The Mazenod Gazette

From the Executive

Learning Diversity 

Christmas and New Year celebrations, hot summer holidays and relaxation are now a memory as we replace our t-shirts and havaianas with collared shirts, ties and school shoes that pinch our feet. Welcome to the 2020 academic year!  With the start of every school year come the concerns and worries of both parents and students, especially those transitioning into secondary school. The move from primary to secondary school is often a huge adjustment for your son. It is also a very exciting time in their life. Secondary school is, by its nature, very different to primary school.

 

Jessica Holsman, a Melbourne based psychology graduate has one crucial piece of advice – relax! Jessica who has a YouTube channel, Study with Jess, where videos on everything from exam tips to procrastination have attracted almost 10 million views. She has also released a book “The High School Survival Guide”. Some of Jessica’s key tips for student, along with relax, include

  • Remember that while starting high school is daunting it takes everyone time to settle into the new routines and expectations
  • Be open to new opportunities and sometimes that means making the first move in a new classroom. Asking a question others are too shy to, working on a project with a new classmate (who could become a new friend) are a couple of examples of being open to opportunity.
  • Remember that teachers have your best interests at heart and are there to help you – utilise their help!
  • Making new friends and socialising is one of the most daunting aspects of high school. Again it is important to utilise opportunities. Strike up a conversation, pay someone a compliment or try out for a team, join a club/activity at the College, take up a musical instrument or join the choir.
  • Stress about workloads and exams goes hand in hand with pressure about results. It is important that students understand and recognise that grades do not reflect who they are. Each of us is more than our grades and has strengths to share.

Parents are also encouraged to check the College website for news/updates/information. One very valuable College resource is School TV which can be found on the College website under Our Community- Student Services.  Each edition of School TV addresses a major topic with expert interviews, fact sheets, parent quiz, recommended apps, books and much more. SchoolTV aggregates information from many great resources such as Beyond Blue and ReachOut, amongst others. SchoolTV provides a single stream of independent factual information that saves parents time and confusion of searching online across multiple sites for information.

 

On another note, many of our students access a range of support at Mazenod. The Learning Diversity Team, in conjunction with Student Wellbeing and Careers, forms an integral part of the Student Services at the College, providing support and assistance with student academic programs. The Learning Diversity Team is staffed by qualified teachers and Learning Support Officers and is managed by the Learning Diversity Coordinator. The team works collaboratively with teaching staff to ensure that all of our young men feel that they are valued members of the community.

For your information the members of the team are:

Coordinator: Anne Johnson    

Teaching staff:  Athena Beshir, Edna Flanagan, Sharon O’Shannassy (3 days), Rosie Welsford (3 days), Yavanna Dyson (2 days)    

Learning Support Officers (LSO):   Dennis Leong, Helen Sauer, Shaun Akkermans, Christine Boyle               

 

Mrs Anne Johnson

Learning Diversity Coordinator