26 Feb 2015

Dean of Studies, Mrs Julie Quinn
As Week 5 comes to a close, I hope that
all our boys are confident that they are
striving to do their best.
This week is the start of our “accountability”
week with assignments starting to be due.
As such, it is most important that key dates
from assessment calendars are in diaries
and time is being invested into planning and
drafting for these assignments. With much
support offered at Terrace to students,
assignment work should be where we
maximise our outcomes.
One of the key strategies that we have
discussed with students is their requirement
to log their hours in their diary. I use the
analogy of elite sports people who are able
to exactly quote their training schedules
of the number of kilometres swum or run.
They are able to link their outcomes back to
their commitment in their programs.
It is most important that students are also
aware of the time invested in their subjects
and the subsequent outcome from these
subjects. I also would very much
appreciate if parents could continue to sign
the diary on a weekly basis. Your support
and interest is paramount to the best
possible outcomes.
Last week our Senior students completed a
workshop in the rules and formats of genres
for the writing task. These workshops
were followed by an actual attempt at a
writing task paper. We will receive results
from the external markers that will allow
us to shape further directions but the
focus and commitment of our Seniors in
these workshops and practice paper were
exemplary.
I will continue to track and monitor student
usage of laptops with the help of our
IT Department. To date, I am pleased
that the majority of our boys are using
devices for the intended reasons. Our
wonderful tradition of academic excellence,
exemplified at our recent Medal Assembly,
would be at risk if students chose to use
their BYOD unwisely.
Many great stories are told and enacted at
Terrace daily - something that I feel most
privileged to be sharing. When speaking
with a current Year 12 student about his
progress this year compared to last year,
he responded very positively indicating
that he was investing much more time in
his studies and felt that he would produce
much stronger outcomes this year.
When asked why this was happening he
responded by saying that he had shut down
his Facebook account, had a study plan,
was doing homework and regular revision,
was exercising and eating well, was going
to bed at a good hour so he could be fresh
for school the next day which resulted in his
being very focussed in the classroom and
hence understanding work much better.
My next question was: “How and why
did you do this?” His answer: “Over the
holidays I reflected on the times when I
was intending to commit to something and
then didn’t follow through. I don’t want my
life habits to follow this pattern so I have
committed “.
So many of our young men are inspirational.
PREPARATION IS VITAL TO SUCCESS IN EVERYTHING A TERRACE GENTLEMAN
DOES – INCLUDING QCS.
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