Our MFG Newsletter

Learning and Teaching 

 

at MFG

TERM 4 DATES

Term 4 is a busy term as we head into the end of the Term 4 academic calendar. Some important dates this term:

  • Unit 2 Study Days – Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th November
  • Unit 2 Exams Begin – Wednesday 13th November
  • Unit 2 Exams End – Wednesday 20th November
  • Year 10 Exams start – Monday 18th November
  • Year 10 Exams end – Thursday 21st November
  • Friday 22nd November – Curriculum Day (no students at school)
  • Monday 25th & Tuesday 26th November – exam reflection classes for Yr 10 & 11 students
  • Wednesday 27th November – Early Commencement Program (ECP) Change-over day (no students at school)
  • Thursday 28th November – ECP begins for 2020
  • Friday 6th December – ECP ends for Yr 11 and 12 students
  • Wednesday 11th December – ECP ends for students in Years 8-10
  • Thursday 12th December- Activities Day for students in Years 7-9

YEAR 10 EXAMS

We introduced Year 10 exams in 2016 with the following foci in mind:

  • supporting our VCE Improvement agenda
  • explicitly teaching ‘exam genre’ and effective revision strategies
  • creating opportunities for targeted exam-style assessment
  • focusing on feedback strategies
  • using exams ‘formatively’ – as opportunities for learning 
  • turning learners into ‘assessors’ who can self-assess
  • developing robust and challenging assessments

 

The focus up until now has been:

  • Semester 1 focus is on Revision Strategies
  • Semester 2 focus is an Exam Experience

 

In 2020 we will be introducing a formal Exam Experience in Semester 1 for our Year 10 students as well as in Semester 2.

 

EARLY COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM (ECP)

In 2013 we introduced an ‘Early Commencement Program’ for all students in Years 7 to 11. An Early Commencement Program (ECP) means that our students transition into the next year level for the final two to three weeks of classes in term 4, 2019. For example, the current Year 7 classes will move into their Year 8 classes and start the Year 8 learning program. Prior to 2013, the ECP was only for students commencing a VCE subject.

The reasons for having an ECP include:

  • to improve learning outcomes for VCE students and go beyond an ‘introduction’ to VCE
  • provide engaging, purposeful and meaningful learning programs and transition for Middle Years students until the end of the school year
  • to provide a learning program that addresses the ‘wind-down’ usually associated with the end of the school year
  • to help our students adjust to changes to their programs and classes and Summer holidays with a positive mindset about the 2020 school year.

The ECP gives every student an opportunity to make a smooth transition into the next level of learning and helps our students adjust to any changes for 2020 including new classes and new subjects. Our ECP includes the completion of at least one main assessment task that gives each student an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding, knowledge and skills developed during the ECP. The feedback we collected from the students in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 about their ECP experiences was very positive and students generally felt it was a worthwhile and beneficial program.

In the Parents’ Forward Planner at the beginning of the year we indicated there would be one ECP ‘change-over day’ on Wednesday 27th November. There will be no formal classes and no students will be required at school on this day.

 

MFG Traits: Overview example 5

This year one of our goals as a group of teachers will be to develop an overview that describes each of our 11 MFG traits. Each of our teachers, as part of their Performance and Development Plans, is incorporating one or more of our traits into their teaching.

Below is another example of an overview of one of the traits.

 

What is this trait and what does it look like in action?

 

As flexible collaborators we:

  • work together in a collective and respectful way
  • actively listen to each-others’ ideas, suggestions and questions
  • take active roles and contribute to the group’s work
  • accept and welcome change to our own set of ideas

To make our learning flexible for all we:

  • problem solve together and share responsibility for finding a solution or resolution
  • mould our learning to encompass all variables
  • challenge each other’s learning
  • challenge set norms and develop our own
  • respect our team’s norms and expectations

 

As flexible leaders we:

  • listen to all members of our group.
  • organise work based around our team members
  • use the strengths of those with in the group to benefit the group
  • set open communication channels between the team members
  • encourage cohesion and common goals within the group
  • provide a learning environment that places all in “the same boat”

 

As team members we:

  • pause before responding or asking a question to allow time for thinking
  • pose questions to explore perceptions, assumptions and interpretations
  • inquire into others ideas before advocating our own
  • put our ideas on the table and label the intention of our comments
  •