In 2005 the MEC Senior School Provision Group was formed to implement specific key priorities of the MEC Leading Schools Fund project related to: senior school provision, student outcomes, retention, and VCE teacher effectiveness. This group still operates today, meeting regularly to plan and implement coalition initiatives for senior students. By working together we can offer our school communities quality programs that could not be funded by individual schools.

Year 12 Educational Seminars
In 2006, the first of many successful Year 12 student educational seminars was introduced. Since 2006, students from our coalition schools have attended Swinburne University, Lilydale Campus, in February to undertake sessions related to: motivation and goal setting, organisation and study skills, mind mapping techniques, study sensei, speed reading and ‘The Real World’ for VCAL students. This year, over 600 Year 12 students participated from the six coalition colleges.

Student Seminar – What The Students Said
• All the sessions were very positive and well directed
• I learnt better study skills and to set goals for VCE
• Realising that I need to follow my dreams – it was really motivational
• Minds Maps are an awesome idea
• I could relate a lot to the situations the speakers described, so I absorbed their wisdom and
appreciated their advice

Michael Carr-Greg Evening
To complement the student seminar program an annual information evening with psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg on ‘Surviving the VCE’ is held for all Year 12 students, their parents and teachers at Deakin University, Burwood Campus. Both students and parents appreciated the practical advice given and the common sense approach to this VCE year.

Read what the parents and students have to say about this event:

Parent quotes:
• Presentation was useful, informative & encouraging
• Helped prioritise what was important in young peoples’ lives
• Helped to have my concerns addressed and allowed my son to hear my perspective from an expert
Student quotes:
• So much help – made me think about my sleep and study patterns
• It was good that he was funny as well as serious. It helped me to put Year 12 in perspective for me
• Very helpful. It will change my VCE for the better. I will take all changes on board

For more information visit Michael Carr-Gregg’s website:    http://www.michaelcarr-gregg.com.au

Unit 3 and 4 Examination Revision Session for coalition students
Every year for Unit 3 and 4 mid year and end of year exams, the Senior School Provision Group organises relevant weekend and term holiday revision classes for senior students.

VCE teachers offer these revision sessions to all coalition students and external subject experts are also engaged as required. This revision opportunity has been operating since 2006 with an increasing number of sessions offered, particularly in English.

Feedback from students has been consistently positive throughout the years. For the 2009 June examination revision sessions:

• 82% of students indicated they had learned something new in their revision sessions
• 88% of students indicated that they now had more understanding of the subject matter
• 88% of students indicated that they now felt more confident to tackle further revision and exam practice

A sample of student comments:

• Really well set out with good slideshows. Well explained and easy to understand
• Allowed me to refresh my memory about certain terms and get a true idea of what to study
• Just an effective as a lecture session I paid for at Melbourne Uni. Thanks.
• The use of past exam questions was helpful in understanding what the examiners are looking for and what to expect in the exam

Curriculum Provision
MEC schools currently provide VCE, VET and VCAL to senior students and further expanding student provision is a key objective. To facilitate improved access to VCE subjects, schools have offered to ‘host’ particular Unit 1/2 or Unit 3/4 subject so that students can continue their studies in this subject. Since 2006, VCE subjects offered to coalition students have included: Dance, Chemistry, Physics and Specialist Maths. In 2008, videoconferencing was used to deliver two of the five Specialist Maths classes.

VCE Teachers Meetings
Coalition VCE teachers’ meeting shave resulted in the sharing of ideas and resources with some teachers choosing to also meet informally and to jointly plan the MEC Unit 3/4 examination revision sessions. Teacher workshops for many of the Unit 3/4 subjects were held on July 16th at coalition schools.