Dear Parents and Carers,
Term 2 has been a busy time for students and teachers of Year 12 with most subjects having at least one major assessment task to complete. These have taken the form of in-class tests, speeches, practicals and research assignments. As well as being busy, it has also been a short term of 9 weeks broken by the Long Weekend. The break will give some respite to the boys before they embark on their final term of classes in preparation for the HSC exams in October and November. It is timely, therefore, for a few matters to be brought to your attention.
Interim Report
The Interim Report will be mailed this Friday. This report is a general grading in each subject. It gives an indication of performance in terms of conduct, effort, homework and progress. This is the final Interim Report for Year 12. A full academic report based on the Trial HSC exams only and a final Assessment Ranking Report will be sent home in Term 3.
Trial HSC Exam Timetable
The timetable for our boys’ Trial HSC exams will be enclosed with the interim report for your information. These exams will be commence on Monday 9th August and conclude on Monday 23rd August. These are very important exams and carry a significant weighting towards the final assessment mark for each student. These exams will require serious, regular and specific study over the break as preparation.
Study during the break
Boys will need to have a sensible balance of rest and work during the vacation. I would expect most students to do a minimum of three hours per day, including weekends. Students may prefer to study for 4-6 hours for 5 out of the 7 days each week. This should be spread over a morning session, and afternoon session and an evening session. Some assessment tasks have been set for both the time before and after exams and this is done to provide specific preparation and to finish coursework.
Excessive hours of study will be of little value. In most cases, more content cannot be gained through more hours alone. Revision, exam preparation and sharpening language skills and formulaic applications are very important. Past exam papers will help in this area. Organised group work is a helpful and constructive activity. Traditional pen-on-paper activities are encouraged at this time because exams are about using pen-on-paper within strict time frames. Laptop usage should not be a priority at this time.
Similarly, no work and undisciplined work practices over the break will do little to prepare your boys for their Trial exams and for the HSC. They should keep sensible hours, avoiding very late nights and slothful sleep-ins. Limit distractions such as phones, computers, TV and cars to certain times of the day, certainly not during study time or late into the night.
Some basic points to assist with study during the break:
- Tidy the room FIRST.
- Work at the same workstation / desk each day. Don’t work lying down.
- Have a clock in sight.
- Use a small whiteboard or notice board to task list. Allocate by time.
- Preferably NO MUSIC during work time. Train the brain to relax with music. We don’t have music playing in the exam room for the HSC exams.
- Study early, not late. Be ready to start work by 10am.
- Turn off the computer when studying maths.
Term 3
As well as the Trial HSC exams, some students who do practical subjects will be completing their HSC tasks. This includes language tests, music and drama performances, practical works in Visual Arts and Technology.
Students who wish to study at university in 2011 will be assisted in registering with the University and Colleges Admissions Centre (UAC) later in Term 3. Each student will receive a PIN code in the mail at home that will give them access to UAC facilities on-line. It is very important that this PIN is not lost.
Students have already received a Board of Studies PIN that will give them on-line access to student information at the Board of Studies including their HSC results in December. Boys were instructed to put this number into their phone and to let their mum know what it is! The College is unable to provide replacement PINs due to privacy legislation.
Teachers
I am always impressed by what the teachers at St Joseph’s College do for their students. I would like parents to know that many teachers have regularly given extra tuition to students at before school classes or at night in both one-to-one and small group contexts. These teachers are not always involved in the boarding program and so these extra lessons represent a huge effort on their part. I suggest to parents that they ask their sons about the extent to which they are availing themselves of their teachers outside of normal class time. Please do not be too quick to blame teachers when results are not coming the way of your sons. I have every confidence that the maximum is always being done to help them.
Disruptions and Absences during Term 3
Disruptions must be kept to a minimum in Term 3. Scheduled appointments should not be made during class time or exam time. The advantages of boarding must be maximized ahead of parties and casual and non-essential leave requests. In working with all parents, let me offer my assistance in saying “no” to your son if you find it difficult to say at times.
Absences must be accompanied by a doctor’s certificate delivered or faxed to me.
Below is a list of work expectations set by teachers with respect to their subject. All students have been sent an electronic copy. I hope this break is not too stressful for all family members, not just Year 12 students!
Regards
Darren Frost
Holiday work
Maths
- Past Papers (Available on JNet and Success Book)
Biology
- Complete ALL tasks in the Dot Point book for the first three units
- Complete ALL past paper questions in the Success One text for the first three units
- Refer to the examiners notes in the Board of Studies web site
- Work under exam conditions
- No music, mobile phone, emails or any other distraction
- 3 hour stints – vary the nature of the tasks during this period of time
Drama
- Complete Individual Projects
- Re-read the four set plays
Year 12 IPT
- SQ3R summaries of chapters 1 to 2 and 5
- Complete all exercises and chapter reviews. Read chapters 2 and 6.
- Download HSC past papers and marking notes from BOS and explore question structures and format. Learn exam keyword definitions… Account, Analyse, Apply etc.
- Print and work through the success one pdf file.
Year 12 SDD
- Complete project documentation and coding… SQ3R summaries of chapters 1 to 8 and 10, completing all exercises and chapter reviews.
- Download HSC past papers and marking notes from BOS and explore question structures and format. Learn exam keyword definitions… Account, Analyse, Apply etc.
Business Studies and Economics
- There is a ‘Year 12 Holiday Update’ link on the Economics web page.
Legal Studies
- Past Papers
- Preparation for world order assessment task
Advanced English – Module C: Representation and Text, Elective 2 – History and Memory
- read Mark Raphael Baker’s book The Fiftieth Gate
- keep learning journal while reading the book (see pink study booklet for full details)
- analyse a related text (using scaffold issued in class)
- prepare for next assessment task (brochure and reflection)
- practice past HSC questions on current topic and previous topics covered in course
English Extension 2
- Students are required to complete their major work.
- Proof-reading/viewing and editing should be further addressed once they return to school.
- They are strongly advised to have their mentor critically appraise their work, as well as their parents.
- The Reflection Statement should be written in tandem with the major work, but that can polished in the beginning of Term 3.
English Standard
Module C – Texts and Society
Text: Educating Rita
- Complete Study Guide from green Book
- Research Assessment Task 4. Texts and Society Brochure – Into the World
- Revise Area of Study and Modules A & B consolidating notes and contents.
- Use the HSC Board of Studies website to access past papers and sample answers.
ESL English
Module B: Texts and Society, Elective 1 – Living and Working in the Community
- Prepare for and start Assessment Task 4 – Text Portfolio (handed to students 22 June, due 30 July)
- Complete HSC questions from Module B – Work experience report/interview transcript and letter of application (handed to students 22 June)
- Complete past HSC exam papers (handed to students 23 June) and email to adiallo@joeys.org for feedback
- Re-read “Heat and Dust”
Modern History
- ‘past papers’ booklet to get questions from and attempt.
- Summaries of each topic to complete
- ‘Personality Profile’ on Trotsky (2009 HSC Question) to complete.
Latin
- work methodically through their set text translations (Cicero and Virgil for Continuers, Catullus and Horace for Extension).
- Students have been sent a revision plan where they address about 25 lines of text a day (should only take about 20 minutes or so each day).
Religion
Y12 SOR 1U and 2U are expected to complete the following as preparation for the TRIAL in Term 3:
- Compiling dot-point summary notes on each syllabus topic FOR EACH SECTION OF THE HSC PAPER
Send to your teacher for review
- Thoroughly learning keywords and concepts for multiple choice questions in:
(SECTION I) Religion in Australia post 1945 (1U + 2U)
Religion and Non-Religion (2U)
- Writing short answer responses to the syllabus questions to send to class teacher for review (found in each syllabus under ‘Students learn to’):
(SECTION I) Religion in Australia post 1945/Aboriginal Spirituality (1U + 2U)
Religion and Non-Religion (2U)
(SECTION II) Christianity (1U + 2U)
Judaism (2U)
- Writing replies to possible extended response questions (or writing down an outline in dot-point) and sending to class teacher for review:
(SECTION III) Judaism x 3 responses – Hassidim, Marriage and Ethics (1U)
Islam x 3 responses – Al-Shafi, Hajj and Ethics (2U)
- Second extended response question for 2U ONLY:
(SECTION IV) Religion and Peace x Christianity and Islam
The key to HSC success is to know your SYLLABUS! So have your syllabus with you and open as you revise.
You all have ample CLASS NOTES and POWER POINTS, so read them, study them, use them.
You can purchase ‘Excel’ STUDY GUIDES, but again, watch the date of print and be sure your copy is post 2007.
You can access past papers on the BOARD OF STUDIES website; remember to view only those papers