Do or do not...

It is a sad day indeed when I am forced to disagree with Yoda.

Sometimes ‘try’ is all there is.

The willingness to give things a ‘red hot crack’ has been a part of the Australian ethos for generations.  Conditions are not always favourable, the odds are not always on the better side of even, family and friends do not always have the time or expertise to support you.  Sometimes you need to stand up on your own and just give it a go.

Whether you are struggling with the complexities of Year 10 mathematics or finding motivation difficult to find when staring down your next English essay; trying is the only way to ever find success.

There are steps to success. They do not guarantee success, but not following them all but guarantees you will not find that success.

1. Show up (wherever possible)
2. Watch as your teacher works through a problem
3. Engage as you, your teacher and the rest of the class try to work on similar problems together
4. Give one of the problems a go yourself.   Be prepared to get it wrong.
5. Ask questions – seek clarity.
6. Understand that it is okay (actually pretty normal) to not get something the first time.  Mistakes are a part of life - what matters is how we deal with the problems

I remain a touch worried I may have gotten onto the wrong side of this master Jedi, so I will include this piece of shear, unmatched, wisdom from my third favourite green puppet of all time.

Expectations placed on our teachers

1. No mobile phones – this is a ministerial order and teachers are to confiscate phones and to take them to the YLL office and hand them to admin staff.
2. No earbuds/earphones – Teachers are not to allow students to use earbuds unless it is clearly written into the lesson plan. Students must take them out, teachers are to ensure that they are aware of students who have noise cancelling headphones as a part of an IEP.
3. No bags in class – laptop bags permitted only - OHS risk
4. Lateness – ALL students who are late to class are to be sent to late room P1 unless they have a signed late pass from the YLL office. All other lateness is to be recorded on COMPASS. 
5. Uniform – Year 7 -11 students out of uniform are to be given a yellow post on Compass. 
6. Standing behind chairs calmly at the start of class (or in another arrangement for Dance, HPE and Theatre) – all Year 7- 11 students are expected to do this at the start of the lesson to settle and so that you can give instructions.
7. Cleaning up and packing up rooms at the conclusion of a lesson – All students are expected to tidy up the classroom prior to exiting the classroom and teachers are expected to ensure that this happens.
8. Use of technology – students are not to be permitted to play games or to access social media in class.
9. Movement around the classroom – teachers are asked to not sit at the front of the room but to move around the classroom to actively supervise students. 
10. Swearing/racism/homophobia and misogyny – teachers are to call this out immediately and clearly. Teachers must report racism and discrimination of any sort to the YLL.
11. Respectful classrooms process and SWPB – all teachers are required to understand and refer to SWPB and to follow the respectful classrooms process. It is the teachers responsibility to do this prior to escalating to the YLL. The only exception is in a dangerous situation where the teacher or other students are placed at risk by the behaviour of a student.   

Learning comes in many forms

The Unit 3/4 Psychology students are studying Mental Wellbeing as their final Outcome for Unit 4. Today they have been brightening the Holloway Campus with chalk drawing and activities for the Senior students to have fun with and enjoy. 

Parent Teacher Student Interviews

The semester 2 interviews will be held online, via WebEx, on Monday 11th September (12:30pm to 8pm) and then again on Friday 15th September (8:30am to 3pm).  The booking system will run through Compass and will open to parents (through the profile page) on Friday 1st September (at 5pm).