Dear members of the MLMC community,
Welcome to the last weeks of summer as we start to see the heat that we expect of summer eventuate. As I write this morning, I note that the forecast temperature for today is 37 degrees celsius, which I understand is the hottest day we have had for some time. I am thinking of the many activities in the busyness of the College day and also the importance of the community staying hydrated, wearing hats and sunscreen when outside and seeking relief in the shade or under the many shelters constructed of purpose-built materials to lower the temperature. I am also thinking of the Year 7 Swimming Carnival scheduled for this afternoon, whereby adjustments have been made to the program in consideration of the extreme heat.
We are certainly back into the full swing of building the community on ‘the Hill’ and it is so very pleasing that for the first time in three years we have been able to hold full College events the way we would like to celebrate them.
(1) Opening Mass and Top Achievers’ Assembly
This was highlighted to me in our Opening College Mass and Top Achievers’ Assembly. To have the Doyle Centre filled to the brim to celebrate the Eucharist, which is central to who we are as a community, was delightful, as was the celebration of academic success afterwards. To have members of the graduating class of 2022 acknowledged for their efforts and high achievement in front of the whole College is very important in helping all our students to aspire. The speeches, delivered by College Dux Jack Drummond and Catherine McAuley winner Danielle Gazzola, were both challenging and heart-felt. I congratulate all our graduating Class of 2022.
(2) Year 7 Camp
Another highlight of this week has been the Year 7 camp and Year 7 Stepping Forward program.
This year’s cohort all had the opportunity to attend their camp in Alexandra and in visiting both it was evident that the students were enjoying themselves and making bonds with new friends. A great feature this year was the return of the visit by the Year 10 Peer Support Leaders. These leaders travelled by bus, driven by Deputy Principal Mr John Rodgers, to Alexandra two nights of the week to make connections and organise activities with the Year 7 group. Their contribution was obvious and welcomed.
(3) Providing service
A third highlight of the past fortnight has been the return of Catherine’s Cafe to the streets of Lilydale, staffed by our Year 12 students in the service of those who need support. A new program this year has seen the introduction of Year 11 students travelling to Fitzroy to support the work of the Sisters in providing meals and support to the people who walk those streets at night. It is yet another example of our College commitment to try to help where needed.
(4) An article for parents
As it is the beginning of the year, I thought I would share with you an article I found about 10 years ago in the hope that you enjoy it. I am unable to provide the source at this time, but it is well worth a read (below).
Advice from teachers to help parents help kids be better students
Thousands of students are heading back to school in the coming days, and teachers are preparing to shape a fresh set of young minds. Parents will be interested to know what teachers would like in the upcoming year.
Let your child see you making mistakes
Parents are their child’s first teacher and their lifetime teacher. Part of being a lifetime teacher is teaching your child how to deal with making mistakes. Make mistakes, and let them see that you can deal with it so they will know you can move on easily.
Use email to keep in touch
Email is a great way to reach your child’s teacher without having to play phone tag. Or use the class Facebook page if there is one. Email is great for teachers because they can have a record of a conversation or print things out to put in a student’s file as a reminder. If parents are hearing where their students are struggling, they should feel comfortable talking to the teacher about it. Teachers want to know when students need more help. It’s important that there’s a lot of positive communication going back and forth — from “your child did a great job today” to hear that students are talking at home about what they’ve learned in school.
Don’t tell your child that you weren’t good at Maths
Parents might feel intimidated by the thought of helping children with their Maths homework, especially in the upper grades. Never say, “It’s okay, I’ve always been bad atMaths, too”. You would never say that about reading. Maths is here to serve you, not to trip you up. It’s here to make life easier, and a lot of that can start at home with parents showing that they’re not intimidated by numbers. Try to relate it to daily activities, whether it’s calculating statistics at a sporting event or working out the cost of groceries. Capitalise on those day-to-day things where maths comes up rather than drilling children on maths facts. That way you’re really engaging them and letting them see how what they’re learning matters in life.
Get organised with a colour-coded system
Older students are expected to be more independent and manage their assignments themselves, but as they transition from primary school they can find it hard to keep track of everything. Try using colour-coordinated folders and notebooks to help students keep their material for different subjects organised.
Check their homework, and then ask them to explain it to you
It’s not enough to just get the answers right. To make sure your children aren’t guessing or spitting back memorised information, ask them to explain what they did and why. Even if parents don’t understand quite what the student has done, you know that the child has completed the task. If the child has to actually explain what they’re doing, it lets the parent know their child’s level of understanding and also helps the child learn more deeply.
Don’t compare your child with others
This applies to all children, but is especially important with children who have learning disabilities or other special needs. Don’t put pressure on the child to be just like the child down the street. There’s no such thing as the child that’s like every other child. Every child is different. They all have strengths and weaknesses, they all have talents and challenges.
Help your child make connections to literature
To help your child get the most out of books, focus on problem-solving, social skills and life experience. For instance, take your children to the zoo (life experience). Teach them to ask an adult for help (problem-solving) or to hold the door for others (social skills). With an arsenal of these skills in place, they will be able to relate their own life experiences to those of book characters, improving their comprehension. If they don’t have these life experiences, and we ask them to make deeper connections to literature, it can be hard for them.
Middle school and high school are not the time to take a more hands-off approach
Just because your children are getting older it doesn’t mean it’s time to put them on auto-pilot. This is the point in their lives when they’re trying to sort out who they are. Peer pressure is intense and their connectedness to school can wane. When drugs, bullying, peer pressure and skipping class become more rampant, that’s when your teenagers really need you, your support and wisdom and your rules and values. Remember they are always looking out the corner of their eye to see what you are thinking and how you are reacting. You can show them how an adult deals with life.
Don’t do everything for your child
Sometimes it’s faster to do things yourself than wait for your child to complete a task. But by doing everything for them, you’re not preparing them to take care of themselves. If your child is having trouble with something, such as organising his backpack, stand next to him and have him do it while you talk him through the process. This goes for time management as well. Parents can empower their children to think for themselves and be more responsible for themselves. They need to figure out: how do I juggle all of the activities and classes but not have to rely on mum and dad to step in?
Ask about your child’s day
Stay involved in your child’s education. Even small things, like asking children what they did in school, can be the difference between a child who unplugs at the end of the day and one who continues thinking about what was learned. If a student goes home and everyone says one thing they did that day, repeating it to anyone else in the house will help them remember it. If they say, ‘I don’t remember’ or ‘I don’t know,’ ask them something specific: ‘What did you do in Science today?’ — something that will get them talking about what they have learned.
(5) Personal Pars
News has reached the College that Maddison O’Connor (Year 10) lost her grandfather in a horrific car accident last weekend. We pray for the repose of Lewis Carnegie’s soul and may he rest in peace. Let us pray that the O’Connor family receive the love and support that they need at this time.
In the Spirit of Catherine,
May God bless each and every one of you.
Stay cool.
Philip A Morison
