Teaching and Learning
Assessment and Reporting Term 4
Information has been sent home regarding the upcoming examination and assessment period. All students should be preparing to complete examinations, which begin on Monday November 12 for all Unit 1 and 2 subjects, and Monday November 19 for core subjects in Years 9 and 10. All Semester 2 requirements must be completed and submitted to teachers by November 22.
The final PAM upload for Years 7-10 and VCAL will be on Monday December 10. VCE reports (Unit 2) will be available on PAM from Wednesday December 12.
Student Free Days
Friday November 23 has been designated an assessment and reporting day.
On Monday November 26 there will be no classes for students from years 7 – 10. Year 11 students are expected to attend the Formation Day. See further information below.
Flying Start
2019 classes begin on Monday November 26 for students from years 7-11. Classes will be as per the 2019 timetable. Student timetables will be distributed in the week prior to Flying Start. Any subject changes will be dependent on the available spaces, and must be requested by the end of the first week of Flying Start.
Booklists
Booklists for 2019 will be distributed to students in the coming weeks, and posted on the college website. Please note that 2019 textbooks are not required for Flying Start. The college has arranged early delivery of English texts so that students have the opportunity to read over the summer break.
Study Skills tip for November: Preparing for Senior Studies
As many senior students prepare to leave school at the end of this year and embark on further education, training or employment, a whole batch of students are preparing to join the ranks of the senior students next year.
As students approach the senior years, they are expected to start taking more responsibility for their own learning. For many students part of this is a realisation that they need to do their schoolwork for their own sake, to keep options open for their own future – so they start to work for themselves, not just because their teacher or parent says they have to. Other students come to realize that in order to cope with the increased workload in the senior years, they need to work more efficiently at home and in the classroom. Small changes like changing who students sit next to can make a big difference to how much work is completed in class.
Therefore, for students who are commencing their senior studies next year, the final term this year is important in taking stock of your approach to school and your studies:
- Do you work well in the classroom?
- Who do you sit next to?
- What are your listening and research skills like?
- Do you have systems in place to manage your homework and assignments?
- Do you know how to study effectively and have you tried different study techniques?
It seems many students think they will wake up Day 1 of their senior studies and suddenly have become a ‘super student’ overnight. This does not happen! Habits take at least a month to change – sometimes longer if they are deeply ingrained.
So for those students commencing their senior studies next year, use the last weeks of school this year to reflect on how you approach your studies. What do you do well, and what do you need to work on changing? Perhaps choose the top 5 areas to work on and write these on a card and place it somewhere at home where you will see it regularly and be reminded.
Inaugural Year 11 into 12 Formation Day
On Monday November 26, Year 11 students who are completing Year 12 VCE studies in 2019 will be in attending a Formation Day.
The purpose of this day is to gather our 2019 Year 12 VCE students together to reflect on the year that has been, and to allow time to focus on leadership development, study skills and organisation for VCE, spirituality and wellbeing during the VCE year and careers and post school options.
We are fortunate to have secured Professor Jim Bright, an Australian organisational psychologist and Professor of Career Education and Development at Australian Catholic University National, who will be presenting to the students in the afternoon. You may have read some of Jim’s pieces in the Careers section of The Saturday Age.
There will be a range of workshops for students to attend; they will be provided with a planner to assist in their organisation as well as some strategies to help with time management and stress reduction.
The day begins in the Auditorium at 9:10 am for a 9:15 am start. Students should wear neat casual clothing. Lunch will be provided by the College, however students should bring a snack for the recess break. This is a compulsory College activity and the expectation is that all students attend.