Year 12: Summer Term 2019
What a term!
The boys have hit the ground running and after a marathon effort are ready to go home and recharge for what will be a defining moment, academically, next term.
What have they been up to over the last 11 weeks:
Inter House Swimming Carnival
Bibbulmun Track End to Enders 2019
Well done to the following Boys who have completed 1003km from End to End.
Toby Egerton-Warburton
Kane Kennedy
Liam McCreery
Denzil Brooks
Tom Cleland
Sam McConachy
Levi Waters
Angus Cullen Falconer
And Mr Ledger
Year 12 Ball
It was pleasing to see all the boys make the effort to attend the pre-ball function at the Cottesloe Civic Centre. A big thank you to Danni McCreery for taking the photos and the parents who made a massive effort to make it from all over the State and over seas. It was a great way to start the evening and meeting spot for the boys, partners and their families.
Barista Course
This term we introduced Paul from “Stand’in Room” to come and share his knowledge of running a small business and the art of pouring a great coffee. The boys were pleasantly surprised at what he had to say and show them when it comes to coffee. It has become a highlight for them during school hours as the boys have a right of passage to stand behind the counter and pour a coffee during their breaks.
To the parents, if you are in town and want a great brew, mention you are a Scotch parent and you only pay $3.50 for a coffee..
Cross Country
Well done to all the boys competing at this year’s Cross Country. Kane “Roo” Kennedy came an impressive 2nd place for year 12. Well Done Champ!
Year 11/12 Social
This was another event that the boys got behind and supported. The social was at MacKellar Hall and over 220 students from around the boarding community attended. The night raised money for the RFDS with over $1000 kick starting this campaign off.
Leaving Boarding
Thanks Jack for being apart of our Team over the last few years. I will miss your mischievous behavior that you brought to this group. The Tutor system will be down one student each night, but I’m sure you will drop in or come and stay when Mum has had enough and in need of “time out”
Seriously, Good luck with your final year of study and on behalf of the year 12 group I wish you all the best.
Study Plan for the Break
After having conversations with parents and boys about creating study plans and how to maximise their break prior to exams next term, I have added these tips and tricks from neuroscientist Dr Jared Cooney Horvath, University of Melbourne to assist and help to gain a better perspective of study habits while the boys are back in your care.
Tips and Tricks to boost your Year 12 score over the break!
Study smarter not harder, with tips for students and parents from an educational view.
We think that one sure way to boost your final year school scores is to study harder: losing the next couple weeks of your life to textbooks and note-cards, but a better way to boost your scores is to study smarter.
As Year 12 school students across Australia go into their exams, here are some tips & tricks to help you get the most bang for your study buck.
Tips For Students
Stop reviewing – start recalling
Many people believe if they repeatedly expose themselves to a piece of information, it will eventually sear itself into memory. This is why most study sessions are filled with re-reading text books, re-watching lectures, and re-copying notes.
Here’s the problem: repeatedly reviewing content does not lead to better memory.
If you want to build deep memories, you must focus on recalling information. The more you access a memory, the stronger it will become.
This means focus less on cramming info into your brain and more on pulling information out of your brain. For example:
- Use flashcards that require you to recall facts.
- Use practice quizzes to force you to call-up information.
- Summarise complex ideas into single sentences and share/discuss these with others.
Mimic the exam environment
Space it out
“Cramming: it feels so right. What better way to learn material than to spend six straight hours reviewing and recalling it”
Unfortunately, this age old sentiment may do more harm than good.
Sleep, sleep, sleep
It might feel like wasted time, but sleep is the only way to ensure new memories are permanently stored within your brain.
If you do not sleep, you will not remember: simple as that.
Tips For Parents
Involve yourself . . .but not too much
Sometimes, parents think it best to leave their children alone during final year exams study period; why add to their stress levels?
Unfortunately, this well-meaning sentiment may do more harm than good.
When parents are completely absent from the study process, children may feel overwhelmed, isolated, and ultimately unable to effectively learn material.
The answer, however, is not to over-involve yourself. When parents control study and solve problems for their children, learning also suffers.
The key is to:
- focus on helping your children stay motivated and positive during studying
- Be your child’s sounding board, let them summarise ideas for you, and help them recall material by quizzing them.
Done in a loving and supportive manner, this will help create a calm and safe environment that can diminish study stress and boost exam performance.
Help construct a schedule
Help your child develop a study schedule that is easy to adhere to and effective. A common schedule involves, each night, studying one subject for 20 minutes, taking a 5-10 minute break, then studying a different subject for 20 minutes.
By helping your child develop and stick to a clear routine (without nagging), you will not only improve their self-efficacy and sense of agency, but also their learning.
Embrace error
Errors, blunders, stuff-ups…this is how we learn. Each mistake serves as a clear signpost to guide us down the learning paths we most need to travel.
As you help your child study, embrace each error they make. The more mistakes they make now (and the less judged they feel), the fewer mistakes they will make come exam time.
Enjoy the Break and take care