Teaching and Learning

School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships

At this time of year, many students are contemplating their pathway for the following year. Last week, I was invited to speak to Mr Kenniff’s Year 9 English class about the options for heading into Year 10 and beyond in relation to Vocational Education, in particular School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships. Since then I have had a number of students contact me for further assistance on how to make a start. Mrs Kellahan and myself welcome the chance to assist our young students in the planning of these pathways. Each year at McCarthy we host an information evening early Term 3 where Year 10 students are invited to attend and discover how Vocational Education pathways are accessed at the College. Should you be 15 years old, in Year 10 in 2019 and if you have an employer who would be willing to sign you on, please make contact with Mrs Kellahan via email or myself.

Congratulations to Baxter Woods, Corey Aitken and Oscar Dietrich in Year 10. These students have been successful in securing full-time apprenticeships in 2019.

Beyond School Study Guide

Included in this newsletter is a useful resource published by the Australian Government, Beyond School Study Guide, which may assist our senior students over the holidays who are contemplating their future.

https://www.studyassist.gov.au/sites/studyassist/files/beyond_school_study-guide_interactive.pdf?v=1540767293

Year 12

Feedback is a significant contributor to learning. Our Year 12 students this week have received significant feedback from NESA. For many, this will affirm the efforts of a long and consistent approach to learning effectively at McCarthy and based on this feedback, it is clear that many of our students have the necessary skills to learn.  I wish students all the best for their future studies.

Reports

End of year reports have been emailed, these are an important form of feedback along the learning continuum. However, for the feedback to be most effective, students should do something with it. Setting a learning goal for next year is one way to do this. Perhaps taking note of consistent themes emerging and reflect on how next year might be different.

One of the highlights of the school holiday period (besides Christmas of course!) is undoubtedly the restocking of pencil cases in readiness for the new year. Please take the time to replenish stationery items in preparation for an excellent 2019 academic year. Behind the scenes, Mr Larkin and I  have been working hard to deliver an exciting new program that I am confident students will engage with.

May you have a holy, happy and safe Christmas.

Mrs Raelene Maxworthy - Teaching and Learning Coordinator

English Extension 2 Workshop 

On Wednesday 21 November, the four English Extension 2 candidates at McCarthy Catholic College in Tamworth, visited St Mary's, Gunnedah with their mentor, Mrs Melanie Thompson, to participate in a workshop with their Extension 2 students and teacher, Mr Adam Thompson. Designed to give an insight into the process of developing a Major Work in English, the day was organised and run by Mr and Mrs Thompson (the English Extension 2 mentors of St Mary's and McCarthy, respectively - and, yes, they are married), with a guest appearance by Miss Patsy Stanley.

Starting at 9:00am, the four students from McCarthy - Peta Anderson, James Austin, Abigail Kelly and Madeline Shearman - and the four from St Mary's along with their mentors, worked through a series of workshops that focused on each aspect of the course. Although English Extension 2 has been a long-standing elective at McCarthy, the 2019 HSC cohort marks only the second group of students to undertake the course at St Mary's and so the day proved a valuable insight into the requirements and rigours of the course. Given the option to produce a major work in a literary form of their own choosing, across the eight students there was a diversity of projects and literary focuses that included a speech, critical interpretations, creative narratives and even the script for a short play.

Overall, the workshop proved an overwhelming success, with our students walking away feeling confident and inspired in their desire to pursue English as an elective subject, and as an opportunity to dip their toe in the creative world of writing. Students were able to gain great insight into the creative minds of fellow Extension 2 students at St Mary's Catholic College, Gunnedah.

Mrs Melanie Thompson - English Coordinator

Languages

Year 9 Elective Excursions: Visit to St Joseph’s Primary School and French Lunch at Le Pruneau

Today, Year 9 Elective French students are going to St Joseph’s Primary school to participate in two teaching and learning sessions with Year 4 and 5. The goal of this visit is to give the primary school students a first exposure to French and promote the learning of a new language in primary school. It is also an opportunity for McCarthy Year 9 students to develop their leadership skills and to use their knowledge and skills to teach others.

This visit will be followed by a French lunch at Le Pruneau Restaurant, where Year 9 students will experience a three-course meal (entree, main and dessert), like every student has in France at the school canteen or at home. In France the lunch break is longer, which allows for some students to go back home before the afternoon lessons.

Year 8 French Breakfast

This week, Year 8 French classes have had a taste of a French breakfast - petit pain au chocolat, baguette with butter (avec du beurre) and jam (de la confiture), and orange juice (du jus d’orange), as French people are served when in a café or a hotel. This cultural experience was also an opportunity to apply their knowledge of the language to order what they wanted (avec ou sans beurre ? / with or without butter?)

Congratulations to Claudia, Matilda, Abbey, Jazmyn, Max, Wilson and Mikani who successfully completed the Year 8 Language Perfect Challenge.

Congratulations to Hayley Grey who completed her Year 9 Challenge on Language Perfect!

This year, all Year 8 Italian and French students worked on the online platform Language Perfect. The challenge for Year 8 French students was to complete all the Units of the Elementary level. Well done to these students for their hard work. 

A special ‘well done and thank you!’ to all these students who greet me and initiate basic conversation in French and answer my questions in and out of class whenever we meet. So many students from Year 8 to Year 12 are happy to use their knowledge to communicate with a native speaker. This is an open-minded and welcoming attitude which illustrates McCarthy’s growing awareness of the importance of speaking another language in today’s multicultural Australia.

We are looking forward to seeing these students and many more pursue their study of Languages in Year 11 and 12.

Mrs Oriane Monet - French Teacher