Head of Secondary School

Study Tips

On Monday this week, Dr Prue Salter spoke to our Yr 12 students to give them some tips and advice as they prepare for their upcoming HSC and IB Final Examinations. Her talks are always well-received by our students and while she specifically focused on advice for Yr 12 students in their upcoming study and revision some of her tips below are relevant for all students in their learning.

Make the most of all assessments (review them carefully) to learn from any mistakes so that you can improve next time
Use a wide range of study and revision techniques to find what works best for you
Organise and plan ahead of time so that you can develop an effective study timetable
Create a proper home learning environment without distractions
Give yourself regular breaks when you study (every 30-45 minutes) and try to do something active during this time (ie – a five minute walk but not five minutes on your phone)
Be sure to get plenty of sleep (8-9 hours a night), drink plenty of water, keep up with exercise and eat healthy foods
Keep everything in perspective.

Below is an excerpt from Dr Salter’s recent newsletter which offers some other advice, as well.

“Students sometimes ask ‘what is the best way to study?’. The answer, there is no best way. An important lesson for students to learn is that everyone learns in different ways, everyone has different approaches and preferences, and what works well for one person may not work well for another. This truth applies to all aspects of effective learning – time management, research skills, writing skills and so on. There are certainly good techniques and strategies available in all of these areas, and also approaches that work well for the majority of students. However, it is essential that all students try different techniques to see what works best for them. Preferences could also change over time, so it makes sense to at least once a year, stop and reflect on approaches to learning. What did you do, what worked, what didn’t, what should you change, what should you keep, and what new things could you try. This is what ‘metacognition’ is all about. It means taking the time to try and understand more about the process of learning and your role as a learner. Students who take a metacognitive approach to their learning are much more likely to improve. How can you find out different study techniques to try? Talk to the people around you – friends, siblings, parents – ask them what techniques they have used. Also ask your teachers what they would recommend for their subject.”

Greenlands Week

During this week’s assembly our Yr 12 Prefects celebrated Greenlands Week. During this week the Secondary School community has focused on issues around sustainability and our environmental footprint with various activities in Tutor Groups and lunchtime. Our Environment Captains, Kat Stuart and Marcos Brisson, have successfully led a number of initiatives this year in the Secondary School, most notably an organised paper recycling system which we look forward to seeing our younger Year Groups continue and build upon in the future. I would like to congratulate them for their leadership in this area over the course of the year. Despite the humourous video showed at assembly displaying me as the resident “litter bug”, I do strongly believe that each of us around the School can do our little bit to improve our local environment and “leave it better than you found it”.

Blackmores Run

As mentioned in last week’s Note Day, our Yr 12 students, led by Emma Woodward, are urging members of the Redlands community to join them in participating in the Blackmores 10km run on Sunday 16 September to raise money for Headspace and awareness for mental health. Donations can be made here and students, parents and staff can sign up to run here. I hope to see many members of the Redlands community joining us on the day.

Flu Season

Should you suspect your child of having Influenza or any of the variants of Influenza including Human Metapneumoviris, and they are currently undergoing testing for the same, please be advised that you must keep your child at home until the results are known. It is imperative that your child does not return to school whilst you are awaiting results. In the event of a positive result, please let the school know as soon as possible. For further information and Influenza management guidelines, please refer to the following NSW Health website links https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/influenza_factsheet.aspx https://www.cdc.gov/surveillance/nrevss/hmpv/clinical.html

We appreciate your vigilance and cooperation in keeping our school community healthy.

Redlands Spring Fair: Saturday 15 September, Junior Campus

All families are warmly invited to come and join in the carnival fun at the Redlands Spring Fair. There will be fantastic food, rides, games, markets, prizes and entertainment for the whole Redlands community.

We appreciate any support you are able to give on the Stalls, some of which are being coordinated by students. Click here for more information.

Mr Sean Corcoran
Head of Secondary School
scorcoran@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9870