NURRUNGA - Waverley College

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WAVERLEY COLLEGE A Catholic Independent School for boys in the Edmund Rice tradition NURRUNGA Our Lady’s Mount & Waterford Curriculum News: Reviewing and revising Exams and Revision It is a busy time of year at Waverley at present with much of the School doing tests and revision for end of semester tasks. Yesterday Mr Paxton and myself taught our three classes of Year 8 Critical Thinking. We had a fantastic lesson planned (Of course it was fantastic!) around watching a clip of the Berlin Wall and getting them to think about and ask questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy (see illustration at right). The aim was to move them from asking simple ‘Remembering’ and ‘Understanding’ questions to higher levels of questioning involving the skills of analysis and evaluation. It was well planned, taught and delivered for most of the day. The Period 6 class, however, came in after just completing a test and for the first 5-10 minutes the chatter was about, “What did you write for that question?”, “Did you think the test was hard?”, “How do you think you went?”. Both of us laughed because we were observing the flow-on effects of the assessment period and instead of diving into the lesson we let them talk about the test that seemed more important to them than the lesson on the Berlin Wall. We eventually got to the lesson, but on reflection realized how keen this class was to discuss the test. These boys were keen. In a few weeks these tests will be marked and passed back to the boys to find out how they went and then begin the next cycle of exams and revision next term. Assessment and Exam Week is a new process at Waverley this year for Years 7-10 and as part of this process teachers and Heads of Department will discuss how things went and what could be improved for the end of the year. One of the things I want to discover is what makes this class so eager for learning and results so that we can spread this to other classes in Year 8 and the school. I would be happy to hear from any parents either by email or phone on their thoughts around exams and revision at Waverley. Last week I spoke to a Year 7 parent who wanted to know what their son needed to study for the exams. Each department summarises this information and it is placed on EWave, the internal school portal that all boys and parents have access too. Any parent can access this information using their son’s login details. Year 12 Reports and Academic Progress As we go to press the Year 12 Reports are being printed, signed and mailed out to parents. This is an important time for Year 12 boys, teachers and parents. We are into the final few weeks of Term 2 and this report data will be an important measurement tool of progress for Year 12 since the last report in early Term One. A few events are happening with Year 12 this term to assist them and prepare them for the HSC and beyond. 1. Careers Interviews Mrs Kath Knowles – Senior Studies and Careers Coordinator is interviewing each Year 12 student this term to help them plan for a future career pathway. The aim is for each boy to sit with Mrs Knowles and think about University, TAFE or other options and to plan accordingly. This is a time-intensive but important task that provides the best possible to guide our students as time marches closer towards HSC Trials, then HSC exam and life beyond. 2. Year 12 Academic Mentoring Interviews Each boy in Year 12 has an academic mentor, who is a member of the College Executive, Senior Studies Team, Year Master or Head of Department. This term they will again find time in Week 8 or 9 to meet with Year 12, discuss their latest report and chart a pathway to the HSC Trials. Each Year 12 boy will be asked the same questions they were asked in Term 1: • What subjects were you pleased with in your last report. Why? • What subjects were you disappointed with? • What strategies can you put into play to improve your subjects? • What goals would you like to set yourself for the next term? • Tell me about your study habits. How is your time management going? Study Skills Tip for June: Reviewing your work on a daily basis Did you know that if you don’t look at what you are learning for a second time within 24 hours you forget 80% of the detail? This is why your teachers encourage you to review what you learn each day when you get home from school. One of the best habits you can develop is the following: each afternoon, even before you start your homework, spend 10-15 minutes reviewing what you learnt at school that day. There are lots of different ways you can do this review, here are some ideas (and you can do something different every day): 1. Highlight the key points in each lesson. 2. Write down the top 3 things you learnt in each lesson (you could do this in a separate book or at the bottom of the day’s classwork). 3. Make a mind map about what you have been learning in class. 4. Try and explain what you did in each lesson that day to a family member (or even to the cat). 5. Go on a Google adventure, do some quick research on one interesting thing from each lesson. 6. Write up on a white board one main idea from each lesson (a whiteboard in your room is a great tool for secondary students). 7. Write down for each subject a question you could ask about what you learnt that day. There will be a fabulous payoff to doing this, more of what you learn at school will stick in your head, you will have less to learn at test time, and it will make your assignments and projects easier when you can recall what you have been learning. Learn more about the Brain and Advanced Memory Techniques at www.studyskillshandbook.com.au. Is your son sitting down each day or once a week to review his work? This simple process may assist his exam performance. Mark O’Farrell Director of Curriculum Volume 36 No. 14 • 1 JUNE 2012 page 4
WAVERLEY COLLEGE A Catholic Independent School for boys in the Edmund Rice tradition NURRUNGA Our Lady’s Mount & Waterford Social Justice: Red Shield Appeal supported I spoke to a parent of a year 11 student last week and she was surprised to hear that our students are involved in at least six outreach experiences every week. Over the past couple of weeks we have had year 7-10 students train to be buddies to disadvantaged kids in a reading program. We had twenty students take part in the Salvos Red Shield Appeal in locations all over Sydney. Every week, students attend the Matt Talbot Kiosk, bowl with the disabled, help out at Waterford Preschool and play Bingo with the elderly at Charingfield. Over 100 boys have offered to donate blood this year which is a new record. This week Night Patrol will go out on Friday night and year 11 students will attend a Social Justice Day at Christian Brother’s School Lewisham. Next week, 15 boys will spend the evening at a Street Retreat in Kings Cross. They will get the chance to hear first hand what it is like to be homeless on the streets of Sydney. Our students and staff should feel very proud of the huge contribtion they are making to their community. Ms Geraldine Cullen Social Justice Coordinator Volume 36 No. 14 • 1 JUNE 2012 page 5 Music News: Aida Collaboration & Music Festival Aida A reminder to all students involved in the upcoming performance of Aida in collaboration with the MLC school that rehearsal will take place this Sunday, 3 June, from 9.00am to 5.00pm at the Acer Arena, Homebush. Performances are on Thursday 14 June, Friday 15 June and Saturday 16 June commencing at 7pmat the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre (Arena)Bookings for this exciting event are available at: http:// www.mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au/ page/public/co-curricularopportunities-programs/music/ upcoming-performances Year 7 and 10 Vaccinations Next Week College Music Festival 21 June: Book early to avoid disappointment Next week Waverley College students in Years 7 and 10 will be provided with free vaccinations in the PAC on the afternoon of Thursday 7 June. NSW Health offers the vaccines recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council for adolescents in this school-based vaccination program. Year 7 students are provided the following vaccinations: • hepatitis B vaccine in a 2 dose schedule, except where the individual had received a course of hepatitis B vaccine in childhood • varicella (chickenpox) vaccine in a single dose schedule, except where the individual has acquired immunity through previous varicella infection • diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine (dTpa) in a single dose schedule. Year 10 students are provided the following vaccination: • diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine (dTpa) in a single dose schedule. Free vaccination is only available to students who have a signed parental/ guardian consent form and who commence the vaccine course while they are in Year 7 or Year 10. Notes have already been distributed to students for these vaccinations; please contact the College as soon as possible if you have not completed the appropriate forms. Students who miss vaccine doses due to absence on the day of the clinic will be offered catch-up vaccination at subsequent clinics wherever possible. Year 12 Parent/Teacher/ Student Interviews 1:30pm to 6:30pm Tuesday 5 June in the Gymnasium Bookings online at : www.waverley.nsw.edu.au Please book as soon as possible to ensure that you get your preferred interview times. The College Music Festival will be held on Thursday 21st June in the Br. Wallace PAC Theatre commencing at 7:30pm. All ensembles will be performing at this event. Tickets are now on sale. To book please contact Mrs Stamatellis, the PAC secretary in the PAC on 9369 0623, or by email, rstamatellis@ waverley.nsw.edu.au All tickets are $15 each. Tickets sell out quickly so get in early not to miss out on this special annual festival. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be available for sale pre show from 6pm and then again at interval for all families and students involved in the music festival. Mr C. Blenkinsopp Music Department
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NURRUNGA - Waverley College

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