The Wyndham Way

Teaching & Learning Report

Assistant Principal's Report

We are rapidly approaching the conclusion of Semester 2, and it's incredible to see the culmination of another busy and highly productive term. Throughout this term, our students have had numerous opportunities to enrich their learning experiences, and families have had the chance to engage with teachers and students in celebrating and showcasing their progress. Here's a glimpse of the exciting events and activities that have taken place:

  • Subject Expo: An opportunity for students to explore various subjects and interests.
  • Musical: Legally Blonde Junior: A fantastic musical performance showcasing our talented students.
  • Author AJ Betts Workshops: Enriching workshops with year 7 students and Enrichment and VHAP students.
  • Night at the Museum: An engaging and educational experience and a visit into the wonderful world history.
  • Science Fair: A platform for students to showcase their scientific discoveries.
  • Book Week: A celebration of literature and reading.
  • Display Cupboard: We hope you've had the chance to visit the college foyer and admire the outstanding work on display.

Term 3 Reports

Our students have worked diligently this term, completing assessment tasks as part of their learning journey. Teachers have carefully assessed each child's progress. Term 3 Reports will be distributed in hard copy to students on Wednesday, September 13th, during the Report Reflection in extended tutor time.

Report Reflection offers a valuable opportunity for students to self-reflect on their progress, effort, attitude, and behaviors that have either supported or posed challenges to their learning. This self-reflection will aid them in setting meaningful goals for ongoing improvement. Parents and caregivers, we encourage you to engage in discussions with your child about their goals and how you can support them in achieving these aspirations.

 

Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences

On Thursday, September 14th, we have scheduled Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences from 11 am to 7 pm. We strongly encourage all parents to schedule interview times on Compass to discuss their child's progress. Bookings are now open and will close on Tuesday, September 12th, at 3 pm.

 

Learning Success

As an AVID school, we are committed to empowering students to effectively utilize the Cornell note-taking system. Parents and caregivers, we request your support in encouraging your child to complete the Cornell note-taking steps using the 10-24-7 method. This method involves reviewing and revising daily notes each night, formulating questions the following night, and creating summaries at the week's end. This proven approach not only boosts student confidence but also enhances exam results. Organisational skills are equally crucial for success, so please ensure your child maintains a well-organized binder for all their classes.

 

Homework Club

We want to extend our appreciation for the dedicated staff who have made Homework Club a resounding success this term. As a reminder, Wyndham Central College offers Homework Club every Wednesday in the Monash Building from 3:10 pm to 4:00 pm. This invaluable resource, facilitated by experienced teachers, supports students who voluntarily attend. Our teachers provide assistance to students who may be facing challenges with classwork, assignments, or homework. It's a space where students can work with teacher support if needed. We encourage you to motivate your child/children to take advantage of Homework Club. 

 

Learning Disposition

Students will require a complex combination of dispositions, skills, values, and attitudes to be successful future-oriented lifelong learners. Personal qualities like resilience and the ability to communicate and collaborate with others become important elements of our learners' identities.

 

Problem Solving and Questioning 

 One of the distinguishing characteristics of students who are well prepared for 21st-century learning is their inclination and ability to find problems to solve and ask useful questions to enhance their knowledge and understanding. Effective problem solvers know how to ask questions to fill in gaps between what they know and what they do not yet know. They also pose questions about alternative points of view and often make causal connections between people, events or situations. Effective problem-solving and questioning also require learners to pose hypothetical problems characterised by 'if' questions and to recognise discrepancies and phenomena in their environment which require further investigation.

 

When parents solve all children’s problems we not only increase their dependency on adults but we teach kids to be afraid of making mistakes and to blame themselves for not being good enough. That’s fertile ground for anxiety and depressive illness.

So, how can we raise kids to be courageous problem-solvers rather than self-critical scaredy cats? 

 

Here are six practical ideas to get you started.

 

1. Turn requests into problems for kids to solve

Kids get used to bringing their problems to parents to solve. If you keeping solving them, they’ll keep bringing them. ‘Mum, my sister is annoying me!’ ‘Dad, can you ask my teacher to pick me for the team?’ ‘Hey, I can’t find my socks!’ It’s tempting if you are in a time-poor family to simply jump in and help kids out. Alternatively, you can take a problem-solving approach, cuing them to resolve their own problems and take responsibility for their concerns. ‘What can you do to make her stop annoying you?’ ‘What’s the best approach to take with your teacher?’ ‘Socks, smocks! Where might they be?’

 

2. Ask good questions to prompt problem-solving

A problem-solving approach relies on asking good questions, which can be challenging if you are used to solving your child’s problems. The first question when a child brings you a problem should be: ‘Can you handle this on your own?’ Next should be, ‘What do you want me to do to help you solve the problem?’ These questions are not meant to deter children from coming to you; rather, to encourage and teach them to start working through their own concerns themselves.

 

3. Coach them through problems and concerns

So, your child feels she was unfairly left out of a school sports team by a teacher and asks you to get involved. The easiest solution may be to meet with the teacher and find out what’s going on. You may or not resolve the problem but in doing so you are teaching a child to become dependent on you. Alternatively, you could coach your child to speak to the teacher herself and find out why she was left out. There are times when children need their parents to be advocates for them such as when they are being bullied, but we need to make the most of the opportunities for children to speak for themselves. Better to help your child find the right words to use and discuss the best way to approach another person when they have problems. These are great skills to take into adulthood.

 

4. Prepare kids for problems and contingencies

You may coach your child to be independent – walk to school, spend some time alone at home (when old enough), catch a train with friends – but does he know what to do in an emergency? What happens if he comes home after school and the house is locked? Who should he go to? Discuss different scenarios with children whenever they enter new or potentially risky situations so that they won’t fall apart when things don’t go their way. Remember the Boy Scouts motto – be prepared!

 

5. Show a little faith

Sometimes you’ve got to show faith in children. We can easily trip them up with our negative expectations, such as by saying ‘Don’t spill it!’ to a child who is carrying a glass filled with water. Of course, your child doesn’t want to spill it but you’ve just conveyed your expectations with that statement. We need to be careful that we don’t sabotage children’s efforts to be independent problem-solvers with comments such as, ‘Now don’t stuff it up!’ ‘You’ll be okay … won’t you?’ ‘You’re not very good at looking after yourself!’

 

6. Applaud mistakes and stuff-ups

Would a child who accidentally breaks a plate in your family while emptying the dishwasher be met with a ‘That’s annoying, you can be clumsy sometimes’ response or an ‘It doesn’t matter, thanks for your help’ type of response? Hopefully, it won’t be the first response, because nothing shuts a child’s natural tendencies to extend themselves down quicker than an adult who can’t abide mistakes. If you have a low-risk-taking, perfectionist, consider throwing a little party rather than making a fuss when they make errors so they can learn that mistakes don’t reflect on them personally and that the sun will still shine even if they break a plate, tell a joke that falls flat or don’t get a perfect examination score.

 

Thank you for your continued support and engagement in our learning community. Together, we are helping students thrive and achieve their fullest potential.

 

Connie Faranda - Assistant Principal