At the Academic Assemblies last week, our new College Deputy Principal, Mr Walsh, spoke about the importance of a Growth Mindset. Students with a Fixed Mindset believe their abilities are fixed and students with a Growth Mindset believe their abilities can be developed. James Anderson, a Certified Growth Mindset Trainer, states that people with a high Growth Mindset can change their most basic characteristics. The following table describes how students with a high Growth Mindset respond to different situations. Ask your son(s) how he/they would respond to each of these situations.

• Challenges – Embrace challenges even when path to achievement is not immediately clear.
• Encountering Difficulty and Obstacles – Persists for long periods even in the face of setbacks and when new skills need to be learnt to achieve mastery.
• Effort – Understands effort as path to mastery. Actively works on developing strategies for more Effective Effort.
• Feedback and Criticism – Requests critical feedback from targeted expert sources in order to improve both process and outcome.
• Success of Others – Seeks out experts in an effort to “learn their secrets”. Competition is seen as a way for both competitors to push themselves to improve.
• Making Mistakes – Deliberately stretches themselves so errors have high learning potential to facilitate further growth.
• Offered Help and Support – Seeks out help and support from specialized sources.

Managing Homework Efficiently

Homework serves many purposes. It may be to consolidate or check or extend the learning from the day, or prepare for the learning to come in subsequent days. It could be to do with longer term work such as assignments or preparing for tests and examinations. It could also be to create new thinking pathways in the brain and developing new skills. Following are some strategies for your son(s).

1. Get Organised Straight Away

As soon as you arrive home unpack your bag before you have a break and something to eat. Lay out all the work first. It is easier to get started if you have everything ready to go.

2. Prioritise and Plan

Before you start work, write a list of what needs to be done and decide what order you will do it. Focus on what is most important, not just what subject you like best. Also write down how long you think each task will take to do.

3. Develop Thinking Pathways

Keep in your mind that it is all about learning. Try and look beyond the actual content to what type of skill this homework might be developing in you – analysing, critical thinking, writing skills, or problem-solving skills for example.

4. Chunk Time Into Focused Blocks

Do your work in 20-30 minute blocks with no distractions during that time. Switch off the TV, turn off your phone for that 20-30 minutes. When you just focus on the work that needs to be done you’ll be amazed at how much work you complete. If you are on a roll, you can keep going past the 30 minutes.

5. Alternate and Chip Away

If there is a task you really don’t want to do then alternate this with a task you enjoy doing. For example, 15 minutes on the homework you like, 5 minutes on the homework you don’t like. When you chip away at it you will be surprised how quickly you get through the work.

Assessment Calendar

Use this LINK to access the Term 1 Assessment Calendars for Years 7 to 12:

Study Skills

The Study Skills Handbook provides students with strategies in preparing for examinations and assessments. Following are the login details to access the modules:

Link: www.studyskillshandbook.com.au

Username: edmundrice

Password: 13achieve

Problem of the Fortnight

Which of these is the same as  ?

1. I order 8 pizzas. I want ¾ of them to be Supreme. How many Supreme pizzas should I order?
2. I have ¾ of a pizza left and I want to share it with 6 people. How much will each person receive?
3. I take ¾ of an hour to cook a pizza. How many pizzas can I cook in 8 hours, if I can only cook one at a time?

A Solution to The Last Problem:

A = 7, B = 5 and C = 2 is the only valid solution i.e. 78 × 35 = 2730.

Words of the Fortnight

Each fortnight there will be a list of words included in the newsletter. Support your son(s) in spelling these words. Included in the table below are effective spelling strategies that may further support your son in improving his spelling. Further to learning how to spell these words, ask your son(s) to look up what each of the words mean and how they could be included in a sentence.

Effective Spelling Strategies

• Break the word into sounds e.g. p-r-i-o-r-i-t-y
• Break the word it into syllables e.g. re-mem-ber
• Break the word into prefixes or suffixes e.g. quarrel – some
• Use a mnemonic e.g. ne-c-e-ss-ary – one collar, two sleeves
• Extend the word into a family word web e.g. muscle – muscly – muscular)
• Say the word as it sounds e.g. Wed-nes-da (spell speak)
• Identify words within words e.g. Parliament – I AM parliament; separate – a rat in separate
• Refer to etymology e.g. bi + cycle = two + wheels
• Apply spelling rules e.g. ‘i’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’ such as belief. However, remember there are always exception to the rule e.g. weird/siege
• Learn by sight e.g. look-say-cover-write-check

Words of the Fortnight

Abbreviation

Beneficial

Embarrassed

Fulfilled

Fulfilment

Humorous

Intriguing

Jewellery

Miscellaneous

Mischievous

Persuasive

Pronounce

Pronunciation

Reminiscent

Stationary

Gerry Sozio

Director of Learning and Teaching