#HASSchat Archive
A Twitter chat for K-12 teachers of the Humanities and Social Sciences, held on the last Thursday of every month at 7:00pm (Sydney, Australia).
Thursday September 29, 2016
5:00 AM EDT
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And we are underway here for ! Tell us who you are, where you are from, and what you teach! https://t.co/2JBv5Y9MwA
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Hi all, I'm Marco. I'm a Geography, Commerce, and RE teacher from Sydney!
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We'll be using the Q1 A1 format for tonight.
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Don't be shy tonight, tweeps!
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Q1: With the NSW HSC coming up, what end of schooling exams does your system use (format, style, etc)? https://t.co/27qrKYGrPt
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A1: I'm in NSW, and we use the BOSTES HSC. Multiple choices, short answers and an extended response. Seems a fair balance to me
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A1: Having said that, I'm a big fan of the 'word limits' placed on the extended responses-roughly 800 words. Ss need to be concise
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hey Marco. I'll be watching keenly. I'm primary. Not sure if I have much to contribute
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Hi Jen! I'm happy to have you participate as much as you can! Maybe you can give us a Year 6 perspective? End of primary?
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Kurt from Sydney - History teacher
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Welcome Kurt! First Q is already up!
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we do t do end of year 6 exams in nsw. Assessments are curriculum and class based, not systemic
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Q2: How do you promote mental well-being to your Ss for their end of schooling exams in HASS subjects? https://t.co/uSdieGpcbw
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We have the HSC as well. Our HSC trials are the best models of the HSC exams we can produce, mix of MC, short answer & essays
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How do you help them 'transition' tp HS?
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I've heard about how Parra Marist does their Trials! I'm amazed! Hope to see the school in action one day!
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A2 - I think students are mentally prepared when they are academically prepared lots of practice
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A2: Much like all exams or tasks, I stress the need to eat well, get sleep, and realise that exams are not the be all and end all!
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A2 - We speak a lot of exam technique and targetted preparation, constant temperature checks to prevent burnout, etc
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When I had year 6 our cos had a linkage task the feeder schools did then a showcase at the hs Shared exp & assessment
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Temperature checks? What benchmark do you set as being 'healthy' and what do you do if they are burnt out?
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OK, Q3 is coming up soon. Don't forget to use the tag!
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Q3: How do you academically prepare your students for their end of schooling exams in HASS subjects? https://t.co/KzvXW2t1l0
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A3: I'm a Business Studies and Studies of Religion T, so I use topical case studies. I get Ss writing as much as possible!
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A3: I tell the Ss all the time... when you write by hand, you don't get a squiggly red line underneath any typos!
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A3: I also have Ss watch the news, read the paper before exams to get any last minute 'syllabus fillers' for case studies, etc.
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A3 - Skills practice, providing students with effective revision strategies, practice questions under exam conditions, etc
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Do you have them peer mark, or do you do the marking? A mixture of both?
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A4: My students undertake multiple in-class tasks so I can provide them with feedback.
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A4: I also do not give them their grade unless they come and see me and question the feedback I give them.
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A4: All Ss are free to re-submit their task and have it re-graded with further feedback. Some Ss are made to re-submit by me
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A4: The HSC, however, doesn't really allow for further feedback, and the Trials are the last official time they have.
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A4: I try and do as many exam-type tasks between the Trials and the HSC.
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Q5 is coming up in a few minutes!
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Q5: What data do you draw from end of schooling exams and how do you use it to plan for the future? https://t.co/Y54sqjpZhg
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A5: I get some great data on what they know, and what they can work on. I also LOVE seeing learning (hopefully) growth!
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A5: Data also allows for the T&L programs to be changed the following year!
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It's great to have them write their own guidelines... really lets them see what the 'marker' is looking for!
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A4 - Exam preapration? Know the formula for high marks, then drill students in 'factory manner' to churn our prepared repsonses
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Is this all that the HSC has become now? Churn out robots with Band 6s?
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In this time of competition between schools & sectors, "Getting results" is the focus of the HSC for students & schools
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That is the sad reality. We spend PS & HS getting the Ss to 'have fun' & make things and then in year 12 it changes
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Thankfully Yr 12 is more than the HSC. Great schools focus on developing people and relationships throiughout 13 years
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A6: Exams will form the basis for future funding, which is a shame.
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A6: Also, we differentiate content for Ss and then give them a standardised test. It doesn't make sense!
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A6 - Anything is better than the current model.
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A6 - "IF" there are exams they'll be negotiated tasks as part of a loooong continuum with learning growth benchmarks
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I have long been a fan of the portfolio of mastery and competencies.
