International Student News
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT NEWS
Introduction to three of our ELC International Students 2020
At the beginning of 2020, we welcomed quite a large number of international students at Collingwood College. Three students who are attending our Language Centre have provided us with some insight into their experiences of life and education in Australia as well as how they have been impacted by all the changes and challenges brought on by social distancing and online education.
Thanh Thanh Tra (Year 8) is from Vietnam
Thanh Thanh was very nervous when she first arrived in Australia in January. Her family and friends were so far away, and Australia was so new and seemed so different to her life in Vietnam. Thanh Thanh soon made some good friends at school; Yennie, Apple and Anna who were so supportive and helped her settle in. She really liked the weather in Australia, the clean air and she was so glad that she also had her Nanna to support her.
Her first impression of Collingwood College was excitement that the school had such a huge playground, a gym and areas for exercising. It was nothing like her school in Vietnam. She was quickly welcomed by the teachers and the students.
Thanh Thanh’s English language skills have improved tremendously, and she feels she can now communicate with others. She studies about 5 hours every night- doing homework, watching the news, reading. She wants to be a scientist, study the ocean or even be a sea diver when she grows up. She has been pleasantly surprised at how friendly and caring the teachers are at Collingwood College. It also surprised her that students can study and watch films in class. Teachers in Vietnam are also friendly, but she says they are very strict. Thanh Thanh believes that a combination of strict and friendly teaching is probably best in a classroom.
Zhixuan Shirley LIAO (Year 9) is from China
Shirley is also studying in the ELC centre. She was excited and sad when she first arrived in Australia. Sad because she had left her family in China but excited because she was going to start a new life in Australia. She has made many friends here since she arrived. The students in the ELC are both friends and classmates. She uses Weechat and QQ to chat everyday with her 12- year old sister, parents and friends who are all in China.
When she first arrived at Collingwood College, Shirley felt both excited and afraid. She wasn’t confident about what life and study in Australia would offer her. She is feeling much more secure now, she likes her different teachers and her classmates. She loves Collingwood’s non-uniform policy. She feels that her English has improved a lot and she actively studies to improve her skills further. Shirley sees a big difference in teaching styles between Australia and China. In China, she was doing homework up to 12am most nights whereas in Australia, she feels she has so much more time to pursue her own interests such as drawing, singing, dancing, reading novels and yes… also writing her own novel!
Navjot SINGH KAUR (Year 8) is from India
Just like all international students, Navjot has experienced a myriad of emotions when he arrived in Australia early this year to start life in a new school and new country. He was happy and excited, but he was also somewhat nervous. Navjot was luckier than some because his family, who is always ready to support him in any difficulty, is also here in Australia. When he arrived here Navjot spoke almost no English, but his language skills have improved so much that he can now hold a conversation. He is still getting used to the teaching system here. Things are so different to India. The use of computers in the classroom, watching a movie and discussing it in class does not happen in an Indian classroom. Australia has been a surprise to Navjot- he likes the clean air, there isn’t much pollution and nature is very different here.
Navjot is looking forward to coming back to the classroom after a few weeks of remote learning. He finds remote learning challenging in many ways including how hard it is sitting for hours in front of the screen but he is continuing to learn and likes to participate.
International Student Report
The International Student Support Team would like to acknowledge the positive approaches taken by our international students during remote learning this term. We have been very impressed with the way that all students have faced these new challenges showing independence, adaptability, persistence and patience. Additionally, special recognition must go to our students in the English Language Centre for completing online learning after having only spent one term at Collingwood College – well done!
A personal highlight each Wednesday afternoon has been checking in with students at the Year Level Meets and hearing their voices – the support shown within the student cohort for one another has been very encouraging.
Our VCE international students are happy to be back and have enjoyed being able to re-connect in person with peers and teachers. We wish them the very best with preparing for upcoming SACs and remind all students to manage their time effectively, and to ensure that they have a structured homework-routine. It is also important that all students are getting a sufficient amount of sleep each night as recently emphasised by our Adolescent Health Nurse.
Lucy Wang, International Student Coordinator, will be on leave until the start of next term. We are fortunate to have Angie Pantelidis taking on this role, in addition to International Student Wellbeing, and ask that families now communicate directly with Angie.
Angie Pantelidis: Email: argiro.pantelidis@education.vic.gov.au
Families are also asked to read all Compass notifications and emails from the school. We encourage you to sit down as a family and translate the documents if necessary using Google Translate, or a preferred system, so that everyone remains informed and up-to-date with important communications.
We look forward to seeing all of our international students next week and would like to thank families/guardians for their support and understanding during remote learning. Recent circumstances have really highlighted the many benefits of having strong three-way-partnerships between parents/guardians, teachers and students. Thank you!
Take care
The International Support Team