Dean of Studies | Mrs Julie Quinn

PARENT/TEACHER/STUDENT INTERVIEWS

Yesterday was our first round of interviews for parents and students with teachers. Again, my thanks to the many parents who support their sons by attending these interviews. It is a wonderful opportunity to gain strategies for the term ahead and to revise strategies that were successful and strategies that need to be addressed from Term 2.

YEAR LEVEL ASSEMBLIES

Year level assemblies have been held for all students within their respective year levels. At these assemblies students have been shown data that outlines their comparative results between Term 1 and Term 2 and also with past year levels. This data has allowed students to review and track their year level’s outcomes. Students have also been given strategies to follow for the term ahead. At these assemblies we have also acknowledged students who have made significant improvement across the terms.

OP ESTIMATED SCORES

This week and into the following week, both Year 11 and Year 12 students will receive estimated OP scores. Year 11 students will receive these from their House Dean and Year 12 students will receive their scores from their academic mentors. These scores are based upon an average QCS result and give students an indication, within two bands, of their estimated score based upon their current academic results. These interviews also discuss individual mentoring strategies for boys to maximise their outcomes. I encourage parents to have a conversation with their sons around these outcomes.

ACADEMIC MENTORING

Across the next few weeks, tutors will be discussing with students their academic outcomes from Term 2. These conversations allow our boys to reflect on “what worked” and “what didn’t work”. I encourage boys to take note of these reflections so they can build their own repertoire of best practice.

LITERACY

This year, one of our areas of focus is around literacy. Dr Ian Hunter has continued to work both with our staff and with our students to enhance our writing skills in particular. Last Friday, Dr Hunter spent the morning session with our Year 12 students. One of the skills employed by Dr Hunter is his skill in delivering specific guided strategies to produce a piece of prose. We will continue to embed these skills into our literacy curriculum.

GRIT

Across the holidays I enjoyed reading a book titled “Grit” by Angela Duckworth. The words on the front cover of the book are “why passion and resilience are the secrets to success”. While many teachers can share many stories of successful students, Angela Duckworth moved from teacher to psychologist when she realised that a student in her maths class, deemed to have little aptitude, was handing in perfect work. This student subsequently completed a PhD in mechanical engineering. I recommend this book. It will inspire and motivate at the least.