Leader of Teaching & Learning
Teaching and Learning
Year 12 students have been exceptional in the completion of Practical Examinations and submission of Major Works held these past weeks at the College. Congratulations to the staff and students involved.
This week Year 12 were provided an overview of what to expect during their HSC examinations. These exams are supervised by an expert external team and students have been prepared about the requirements around attendance, illness and misadventure procedures (including those relating to COVID-19), approved equipment and generally what to expect in the HSC examinations. Please ensure you are clear about NESA rules, procedures and protocols and email me with any questions to clarify.
Many of our staff have, once again, availed themselves to Year 12 students during the school holidays for revision sessions. This is a very generous offer and students have been reminded to turn up if they have agreed to commit themselves to this extra curricula offer.
Earlier this term, Year 12 and I discussed the role of school based assessment v’s the HSC examination. With 50 % of the total HSC mark still up for grabs Year 12, I encourage you to make the choices that will move you towards your goals; study consistently, seek help when needed and be confident!
Year 11 will complete their Preliminary examinations this week. Please be sure to contact the College if for any reason your child is genuinely unable to attend. The blue forms used to apply for special consideration must be completed upon return with documentation ( eg a doctor’s certificate) attached. Year 11 and I have met to outline the process for changing courses and levels within courses next term and a parent signature on the Green Forms is required. Information will be emailed in regard to Parent Teacher Interviews for Year 11 students early in Term 4 and Year 11 reports published.
The Power of Collaborative Learning
Learning with other students can be a very powerful way to improve your learning outcomes. You might be sitting next to each other discussing what you are learning, or working together in a group online and sharing your screens, or giving a friend feedback about an assignment. There are many benefits to learning to work with other students.
MOTIVATION: Studying together can be much more motivating than studying on your own. Setting targets and working towards them together can help keep you focused on completing assignments. Often study done together is more active and engaging than studying on your own and this is much better for retention.
DEEPEN UNDERSTANDING: Discussing with a friend, being able to bounce ideas off each other, ask each other questions – all of these activities will help strength your neural networks and deepen your understanding of what you are learning. This can help to develop higher order thinking skills.
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES: Sometimes we don’t realise that we are only looking at things in one particular way and there are different and diverse viewpoints to ours. Learning with a friend can help you see things in a different light and broaden your perspective. This can help develop critical thinking skills.
BUILD TEAMWORK SKILLS: Learning to cooperate, negotiate and problem solve with other people is a great skill to have in later life. By learning with other students you will have opportunities to learn to be a more active participant in group work and also develop communication and leadership skills.
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Mrs Raelene Maxworthy - Leader of Teaching & Learning