Teaching & Learning News
FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
This week HCCY has been investigating a new virtual learning program that brings expert-level tuition to regional and remote Catholic high schools, helping senior students overcome the “tyranny of distance”.
The Virtual Learning Collaborative (VLC) uses Microsoft Teams and OneNote Class Notebook to deliver courses that would otherwise not have been available to students because of a lack of resources or restrictions from timetables at their schools. One example of this is Economics being offered virtually.
Pioneered by Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn, the learning program launched this year. It is now being used by around 30 students in NSW and the ACT and there are plans for ongoing expansion.
Among Catholic schools in NSW, 204 (or 35 per cent) are located outside major cities, including 12 schools in remote NSW and four in very remote NSW.
Some regional and remote high schools do not have the resources to go all the way to Year 12. The VLC program has enabled two schools to start offering the HSC once more: McAuley Catholic Central School at Tumut and St Anne’s Central School at Temora.
Not only do the virtual classrooms offer course materials, but students benefit from teachers who are at the top of their fields. There are alternatives to face-to-face classrooms and the virtual classroom can be a collaborative and engaging learning environment for students.
Trial Examinations
These are now underway and Year 12 are to be congratulated for the calm and settled way they have approached each exam. A reminder though that they must bring sufficient equipment to each exam as borrowing is not permitted in the HSC.
A further reminder that during this time students need to ensure that they are looking after their wellbeing. Some advice is:
- Take the time to plan - this is really important if students have outside commitments that are causing additional time constraints
- Look after yourself - build in some downtime and ensure you’re not hungry when studying
- Rest when you need to - don’t study more than 40-50 minutes with a short break and try and get plenty of sleep
- Stay focussed - it’s OK to say no to social events if you are studying - many more will come along. Turn off distractions too.
- Ask for help - do this earlier rather than later - contact your teacher if you need some assistance
- Be prepared - rehearse the conditions of the task such as practising writing out answers (if an exam) or practice speeches in front of a mirror.
Remember your classroom teacher is the first and best point of contact for any questions or issues you may have with your subjects.
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF STUDIES
Hennessy teachers have been engaged in CE system wide professional development designed to develop high impact teaching practices. Five Hennessy teachers are currently directly involved in the training and not only are they applying their new skills in their classes, they share their knowledge with their colleagues. The purpose of this ongoing training is to reinforce direct teaching strategies, informed by the science of learning, that ensure full student participation in every lesson. These teaching tactics provide teachers with immediate feedback on their students’ grasp of skills and concepts that are to be applied in the lesson. I have witnessed many instances where students are fully participating in their lessons and developing skills and gaining understanding of concepts. Well done to all Hennessy teachers and students.
Year 11 2024 - Subject Selections Update
The lines are under construction and should be finalised soon. Once they are completed, they will be published to students via Compass and then we will start interviewing students individually to gauge their Maths and English classes and they may reselect where they have clashes or have changed their minds.
Year 11 End of Course Examinations
The Year 11 End of Course examinations will commence late in Week 9 and continue throughout Week 10. The exam timetable should be available by Week 6.
