Dean of Studies | Acting Dean, Mr Mason Hellyer

Time flies when you’re having fun!

It is hard to believe that we are two thirds of the way through the term. In three weeks’ time the majority of students will start their exam block. The next weeks are busy with assignment drafts to be produced and then the final product handed in. The middle part of the term can often be more stressful than the end due to assignment pressures and with exams on the horizon.

As a parent how can we help our son’s through this time?

Firstly, it is not too late to get organised and have a plan to attack assignments and study. The simple message here is START NOW! Sit down with your son and set out a timetable of when study will occur. Just like training time is set aside during the week to prepare for the weekend's game, study/assignment time also needs to be set aside to prepare for assessment.

Secondly and most importantly, you cannot do the work for them. Independent study and internal motivation are traits that develop over time through practise, trial and error. Refer back to the first point, START NOW! The sooner study organisation is trialled and practised the sooner good habits emerge and are consolidated.

Amanda Ripley in her book, The Smartest Kids in the World, and How They Got That Way, summarises that parents of ‘smart kids’ are active is their child’s education. However, being active is not by looking over the child’s shoulder, but by being engaged in what is happening at school from the child’s perspective (“tell me three words you learnt in Japanese today”). Parents of ‘smart kids’ also modelled good learning behaviours such as reading for pleasure or discussing current affairs.

At the end of the day, the most important message we can give the boys is that parents and teachers are there to work WITH them. The Terrace Old Boys' Career Expo was held on Tuesday evening and a large contingent of students from varying year levels attended. My thanks to the Terrace Old Boys' Association and Mr Paul Ianello for their organisation of the event. The standard of presentations and the exceptional quality of the advice from our Old Boy presenters was outstanding. Our current students have a wonderful resource of knowledge, experience and networks and I commend the GTOBA for their commitment to, and support of the College and future Old Boys.