Volume 26 Issue 5 03 Mar 2017 5 Adar 5777

From the Director of Studies 7-12

Adam Majsay – Director of Studies 7-12

Academic assembly

This week, our High School Assembly celebrated the many and varied achievements of our Class of 2016. Four students, representing their peers, gave their time to return to school, meet with our High School students, and to share some of their thoughts on their learning. We are grateful to Joel Springer, Dylan Blecher, Joshua Rosenwax and Jake Green, who attended this special assembly. I have included excerpts of the addresses given at the Academic Assembly below.

Joel Springer, Jake Green, Joshua Rosenwax and Dylan Blecher

Director of Studies’ address

Today, we’re joined by some of our Year 12 students from last year, who are here to celebrate what was for all of the students of the Class of 2016 a successful Year 12, and a successful HSC.

You’ve heard at assemblies throughout the term so far, and at the Parent Information Nights that we’ve held over the past weeks, about the excellent results of our students from Year 12 last year in their HSC courses. Today we have a chance to congratulate and celebrate these achievements directly with some of our recently graduated students.

In particular today, we’re going to hear from two of our ex-students today, Joel Springer and Dylan Blecher, about some of their experiences during High School and during Year 12, and the strategies they put in place to make sure that, at the end of their time at School, they were able to be proud of what they had achieved, and were able to say that they had put in their best effort, and had achieved all that they set out to achieve.

You’ve heard often about the power of setting and sticking to personal goals. With your Tutors you’ve no doubt spent time establishing some goals for 2017. Senior students – you no doubt have some goals in your mind about how you’d like your HSC year to proceed, and what you’d like your 2018 and beyond to look like.

I’m going to suggest that achieving all you set out to achieve starts with just that: deciding on what it is that you want to achieve, and then setting out a plan to get there. Joel and Dylan will share their thoughts on making the most of your time at School, but I am going to talk for a minute or two about an upcoming series of events that will require you to be specific about and accountable for your goals.

Last year, our Year 8 and Year 9 students participated in a 3-Way Learning Conversation – between them, their parents and their teachers. Students had to consider, in advance, some examples from each subject that reflected their learning. The example could have been something of which they were proud, or conversely, could have been an example of something that was, for them, a real struggle, and became a real learning opportunity. In addition, students needed to consider their learning goals for each subject. With these examples and learning goals in mind, students led the conversation between themselves, their parents and their teacher, reflecting on their learning throughout the year.

This year, our Parent Teacher Nights – which are coming up for Years 10-12 at the end of this term, and Years 8 and 9 at the start of Term 2 – will all follow the 3-Way Learning Conversation model. Each of you will start the conversation, highlighting the things about which you are proud, the areas in which you would like to improve, and the goals and aspirations you have for your learning in each subject.

We’re looking forward to seeing you take increased ownership of and independence in your learning in each subject and an increase in the pride you and your parents and your teachers will take in your learning journey this year.

While Dylan and Joel share their stories about their HSC year, and their own story of learning at Emanuel, I want you to consider your own story – the hopes you have for your time at School this year, what you want to achieve in each subject, the things you’re proud of having achieved, and the things that you know you want to work towards this year.

Putting these goals and achievements into words, writing them down and sharing them with others will help to clarify them, make them real, and more achievable.I hope, at the end of the year, you will look back on 2017 as a year that was full of things of which you can be really proud.

Joel Springer’s address (Class of 2016)

Things I learnt:

Time and effort go a long way 

The subjects I put consistent effort into were the ones where I did the best and the hobbies I kept up consistently throughout HSC saw the greatest improvement. Because Maths was my favourite subject, I put in extra effort and that made a noticeable difference. It was obvious to me that effort was the key to my success because I started Year 12 off a bit lazily and as a consequence I received some disappointing results, even in my favourite subject. Once I got my act together I began doing considerably better on my tests which was very rewarding.

You really discover what you enjoy 

That’s because as you begin studying longer hours, only your favourite hobbies are continued and as you begin dreading studying more, your favourite subjects become what you study to procrastinate your not-so-favourite subjects. And, therefore, because consistent effort is key to success, the subjects that you enjoy see the greatest success. And that’s why it’s so important to pick subjects you enjoy.

The importance of balance

It’s important to have hobbies and goals outside of the HSC in order to feel fulfilled and release some stress. However, it’s also important not to overdo it. At one point I remember I had too many time-consuming commitments and it was important for me to decide to let go of one of my hobbies to hopefully pick up again at a later stage. That definitely doesn’t mean HSC is an excuse to stop all hobbies and refuse to pick up a part-time job. You just have to be reasonable with your time management which actually applies to everyone in every year to some extent, but just becomes tougher during the final years of High School. 

Dylan Blecher’s address (Class of 2016)

I’ve been asked to give a two-minute speech on what I learned during the HSC and any advice I have for HSC students. To best do that, I’m going to use a basketball analogy.  Before I get into it, I’d just like to say: “What I’m about to say is NOT JUST for HSC students.”

So in basketball, a free throw, for those of you who don’t know, is the unguarded shot from that coloured line over there, and a free throw requires quite a lot of technique to perfect. You’ve got to bend your knees, focus your eyes on the back of the rim, extend your arm and knees simultaneously, let the ball roll off your middle finger, follow through with that perfect touch of backspin – there’s a lot to think about. 

I remember, there was a period last year where I had all the technique down – eyes fixed on the back of the rim, follow-through was perfect, but no matter what I did, my shots were bouncing off the rim and missing. For quite a while, I couldn’t work out what I was doing wrong but eventually, I came to realise, I was forgetting to do the most important, fundamental thing.

I was so caught up with my technique that I was forgetting the essential step that comes before all the technique. I was forgetting to try get the ball in the hoop. When I started focusing on my ultimate goal, my shots started going in.

School’s the same. There’s so much technique and study skills such as “put a weight at the end of your pen so that when it comes to the HSC exams, you can take it off and write faster”, but it’s all pointless and unfulfilling if you don’t know what you’re doing it for. So with this whole basketball analogy, I guess all I’m trying to say is: find your ultimate goal – be it a certain grade or be it a better balance between your fitness, social stuff and academic stuff. Keep it clear in your head and you will find it a lot easier to succeed.

 

Adam Majsay, Director of Studies 7-12