Issue 11 / 23 August 2013
Middle & Senior School News Each and every one of us, working with God’s gifts and grace, are called to do and to be the best we can be. Over the past week, there have been many examples of our students ‘doing’ and ‘being’ the best they can be. A Year 7 team won the Primary Division of the Science Trivia competition, our Combined Dance Troupe won their division at the Eisteddfod, a group of 13 Business students successfully completed a Certificate Course at Griffith University which will entitle them to direct entry for next year, Paris McKayHolley (Year 9) won the Japanese Speaking competition and we placed first in both the Junior and Senior divisions of the AGCC Chess competition. These are noteworthy and impressive achievements and I’d like to congratulate all of the students involved. That said, perhaps the greatest example of our students ‘doing’ and ‘being’ the best they can be, is better exemplified in their everyday approach to their studies and the relationships they have with their teachers and peers. At the MS Expo on Monday Night I overheard a new parent comment to her husband, “they all seem to be genuinely nice to one another and enjoy what they are doing.” To me, that sentiment typifies our aspirations, to be a caring Christian community where everybody is somebody! Like our students, as a College we want to ‘do’ and ‘be’ the best we can be as we pursue excellence and aim to provide both a Good Education and an Education for Good. Teachers take great care to know their students and to connect with them as people and learners. We are truly blessed with incredibly talented and hard-working staff that challenge and champion the children under their care and who ‘walk the talk’ of our mission statement: Celebrating the Gospel, Nurturing the Individual and Empowering Lifelong Learners. As we head into the busy assessment time of term, and our Year 12s make their final preparations for QCS, I encourage all families to sit together and to reflect on their child’s learning and to set goals and targets for the coming weeks and the Term 3 Report. There is a great deal of research out there that reinforces the idea that focusing on individual goals and performance has a positive impact on learning outcomes and promotes realistic feelings of success and achievement. Good luck to all students as their assessment period heats up and a special prayer for our Year 12s as
they complete their QCS tests. If you have any concerns that you would like to discuss please contact me or your child’s teacher directly so that we can respond to the needs of your child. Can I also be so bold as to suggest that if it has been a while since you sent your child’s teacher a note of thanks or appreciation, you might consider doing that too. I was asked by a parent to republish an earlier article There is no such thing as no homework! Homework includes set tasks, revision of material, assignment work and also time spent reading. There is no such thing as no homework! The good news is that there are many tips that can help your children to establish good homework techniques and routines. Homework Tips for Students: 1. Get yourself and your stuff ready. Ensure that you are not distracted, thirsty or hungry. Try to get settled quickly in a clean, well lit area where you can concentrate. 2. Prioritise your work and start with the most difficult tasks first. Set up a priority list and work your way through the list, tackling the most challenging work first. It is a good idea to set a time limit. (Eg. Math Problems on Page 58 . . . . . 15 Minutes) When you reach the time limit move on to the next piece of work and return to the work that is incomplete after you finish the rest of the list. 3. Break down large assignments and activities into manageable chunks. Meet all of the assignment deadlines for planning and drafting your work. 4. Take a break after every 15-20 minutes of homework. This is good because you get stressed from doing large blocks of homework you can cool off and start fresh again. This will only be useful if you work hard without distraction for the 20 minute chunks. 5. Always ask for help when you get stuck. Teachers, parents or your peers are always on hand and more than happy to assist you. 6. Don’t waste time! There is absolutely no use staring at a page while your mind wanders. Make a real decision to keep your mind on the job. This might mean switching off electronic devices or avoiding social media messages, as scary as that might seem. 7. Reward yourself when you finish. If you give 100% then you are sure to be less stressed and you are likely