Prioritising Senior Student’s Study Skills

In Senior Personal Development lessons, a priority focus is on developing students’ study skills, time management, developing a growth mindset, memory, mnemonics, approach to exams, and the capacity to maintain their overall wellbeing, including managing stress. 

This week, Year 10 and Year 11 students engaged in a 45-minute seminar with world-leading study skills partner, Elevate Education, with the objective of teaching students valuable study and exam preparation skills as they lead into their exams in Week 8, Term 2. The seminar broke down the study techniques of top performers, providing students with a road map for what work they need to be doing across the year and how to do it. Skills covered in the seminar also included: working consistently (how to use the syllabus to frame study and take effective notes), note taking (how to structure and review an organised set of notes), conceptual learning skills (teaching students how to break information into relevant topics and understand how concepts fit together) and standing out on assessment (distinguishing themselves from the thousands of other students being taught the same material).

Year 12 students will also commence external examination preparation during Personal Development lessons this term gearing up to mock examinations in Term 3.

Introduction of Peer Mentoring in Pastoral Care Group Lessons

At the conclusion of Term 1, Year 10 students participated in their second Peer Mentoring Day. Year 10 students were given the opportunity to express their interest in becoming a Peer Mentor Leader within their Pastoral Care Group, focusing on supporting Year 7 students within their PCG.  These elected Peer Mentor Leaders will meet with me and fellow staff members trained in peer mentoring fortnightly, commencing Week 2 with the objective of sharing ideas and initiatives to support and mentor Year 7 students across the four Houses and within each PCG. 

The intention is that these Year 10 students will go on to mentor their peers as they progress from Year 7 into Year 8 and Year 9, and hopefully Peer Mentors for the next cycle of Year 7 students.

It is great to see so many people registering to attend the ANZAC Day march. If you haven’t already registered please follow this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QXBCNDN

Ms Leigh Finter, Acting Director of Students and Head of Senior College Students