Dear Parents, Carers and Community Members

Time does go fast with only four weeks left before the end of Term 1 and the start of the Easter holidays.  The students and staff have packed a lot into the short time we have been at school, including the school swimming carnival, opening school mass, teacher professional development on top of the many opportunities for students to learn inside and outside of the classroom.

Our role as a school is to provide opportunities for all students to achieve their best, no matter the pathway they decide to pursue.  In doing so, we focus on our students in a holistic way; encouraging them to identify their gifts, engage in their learning and be the best person they can be while also learning what it means to be an authentic human being.  We do this through our teaching practices, extracurricular and co-curricular activities.

We want our students to open the blinds to the windows of opportunity offered to them, peer through and when they are ready, take the leap.  This can be a challenge for some, where disengagement from learning can close some of those windows.  We aim to assist students and their caregivers to embrace these challenges and continue to thrive.

How can you help your child better engage in their learning and be successful?

Engaging in conversation with your child about school/their learning.  Asking your child, the following question of an evening for example:

1. What was the best thing about school today?
2. What did you learn today?
3. How are you going?
4. Is there anything you need help with?
5. What did you do if you didn’t understand?
6. How can you improve your learning?
7. What are you most proud of today?

Questions adapted from Lyn Sharratt’s five critical questions for students.

Helping your child with Homework or Assessment Tasks

“Homework is designed to help students reinforce key concepts, process and solidify new information, provide time for extra practice of skills, and reflect on how much they’ve learned,”

‘Susan Becker, M. Ed.’ 

1. Don’t do the homework for your child. Most teachers use homework to find out what the child knows.  Make sure homework is completed and review any mistakes to see what can be learned from them. 

2. Don’t do your child’s Assessments. Help support your child’s learning and make sure they have what they need to accomplish a task.  Read the Assessment Task outline provided to your child for each task.  Check with your child’s teacher about the requirements of the task if unsure and review it with your child. 

3. Set up a good space to work. All children need the same thing: a clean, well-lit space.  However, keep in mind that each child may work differently; some will do their work at the kitchen table and others at their desks in their rooms. 

4. Become aware of the right time to begin their work. Some children will work best by doing homework right after school; others need a longer break and must run around before tackling the work.  Most will need a snack.  If your child does after-school activities, set a homework time before or after the activity, or after dinner.  Whatever routine you choose, help your child stick to it. 

5. Find out how your child studies best. How does your child like to study?  For example, some kids study through rote learning (repetition), others are visual learners (creating diagrams, using images).  The environment is also important.  Some children may want to listen to music, some are helped by being in the middle of noise, and others need absolute quiet. 

6. Stay close by; remain available in case they need your help. Possibly read a book or do your own work at the same time.  Remember that not all homework is equal, so not everything will need your attention.  Keep in mind that it is their homework/task. 

7. Limit media exposure. Turn off the TV or any visual distraction.  Remember the computer is a learning tool to assist student learning and only needs to be used when it is required to assist in completing homework or assessment tasks. 

8. Let the teacher know if you gave your child a lot of help with homework or a task. If your child needs extra help, or truly doesn’t understand something, let the teacher know.  Write on the assignment, ‘done with parental help,’ or write a separate note.  If your child resists, explain that homework is used to practice what you know and to show the teacher what you need help learning more. 

I hope this article helps you, the parents/carers, in supporting your child’s learning and my intention is to include in each newsletter something that can help parents/carers support their child’s learning at home.  As a parent of a Year 12 student, and the last of my four children to finish the secondary schooling, I am fully aware how difficult it is to be a parent in an ever-changing society and thus helping our children to be the best they can be in all facets of life. 

Yours in Christ

Phillip Gibney
Principal