Year 11 Pastoral Guardian

It's time to start thinking seriously about study timetables and maintaining good physical and mental health to get the most out of 2020.  In Year 11 your daughter will be expected to work harder and be more proactive in her study.  It's a big step up from Year 10.

She is expected to complete regular study in all subjects each week, without you nagging her into doing it.  It’s also a short year, with many of the general subjects commence their summative work in Term 4.

So encourage a regular and consistent study schedule, and allow your daughter to plan time after school and over the weekend to revise, write summaries, and practise sample questions.

A reminder: at the beginning of the year your daughter received an assessment schedule, with the dates and weighting of assessment tasks for Semester 1.  Ensure to review this together and add tasks to her Planner for Terms 2 and 3.  Make sure it’s kept in a highly visible place to remind you and your daughter when tasks are coming up. 

Furthermore, adding dates to her iPhone calendar with notifications in plenty of time before the due date should also help gently remind her of upcoming assessments.

Physical activity is crucial when study ramps up at school.  This is the age where students drop sport, but your daughter needs to incorporate exercise into her schedule to help her manage stress as she prepares for her academic pursuits.  She needs to incorporate a balanced approach to her wellbeing - a lesson which, if learned early, can have a positive effect on wellbeing for life. 

Research indicates regular physical activity is effective in stress management, therapy and rehabilitation, injury prevention, and the promotion of physical fitness.  “Individuals who lead an active lifestyle enjoy a positive sense of general wellbeing, heightened energy levels, and improved ability to concentrate.  They have an enhanced capacity to perform daily activities with ease and respond to increasing demands.” (Board of Studies, 2014)  In responding to these demands, I encourage you to support your daughter’s involvement with cocurricular activities such as sport.

Recently, the college Interhouse Swimming Carnival reminded the community of the importance of physical activity, not just for fitness but for mental health and wellbeing.  The participation of Year 11 students demonstrated the girls' determination in swimming, cheering, and supporting their mentees. As leaders your daughters were admired by the community.

While physical activity is important, as parents of senior students we sometimes overlook our daughters' use of technology as we begin to allow them to gain more independence.  “Research shows that the quality of study and learning suffers when students are frequently interrupted by texts, emails, phone calls, or by flicking between homework and Facebook screens.”  (NSW, 2018)  Instead, tell your daughters to schedule ten-minute breaks every hour to catch up on their social lives, if needed.

Additionally, some students begin driving in Year 11 and social lives increase.  Keep talking honestly with your child about alcohol and drugs.  Promote positive decision making with informed choices.

Some other tips to help make Year 11 go more smoothly include:

• Avoid big decisions that could affect your daughter, such as family holidays and changes to living arrangements, where possible.
• Ensure your daughter eats well and gets enough sleep and exercise.
• Help your daughter balance work and play.  If she has a part-time job make sure the hours are manageable and don’t interfere with school work
• Encourage open and honest conversations about alcohol and drugs.

Stay in contact with the College, especially if you have wellbeing concerns.  Year 11 teachers want their students to achieve the best possible results and appreciate parents who are interested and supportive. Contact me as your daughter’s Pastoral Guardian for 2020 if you are worried about your daughter’s emotional wellbeing or how she's handling Year 11.

Remember, the focus is only for a short period of time.  Support your daughter to do the best job possible but also remember the outcome is not the be-all and end-all.  There are many alternative pathways to most careers, even if she doesn't receive the results for which she hoped or an offer from heir preferred university.

Bridget Piper