It is with much
excitement that I welcome you and your students back to QACI for 2021. I am
looking forward to again working with the Year 11 cohort as their Year Level
Coordinator this year and supporting them through their “middle-year” at QACI,
after what was a long and challenging year in 2020.
Year 11 is an exciting, but potentially restless time for students
as they formally start their IB journey. These are quite normal responses, and
part of my role is to help students embrace the challenges of the IB Diploma,
while still maintaining their balance and well-being. The Inner Core of the IB
Diploma allows students to focus on this while they engage in experiential
learning as part of CAS. Whether it is through creative pursuits, activities
such as QACI sport, or serving the community through volunteering, CAS provides
students with some balance to the academic rigour of the IB Diploma and allows
them to choose their path. Another component of the Inner Core that the Year
11s have just started is Theory of Knowledge (TOK). Before starting TOK,
students often think that it is going to be a complex philosophy course, but
really, it is just about reflecting on the process of learning in our other
subjects and thinking more deeply about how we know that information.
We are encouraging students to be proactive in their preparation
for this year in order to flourish. QACI’s Strive program plays a vital role in
your student’s education as it will help with organisation, time management and
overall wellbeing. During Week 2, the Strive program was launched and in Week 3
Connect Coaches will distribute to students their personal Assessment Planner
and provide the three-step cycle of the Semester Planner, Weekly Timetable and
To-Do List. I encourage you to check-in with your student on Tuesday
evening that they have started this process and help you gain a better insight
into what they are doing and how they are progressing emotionally and
academically. Positive conversations about what’s coming up for them each week and
focusing on ‘what is going right’ helps to reinforce the messages they are
receiving at school.
2021 will also include some fun, celebratory events specifically
for the Year 11 cohort. These events should provide a reminder that school is
about much more than just the academics, but also about having fun,
connecting and growing into the best possible people we can be.
As your student’s Year 11 Coordinator, my role is to support them
wherever possible. This will often include liaising between them, other staff
members and home. As is the case with the students too, my door is always open,
so please feel free to get in touch via email or phone.
I look forward to working with Year 11 students to support them to
be the best they can be as IB learners for life!
Kind regards,
Corinne
Jennings
Year 11
Coordinator