Thrive…don’t survive

THRIVE…

don’t survive!

Nicole Walker Head of Year 11

SUNATA 54

Navigating the journey of school certainly does have its challenges, its twists and turns. Learning is varied, dynamic and often fast-paced. Pedagogy is guided by research and supports students to learn and succeed as they engage with the curriculum. Explicit teaching enhances students’ learning outcomes and their grasp of concepts, which deepen their insights and ability to transfer knowledge. Visible learning strategies, such as articulating and displaying learning intentions at the start of each lesson, aid students to learn concepts deeply and engage quickly with content being covered to ’make connections across ideas’ (Hattie 2012, p. 16). Classrooms are certainly exciting places to be! Queensland’s new senior assessment system requires teachers to guide students in new ways. Likewise, students are required to process information differently and retain knowledge from two sequential units of work over a twelve-month period. External exams require students to demonstrate syllabus objectives and a deep understanding of subject matter, and this contributes up to 50 per cent of their overall result for subjects. Observations, reflections and feedback from students have inspired an exploration into applying an explicit teaching of social and emotional skills to support students in this ‘highstakes’ context so they can function calmly and confidently as information is analysed and synthesised. Similar to the sharing of learning intentions, it has been exciting to witness students growing in confidence as they become increasingly cognisant not only of the ‘how’ but of the ‘why’ strategies are useful. This is echoed by educator and author Ron Ritchhart who believes that ’the extent that students can develop a greater awareness of thinking processes, they become more independent learners capable of directing and managing their own cognitive actions’ (2011, p. 22). The strategies below have been shared with groups of current senior students, and the results indicate that they feel increasingly confident and calm prior to and during exam situations. They can function well. • Teach students how their brains work. Psychologist

Andrew Fuller believes that as students understand their thinking more and what is happening in their brain, they are empowered to realised that some thoughts are unhelpful/fleeting and should not be retained, and that anxiety inhibits memory function (Fuller 2022).

• Learn that the short-term memory, housed in the pre-frontal cortex, is impacted when students become concerned. This reinforces the benefit of using wellbeing strategies and reminds students of the need to commit learning to long-term memory so that patterns and connections can be made under pressure. Deep sleep helps to retain information as memories are consolidated (Lu & Woodruff 2019, p. 9); indeed, sleep routines and ‘wind’ down routines support wellbeing. • Create parallels between the skills demonstrated while playing sport or learning an instrument and effective study habits as this empowers students to actively connect the present with prior successes. Intentionally focusing on the consistent training that has occurred or imagining the success that has already been felt builds confidence.

As students actively catalogue and remember skills and learning experiences, a ‘confidence bank account’ is created (Humphrey & Hughes 2021, p. 167). • Talk aloud to reframe situations and remind oneself of work completed, which are literal applications of positive self-talk! Psychologist Erin Leyba (2019) confirms that using the voice to hum or sing stimulates the vagus nerve and is an effective calming strategy. • View potential ’threats’ as ‘challenges’ (Shean 2019). A holistic, pragmatic perspective of exams is advised as emotions can be controlled as students are aware of the natural responses their bodies have when preparing to work hard or perform, such as an increased heart rate. • Record study and revision sessions to increase motivation and build self-efficacy (Fuller 2022). • Transform ideas from one medium to another. Fuller believes that memories are made as transformation occurs.

For example, if the information is visual, use words to describe it or, if the information is verbal, lists and images help to make connections to prior learning (2022 p. 2).

This concept elevates study notes and involves more of the senses to enhance learning (Lu & Woodruff 2019, p. 13). • Build resilience by reflecting after an exam to identify strategies that helped to create focus and mental clarity to give advice to one’s future self (Layba 2019). • Be patient with the learning process! Fuller states that it

‘takes 24 repetitions to get to 80 per cent of competence … [to] build mastery” (2012, p. 2). Carol Dweck’s Growth

Mindset and the power of ‘yet’ continues to ring true (2010, p. 3). The supportive environment within which our students learn facilitates growth and empowers them to step into bright futures. The strategies uncovered this far in this journey are empowering students to trust themselves more, to work intentionally and to lean into their knowledge – to stand strong when the pressure is on and thrive!

References

Dweck, C 2010, Even Geniuses Work Hard. Giving Student Meaningful Work, viewed 20 April 2022, https://asset-pdf.scinapse.io/ prod/61822749/61822749.pdf Fuller, A 2012, Re-inventing schools from the brain up – A discussion paper, viewed 4 June 2022, https://andrewfuller.com.au/freeresources/ Fuller, A 2022, Ten Ways Schools Can Reduce Anxiety, viewed 28 May 2022, https://andrewfuller.com.au/free-resources/ Fuller, A 2022, How to increase your marks at school, viewed 28 May2022, https://andrewfuller.com.au/free-resources/ Hattie, J 2012, Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximising impact on learning, viewed 15 May 2022, https://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?hl=en&as_ sdt=0%2C5&q=hattie+visible+learning&btnG=&oq=hattie+visible Humphrey, J & Hughes, J 2021, High Performance: Lessons from the Best on Becoming Your Best, Century Trade, UK Layba, E 2019, ‘10 Better Ways to Help an Anxious Child Calm Down’, Psychology Today, viewed 3 February 2022, https://www. psychologytoday.com/us/blog/joyful-parenting/201903/10-betterways-help-anxious-child-calm-down?fbclid=IwAR0IqGA3U9lKK8K DBJHaZq6mwcDnhGL_ZBO3wQY7QXtTdMaj7hu3xS2A_Ok Lu, D & Woodruff, A 2019, The Brain: Learning and Memory, Issue 2, Queensland Brain Institute, viewed 1 May 2022, https://qbi.uq.edu.au/ brain/learning-memory/factors-affecting-learning Ritchhart, R et al. 2011, Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Interdependence, viewed 25 May 2022, https://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?hl=en&as_ sdt=0%2C5&q=ron+richhart+making+thinking+visible&btnG= Shean, M 2019, Don’t calm down! 4 ways to harness exam anxiety, Generation Next, viewed 3 February 2022, https://www. generationnext.com.au/2019/10/dont-calm-down-4-ways-to-harnessexam-anxiety/

SUNATA 55