Teaching and Learning Report

By Director of Teaching and Learning, Mrs Julia Petrov

Remote Learning

The return again to remote learning has required adjustment and adaption of our courses and planned classwork. We appreciate all that families are doing to support their boys in their learning from home.  It can be a bit lonely studying from home and we will continue to make sure communication is a cornerstone of our classes. Please contact your son’s subject teachers or Pastoral Care teacher if you have any concerns or questions. The Parent-student-teacher interviews on Tuesday will also provide you with an opportunity to discuss your son’s progress with his teachers.

ABC Friends Essay Competition

Congratulations to Year 12 student Ben Nash who has been recognised with a third placing in the Ballarat ABC Friends Essay Competition focused on the role of the media in democracy. The topic of the essay competition was: “That a public broadcaster is essential in a democracy.”

 

General Achievement Test (GAT) Preparation

The 2021 GAT is now scheduled for Thursday, August 12. It is important that VCE Units 3/4 students have a clear understanding of the assessment requirements of this three-hour test and that their responses reflect their best efforts. The GAT is utilized for statistical moderation of a student’s end of year Units 3/4 VCE results.

To support our VCE Units 3/4 students in their preparation for the GAT we have created a webpage with instructional videos, practice tasks as well as tips and tricks from a GAT assessor, our Senior School teacher Ms Slater. Students are also strongly encouraged to do the 2018 GAT Writing Tasks One and Two to practise their writing skills. In order to receive feedback on their responses, they will need to be submitted by Tuesday, August 10.

Further details can be found on the GAT preparation webpage here.

The page will be regularly updated to reflect the most current GAT arrangements.

Subject Selection

Our years 9, 10 and 11 students are at various stages of the subject selection process.

2022 Year 12 – current Year 11 students

Proposed subject selections are due via web preferences by the end of today, Friday, July 23. Instructions can be found here. Please contact the College if you require more time or assistance with this process.

2022 Year 11 – current Year 10 students

Our current Year 10 students are reviewing the range of subject options the VCE offers. Students and their parents/guardians are encouraged to utilise the resources provided on the 2022 Year 11 Subject Selection webpage. A video providing an overview of the subject selection webpage and some of the relevant resources can be accessed here. Please watch this video to assist your son in the subject selection process.

Proposed 2022 Year 11 subject selections are due in web preferences on Friday, August 6. An email from web preferences will be sent on Thursday, July 29 when students can begin to submit their selections.

Each student’s strengths, areas of interest and future directions are different. We encourage families to book a subject selection interview so we can assist you and your son with the range of options the VCE offers. Subject selection interviews can be booked here.

2022 Year 10 – current Year 9 students

We will continue to work through the 2022 Year 10 Subject Selection process in class. Students will receive an email from web preferences on Tuesday, August 3 and proposed subjects are due on Friday, August 6. Further details about subject selection including how to book a subject selection interview will be sent to parents next week.