A very busy Semester 1 has come to a close. In Senior Years, Year 10s have completed their first examinations and have learnt a great deal about the need for planning, preparation and the effectiveness of different revision strategies. Meanwhile, our Year 12 students recently celebrated ‘half-way day’.

Middle Years students have completed a wide range of activities, assessments, incursions and excursions throughout Semester 1. Notably, the Year 7 students completed Seek7, a sustainability project, during the last week of the term.

Well done to all students who have completed all of their work to the very best of their ability. We look forward to your continued diligence in Semester 2. All reports will be released to parents via SEQTA at 4.00 pm today, Friday 29 June, and the following suggestions may be helpful in discussing your child’s report with her.SCHOOL REPORTS

The way you respond to your daughter’s report will tell her a great deal about what you value. Traditional reactions to grades, such as joy or disappointment, can mislead our children as to what is really important. Focus on the indicators and praise the effort and improvement your daughter has shown rather than the mark. Perhaps, use the report as an opportunity for your daughter to reflect on what she has achieved this semester. This is a much more effective way of assisting her to identify what factors have led to great success or improvement and what has been challenging.

In talking to your daughter about her report, it’s important to reflect on this semester and plan for next semester.

Some suggestions for reflection

• Take some time to sit together, without interruptions to show the value you place on your daughter’s efforts.
• Ask your daughter open-ended questions instead of yes or no questions
• Start by asking how she feels about her results.
• What is she most proud of about her report? Is she disappointed about any part of it?
• Which subjects has she found hardest or easiest and why?
• What does she think her teacher would say about her strengths and growth areas?
• What strategies did she use in the subjects she did well in? Could these strategies be used in other subjects?
• Were there particular topics or assessment styles that she found more challenging?

Some suggestions for planning

• Help your daughter set realistic goals for the coming semester. What is an area for improvement and what changes can she put into place to make this happen?
• How can you help to support her learning?
• Help your daughter plan what to do next in order to achieve to her potential, which may include a discussion about too little or too much time spent doing homework and study, achieving balance and the difference between homework and study.
• Email or discuss with teachers any concerns, your daughter’s goals for next semester or areas she has identified where she might need help.
• If your daughter wishes to meet with her teacher to discuss an area of the course, study techniques or organisation, does she need help writing down some questions to ask her teacher?
• Sometimes as parents it is easy to fall into the trap of assuming poor student performance is based on the teacher, however, a partnership of mutual respect cooperation and collaboration will provide the greatest benefit in for your daughter’s education.
• Talk about grit and persistence. We recommend these articles, from our Knowing Girls blog, to help with ongoing conversations about these qualities. The Secret to Growing Gritty Kids and The Power of Consistency in a Now, Now, Now World

If we really want to empower our children in their learning, we need to teach them the value of reflection, planning and ongoing, open, honest conversation.

I wish all families a safe and happy holiday.