Principal Report

This week Mooroolbark College has been celebrating Education Week with the theme of Healthy Mind, Healthy Body. Education Week has provided us with an opportunity to showcase the work students are undertaking to ensure they have healthy minds and bodies.  Students and staff have been involved in many activities including relaxation sessions, a staff versus student volleyball match and posting messages on the gratitude wall.  In the library, students have been creating stars as part of the One Million Stars to End Violence Project which will be displayed as part of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.  We are creating stars in our College House colours of blue, green, red and yellow.  Go to http://www.onemillionstars.net/ to find out more.

This week has seen the launch of the College’s new website.  Our website provides another wonderful opportunity to showcase the work of our students in the College.  It is also a source of information for parents/guardians and students.  You will find College policies, an updated calendar of events, curriculum information and a list of key staff who can help you with queries or questions.  Take the opportunity to have a look at the website at https://www.mooroolbarkcollege.vic.edu.au/

Whilst it may only seem a short time ago that we began Term 2, the mid-year exams are approaching quickly, especially for our Year 10 and 11 students.  Exam timetables have been distributed along with the exam rules and expectations.  Exams at Year 10 and 11 are a significant learning experience for students.  These exams let students practise revision strategies that are helpful and to discover what works best for them.  

Some of the most useful revision strategies include:

spacing out revision sessions (this means students have already begun studying)

teaching the material to someone else as it forces students to think about the material

creating summaries and developing a revision timetable to ensure students have a structured way

switching between topics every now and then (which helps you build on previous revision sessions)

Don’t spend too much time studying one subject in one sitting, simply re-reading text and highlighting are not effective study strategies.  Year 10 and 11 exams are an effective way for students to improve their knowledge and memory and a chance to begin the process of preparing for final VCE exams. 

Exam pressure can do funny things to students for some it can lead to nerves, anxiety, frustration and sloppy mistakes, culminating in a poor performance. For others, pressure allows them to concentrate more, work harder and perform better. It takes time and practice to perform well under pressure.  The Year 10 and Year 11 exams are a great opportunity for students to figure out and practise what works best for them. Techniques to manage exam nerves could include actively slowing down, channelling any nerves into helpful behaviour or listening to some relaxing music beforehand.

There are many opportunities at Mooroolbark College for students to get advice and help with either exam revision techniques or managing exam pressure.  Speak with your classroom teacher, House Leader or Cluster Coordinator for advice.  Mr Nichol or Ms Van Der Ende can offer assistance and the Pathways Counsellors can discuss techniques to help you maximise your results.  Good luck to all students undertaking exams or tests in classes over the next few weeks.

Ann Stratford
Principal