DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - TEACHING & LEARNING REPORT 

Vision for Teaching and Learning at St Mary MacKillop College - a statement that drives the development of a high performance learning culture at SMMC. 

At St Mary MacKillop College we have high expectations of our students so we equip them with the knowledge, skills and dispositions for lifelong learning. We pursue excellence through a teaching and learning environment that is inclusive, engaging and encourages growth. We value collaboration, innovation and building strong relationships.

World Kindness Day 2022

World Kindness Day will be held on Sunday 13th November. On this day, we are encouraged to reflect on one of the most important and unifying human principles, kindness. Scientific research shows that kindness increases endorphins in the body and helps to reduce pain and increase energy levels. When I think about kindness, I turn to the words of St Mary MacKillop, ‘find happiness in making others happy’. We are a community with kind hearts who go out of our way to help people in need and to ‘make others happy’ as Mary said. This is best highlighted in our wonderful students helping to fill sandbags for our local community as we deal with the ongoing floods in our region. I feel truly blessed to work in an environment where being kind and doing good for others is lived out each day in our actions.

Year 11 Exams

As our students undertaking Units 3 and 4 subjects complete their final VCE exams, Year 11 students are finishing their current learning in preparation for their exam period. Subject teachers will provide students with different techniques and strategies to prepare effectively for the upcoming exams, but if you are interested in some more ideas to engage your child as they prepare for their exams, you may find the strategies outlined in this website here useful. A reminder that students need to wear correct school uniform to each exam.

The following is some advice for what to do before the exam and at the start of the exam, as well as how to interpret questions during the exam.

Before the exam:

• Make sure you get plenty of rest and sleep the night before your exam.
• Ensure you eat something healthy before the exam. Depending on the time of the day your exam is held, this might be a healthy breakfast or lunch.
• Bring the required materials (e.g. pens, pencils, erasers). As you prepare for the exams with your teachers, they will inform you of the stationery you need to bring.

Reading time:

• Use the reading time productively and read the whole paper at least once. Make sure you know which is the last page of the exam booklet.
• Note in your mind (as you cannot write during reading time) the questions you feel most comfortable with and respond to these first when writing time commences.

Writing time:

• Read the question at least twice to ensure you have interpreted it correctly.
• There will be marks allocated for each question. Take note of the allocation of marks for each question as this usually indicates how many pieces of information you are required to provide.
• Ensure you answer all questions – never leave a question unanswered. This applies to questions that require an extended written response as well as multiple-choice questions.
• Decode the question and look at the cognitive verb used (e.g. analyse, compare, evaluate). This will help inform the way you approach answering the question and the information you provide.

Above all, be confident and approach each exam as an opportunity to showcase all your knowledge from this semester.

Exam Preparation – Study Skills Video Presentation

To assist students prepare for their exams, I have put together a short study skills video here. I hope this is a useful resource for our students.

Victorian Young Leaders (VYL): Global Youth Forums (GYF)

We have been accepted to participate in the Victorian Young Leaders (VYL): Global Youth Forums (GYF) organised by the Victorian Department of Education and Training, in partnership with the Asia Education Foundation (AEF) at the University of Melbourne.

The Global Youth Forums are an authentic, experiential learning program for Year 9 Victorian students to connect synchronously online with peers from a range of countries and schools across the Asia-Pacific region. This will include peers from China, Indonesia, India, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The program will run over three days on Monday 14th November, Wednesday 16th November and Friday 18th November.

We have a group of eighteen Year 9 students participating in the program. They will engage in a range of collaborative learning activities including discussions in breakout rooms with peers from across the region, Melbourne University undergraduate student mentors and their teachers. Students will have guest presentations from a range of speakers including youth advocates, young change makers, migrants and members of the diaspora community; previous speakers have included the Victorian Young Person of the Year. We are excited to be given the opportunity to be involved in this program.

2023 Year 12 Orientation – 22nd to 25th November

Students completing Year 12 VCE and VCAL subjects in 2022 are required to complete an orientation program to ensure they make the best start possible to their final year of secondary schooling. Year 11 students that have accelerated their studies and are completing a Year 12 subject should also attend these classes as timetabled. Students will be set essential holiday homework and introduced to key concepts specific to each of their selected subjects, as well as assistance with general study skills. Attendance is compulsory. Please contact the Senior School Coordinator, Ms Suzy Haley, if you have any questions. Students will be informed of which English or Further Maths class they are in during the Year 12 Introductory Session, Lesson 1 Tuesday 22nd November.

2023 Year 11 Orientation – 1st and 2nd December

This year our 2023 Year 11 students will participate in two days of orientation classes in preparation for starting their VCE or VCE VM/VPC certificate in 2023. Teachers will explain the course requirements and may set some homework for students to complete over the summer holidays. At the end of the orientation program during Lesson 4 on Friday 2nd December we will hold a Christmas Liturgy.