Year 7

Students were recognised and congratulated this week for a job well done inside and outside of the classroom.  We started this year together with our Yr 7 Marathon theme with a focus on being “in training” for Term 1. Students have experienced their first round of assessments, home learning, locker and personal organisation and connecting with many different teachers and students in the Secondary School. We are now ready to find our stride in Term 2 by going through everything a second time with more tools in our possession to improve upon our performance and effort in Term 1. Thank you to our wonderful students for the resilience and positivity we have seen throughout this transition and thank you, parents, for your support and communication. 

Prue Salter’s Study Tips for This Week

The following is extracted from Regulation of Motivation: Evaluating an Underemphasized Aspect of Self-Regulated Learning by C. Wolters. (Educational Psychologist, 2003, 38(4), pp.189-205).

  1. Environmental Structuring: This is also referred to as resource management and is all about removing temptations and creating an environment that is more conducive to studying. It may even mean studying in a different location such as a local or school library in order to stay focused on the tasks to be completed.
  2. Proximal Goal Setting: Breaking larger tasks into smaller more manageable chunks will help students to feel more motivated about what needs to be done. Setting specific and achievable short-term goals with an allocated time frame can help increase students’ sense of efficacy.
  3. Defensive Pessimism: “I think about how unprepared I am in order to get myself to work harder”. There is mixed research about this approach and the negativity involved. However every student is different and for some students making themselves a bit anxious about what they haven’t done may be necessary to get them to start doing their work.
  4. Emotional Control: Thoughts produce feelings, feelings lead to actions. If we can make our thoughts and feelings more positive, this can lead to more positive actions. When students are feeling unmotivated, strategies such as taking a short amount of time to close their eyes and engage in deep slow breathing, or counting slowly backwards from 10 while thinking positive reassuring thoughts about their abilities to do what has to be done has been found to be beneficial.

For further study skills resources and tips from Dr. Prue Salter, go to www.studyskillshandbook.com.au and enter the username: redlands and the password: 68results. 

This Week in Tutor
  • We were extremely thankful to have four incredible presenters deliver the Yr 7 Burn Bright Program Recipe for Success on Monday this week. Students participated in an all-day session in Redlands Hall with various breakout activities focusing on expanding and strengthening our friendships circles, discussing qualities of being and having good friends, being open-minded and willing to build trust in others and controlling our judgments of others. Presenters shared inspirational stories and engaged students through discussions, activities and reflections. 
  • Many awards were given out on Tuesday at our Yr 7 Meeting. Congratulations to all of our athletes, accomplished musicians, avid readers and our many students who have been “caught doing good deeds” throughout the term. A special congratulations to Roseby White for earning the most Credit Points throughout the term as they will be celebrate together with a pizza party in Week 1 Term 2. 
Announcements and Upcoming Events
  • Yr 7 Naplan Literacy and Numeracy tests will occur on 13, 14 and 15 May. Students will discuss further details regarding the content of these tests in their respective classes.
  • Yr 7 students will be creating a term planner (students have access in iLearn Pastoral Yr 7 Page) in Term 2 Week 1 to outline assessment due dates and study plans. Assessments begin Week 2 next term so we have discussed planning ahead now to be prepared. 
  • In preparation for English Term 2, students should read David Almond’s novel, Skellig, during the upcoming holidays so they can benefit from re-reading sections of it in class when teachers begin the formal close study of it next term.
  • To help reduce the weight of backpacks, students are encouraged to go to their lockers after Period 2, 4 and 6. They are encouraged to determine what needs to go home at those times to avoid the mad rush at the end of the day and then resort to taking more items than necessary home with them. Students will most likely be using the electronic version of textbooks at home and keeping their hard copy at school to use in classes. 
  • Learning Management Alerts on Fridays: these emails are sent to parents and students to identify any outstanding work that may be completed over the weekend to help students stay on top of their learning. These alerts are issued after a discussion and reminder from the classroom teacher has already been attempted. These are initiated by the classroom teachers yet sent through the Year Advisor. Please contact the issuing teacher for any subjects specific clarification. 
  • Other upcoming dates
    • 6 June – Winter Sport Photos
    • 12 June – Yr 10 Vaccinations, catch ups for Yr 7
    • 12 Sept – Athletics and Waterpolo photos
Yr 7 Activities

Ms Alissa Ynson
Yr 7 Advisor (Acting)
9968 9863
aynson@redlands.nsw.edu.au