Senior News

Senior News

Anyone else feeling like it’s hard to discern what day it is... what month ... what happened yesterday...? Searching each morning for a clue that leads to the realisation that it’s still not Saturday? It’s quite weird, days are running together and moving simultaneously at a fast and slow pace. I’m sure many of us have experienced 2020 as the longest year and yet there is some vagueness about how it was filled. Our return to onsite learning was much the same, it was significant that we were out for so long but resuming our day to day schedule was business as usual, with some conspicuous vagueness as to how we had existed during remote and flexible learning.

Returning for the GAT, a three hour exam, students rose to the occasion. VCE students completed the first of their exams and joined together after for a BBQ and Scavenger Hunt organised by a dedicated group of VCAL students. It was a significant point for the year, signalling the beginning of the final term for yr 12’s and half way point for yr 11’s,  who, despite the odds, have been in good spirits.

KEY DATES

Year 12 last day: 6th November

VCE EXAMS: 10th November to 27th November

Year 11 Study Day: 27th November

Year 11 Exams: 30th November to 4th December Yr12 Valedictory Dinner: 3rd December Headstart: 7th December to 11th December

Preparing for the rest of the term

The feeling of hindered memory has effected all of us in one way or another during lockdown and restrictions. In times of stress, including the constant undercurrent that we have experienced over the last eight months, creates not only an extra layer of cognitive load, less variation in our environment to keep us actively engaged, cognitively, and our brains are also functioning by constantly looking ahead to when things will be back to normal. All of these elements can consume our thinking and reduce our memory capacity.

Imagine this AND preparing for exams!

What can students do?

Create a routine, think about the time of day your exam is set and dedicate that block of time to revise the subject

Sleep well, eat well, take breaks

Set smart goals

Set a goal, set a timer

When studying and revising set an achievable goal and attribute a reward.

Approach topics in diverse ways to keep the brain active, revision posters, flash cards, mind maps, quote banks

Exam questions with bullet proof planners Embrace the challenge

What can parents do?

A little TLC even when it’s hard. Engage in discussion

Share a meal Provide snacks Listen

And encourage your child, remind them that at this given moment they have achieved so much.

Link to revision support, wellbeing support, study skills and subject specific revision lectureshttps://sites.google.com/education.vic.gov.au/nevr-rural-revision-lectures/home

                         Fit 2 Drive

All Year 11 student taking part in Steer Right later this month. 

We had to postpone their face to face incursion earlier in the year with the Fit to Drive Foundation- Victoria’s leading road safety education provider for young people.

They are instead delivering a 60 minute interactive and live-facilitated Road Safety Webinar ‘Steer Right’.

2021 EARLY ENGLISH VCE RESOURCE LIST

Please be advised that 2021 Early English VCE Booklist is now available to order.  All orders are to be completed online at www.campion.com.au and must be pre-paid by credit card.  You will be asked to create an account with your email address and setting a password then using Resource list code: "PRRN" and selecting - EARLY ENGLISH VCE. All orders must be placed by 4th November and books will be sent to Maffra Secondary College on Thursday 19th November where they will be given to your child.

Please note: all students in the combined English class must purchase the Units 3 & 4 novels.

Your teachers recommend that you purchase your novels now for reading during the holidays. Please remember not to re-order these novels on your VCE booklist.

Year 12 exams in the time of COVID

This article published in The Conversation a few weeks ago is applicable to all Senior Students preparing for exams this term. "Year 12 exams in the time of COVID: 5 ways to support your child to stress less and do better".