ERC Updates

From the Director of Learning & Teaching

Last week’s College assembly celebrated Enrichment experiences that are facilitated at the College. It was wonderful to witness this showcase of learning and congratulate all students who were recognised for their achievements. Thank you to our College Enrichment Coordinator, Ms Emma Shumack, for her constant promotion of enrichment and learning at the College.

Year 10 students are currently engaging in transition experiences in their final weeks of school. These experiences are supporting students as they transition from Year 10 to either senior school or employment. Activities that students are engaging in include Peer Support Training, Community Service Learning, All My Own Work, Study Skills – Becoming a Senior Student, Grok (Digital Technologies), Careers and Improving Creative Writing. Thank you to all the teachers who are facilitating these sessions.

As we come to the end of Semester 2, it is a good idea for students to reflect on the learning and wellbeing goals they set at the beginning of Term 3. Speak to your son about the goals he set and the strategies he planned to implement. Following are some questions that can prompt a reflective conversation:

  1. What was the biggest change you made this year?
  2. As you look back over the year, what are you most grateful for?
  3. What accomplishments are you most proud of?
  4. What goals did you achieve this year? How does it feel to have achieved them?
  5. For the goals not achieved, what stopped you?
  6. What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?
  7. What will you do differently next year because of what you learned and experienced this year?

If your son did not achieve his goal, read to him the following quote by Dexter Yager, “When you create a set of goals to achieve your dream, you’re setting yourself up for success. Maybe you’ll hit the bull’s-eye. But if you don’t, you’ll likely score higher than if you’d never aimed for the target at all.”

Following is a summary of nine strategies that can support students achieve their personal best (from the Study Skills Handbook). This can complement the reflective conversation that you have with your son about his Semester 2 goals.

Strategy Description Action
1 Values Your values are the things that are most important to you. Place your focus and energy on those activities. Identify what’s most important to you in your life.
2 Wellbeing Look after yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually so you have the energy, attitudes and mindset to pursue your goals. How can you be less critical of yourself and rejuvenate when needed?
3 Responsibility It can be tempting to make excuses or blame others for not achieving your goals. Being responsible for taking action you can control in your life gives you power. What’s an area of your life you can take more responsibility and ownership?
4 High Standards Push past your comfort zone. Set high standards in all areas of your life. Seek to grow and improve to reach them. Recall a time you pushed past your comfort zone and became better at something.
5 Energy Manage your energy. The actions we take, the food we eat and the relationships we are in increase energy or drain energy. What’s one thing you need to stop or start to lift your energy?
6 Resilience The only true failure is the failure to not live to your values? Don’t quit! Setbacks and disappointments happen. It’s how you respond that counts – persevere! How can you use a current disappointment to fuel you and help you improve?
7 Relationships Develop positive relationships. Surround yourself with people who support you and your goals and vision for your life. Who are the top 5 positive people in your life
8 Team Understanding that we all need help to improve and grow means we work in teams for win-win solutions. Recall a time you received help to improve a skill? How can you also contribute to helping others?
9 Focus There are many things competing to take your attention away. Focus on the things you can control and minimise focus and attention on those you can’t control. What’s something that has drained you, which you can’t influence and need to let go?

 

STUDY SKILLS HANDBOOK
Congratulations to students as we come to the end of the examination period. As most students have completed the final exams, the Study Skills Module “After Tests and Exams” will provide your son with steps to take when a test or exam is returned to them. To access this module, go https://studyskillshandbook.com.au and login with these details:

Username: edmundrice
Password: 13achieve

Dr Gerry Sozio
Director of Learning & Teaching