12 Jan 2017

The Alchemy Team HSC, Life, Schooling, Students, Study Permalink

HSC students: don’t waste your school holidays!

The Alchemy Team 12 January 2017

It’s holidays. Every one loves holidays.

But for about 80,000 HSC students across NSW, this is one of the most valuable times to get a head start on the long list of things you need to do in year 12.

By this point, you’ve probably seen enough of your friends, completed Battlefield 1 three times, been to the mall a dozen times and binged on every TV show that Netflix has to offer. SO USE THE REST OF THE HOLIDAYS WISELY!

I’m gonna give you some tough love here. And please hear me when I say; it is definitely love! I want the best for you and I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I see too many HSC students make!

Here are the 3 things you NEED to get done by the end of the holidays. Prioritise them – you have the rest of your life to go to the beach – just buckle it down and kick some butt!

1. Read/watch your English texts that you are going to be studying later in the year.

Seriously. This is so so so important.

Go read the art of travel. Go watch Metropolis (as painful as it might be!). Read your poems.

All of these things will take time – time that you won’t have once term is under way. Use this time NOW to get these covered. You might need to re-read/watch them later, but at least you will have a solid understanding of the general themes.

2. Get started on major works.

I’ll admit, I was one of those guys rushing my extension history major work the night before it was due. Sure I got it done, but it was no where near as good as it could have been if I had taken time.

Major works are just that; MAJOR works.

They take time. The worst mistake you can make is thinking you have so much time to get it done. It might feel that way, but trust me when I tell you that the 13th of November will be here in the blink of an eye.

Get started on your major works. For art, come up with some sketches. For drama, do some research of similar plays. For Eng Ext 2, start drafting. Whatever it is for you – just get started!

3. Start revising

Studies have shown that the average time it takes a student to perform at their full potential after the summer holidays is 3 weeks. That is a lot of content covered in zombie mode!

If you start revising your subjects now, you will be performing at your best when school begins.

Go over your notes from last year. Find a past HSC paper and give it a try. Organise a session with your tutor. Or if you don’t have one, get one – because no one should do the HSC alone!

If you want to excel in the HSC, it starts now. Not on the 28th of January. Not at your trial exams.

Does Federer only pick up his racket before a game? Would Bolt only train before the olympics start. Nope – they get results because they put the work in before anyone else.
Considering a tutor for your child? We can help! We have amazing tutors ready to go that will help your child grow in confidence, love the learning experience and ultimately realise what they are capable of. Learn more here and book their first lesson online today!

11 Jan 2017

The Alchemy Team Life, Parenting, Schooling, Students, Tutors Permalink

Your 2017 Academic Calendar

The Alchemy Team 11 January 2017

Here’s an easy downloadable 2017 school year calendar for your iPhone containing term and holiday dates, all the major exam dates (HSC, NAPLAN, Selective and OC) and a bunch of other important academic reminders.

Just push the button, hit ‘add all’ in the top right and it will be added to the calendar of your choice!

2017 Academic Year for iPhone

The above link will also work if you have a mac or iPad!

If you don’t have an iPhone, or would just prefer a regular calendar, here’s an excel file with all the key dates highlighted for you:

Download Excel File

Key dates in 2017:

Term 1 Begins: 27/01/17

Selective School Exam: 09/03/17

Autumn School Holidays: 08/04/17 – 25/04/17

Term 2 Begins: 26/04/17

NAPLAN Exams: 9/05/17 – 11/05/17

Winter School Holidays: 01/07/17 – 16/07/17

Term 3 Begins: 17/07/17

OC Class test: 26/07/17

NAPLAN results released: 14/08/17

Spring School Holidays: 23/09/17 – 08/10/17

Term 4 Begins: 09/10/17

HSC Exams: 16/10/17 – 10/11/17

HSC Results released: 14/12/17

Summer School Holidays: 16/12/17 – 30/01/18

10 Jan 2017

The Alchemy Team Life, Students Permalink

How to own 2017

The Alchemy Team 10 January 2017

I love a new year. There is something so liberating about stepping in to new opportunities and leaving the old year behind.

I want to make 2017 incredible, and I want to see you do the same. Here are my 3 tips to make this year yours:

1. Take time to set goals.

Some people call them resolutions, but there seems to be something temporary about that phrase. Goals however, are those all consuming milestones we strive towards daily. Don’t confuse a goal with a dream. A dream is something you would love to happen one day – a goal is something you work towards daily with dedication, focus and persistence.

At the start of each year I write down 2 goals for each of my three core areas of growth: health, mind and career. I only write down 2, because any more and it becomes difficult to monitor.

These goals need to be trackable. You need to be able to say at the end of each week if you succeeded or failed. So for example, under health, one of my goals is to get to the gym at least 4 times per week. That is a far more effective goal than just ‘lose 10kgs’ – this way I will know at the end of each week if I have achieved my goal or not. Overtime, those small wins will result in a larger win of losing that weight – but this way I have a benchmark to hold myself to.

My 2 mind goals are to join a band and learn Japanese. Mind goals are those personal goals that will make you feel more fulfilled each day. It might be to meet with a mentor every week or read 52 books this year.

Action for you: Write down 2 health goals, 2 mind goals, 2 career/school goals. Make them actionable. For example, you may want to come first in English this year – rather than making that your goal, make it your goal to write a practice essay every week. You might want to get a job this year – but make your goal to hand out 2 resumes each week. Actionable goals result in far greater success than just listing achievements!

2. Make adventures happen

Every day I try to do something that scares me. Something that puts me outside of my comfort zone. It’s not always enjoyable, but I always feel more alive afterwards.

Adventures don’t have to happen in far away lands – they can happen in your neighbourhood – in your home, when you are willing to step out in to the unknown.

The best part is that with repeated effort, what once scared you will no longer do so.

Action for you: Every day, start a conversation with someone you have never met before. It can be a daunting task – especially in the world of SMS and online anonymity. But by putting yourself out there, you’ll gain confidence and it will propel you on to conquer whatever other fears you may have.

3. Take time out to refresh

In the busy world we live in, finding time to refresh can be so hard to find. I mean time away from phones, TVs and computers. Time to think and dream.

These moments are crucial to sustaining us through the year. Without them, it is very likely you’ll get burnt out and things will become much harder.

Action for you: Take 15 minutes out every day to just rest. Close your eyes and breathe deeply, thinking about your goals and what you need to achieve. If you do this in the morning, you’ll find your day running with much more clarity and focus.

These are just 3 simple tips to help you own 2017. With sustained effort and discipline, you’ll be able to get to the end of the year and look back on the goals you conquered and the adventures you had as your best year ever!

Considering a tutor for your child? We can help! We have amazing tutors ready to go that will help your child grow in confidence, love the learning experience and ultimately realise what they are capable of. Learn more here and book their first lesson online today!

13 Dec 2016

The Alchemy Team HSC, Parenting, Schooling, Students, Study Permalink

Overcoming procrastination

The Alchemy Team 13 December 2016

Procrastination is the great stealer of time – time that could be used in so many other beneficial ways. Time that could be spent working out, pursuing a hobby, spending quality time with family and friends or chasing after a dream. Every time we procrastinate doing what we need to do, we postpone doing what we want to do.

For students, procrastination is one of the biggest hurdles they need to overcome to perform at their full potential. Here are 5 strategies I use to overcome procrastination:

1. Silence my phone

I say silence and not ‘turn off’ because I am a realist – and know that the thought of turning off a student’s phone can send shivers down the spine of even the most devoted.

Nothing will distract you and waste your time like your phone. When you are doing something tedious or boring, it is so easy to pull out your phone and scroll though your feed or open snapchat. Whilst it might only take a few seconds, there are so many attention grabbers that can suck you in to a dangerous time vortex and before you know it, half an hour has passed.

Keeping your phone on silent will not be as effective as turning it off or putting it in another room, but it will minimise the distractions of notifications and messages.

2. Optimise my workspace.

When I have to do things that require a significant amount of attention and focus, I always try to have 2 monitors connected to my computer. With just one, I am constantly weaving in between windows and apps, but 2 enables me to be more productive and avoid distractions. I also need to have a near spotless desk to work on. No papers or notes out, because I will read them as soon as my mind wanders from the task at hand.

Of course, this may not be relevant to you, but the same principal applies. Get all your books ready to go before you start studying so you aren’t getting up every 5 minutes to get something. Clean your desk daily so there aren’t a dozen things on it fighting for your attention.

3. Headphones in, distractions out.

When I need to get in the zone, I always wear headphones. It serves 2 purposes: one is that it prevents me from getting distracted by everything happening around me – and when I work from home with 2 girls under 3, there is always something happening around me! Secondly, it makes it much harder for people to disturb me. When I am in the office, wearing headphones is like an unspoken ‘do not disturb’ sign. People aren’t going to get your attention just to tell you a joke or ask about your weekend – it will either be very important or they will wait.

4. Create a reward system.

I really only use this during ultra hard times. It was a great technique during my HSC and then again amidst exams at University. Now I only use it when I am doing something super tedious like preparing my taxes or mindless data entry.

There is nothing wrong with bribing yourself. I will often set myself a goal of just doing 10 solid minutes and then rewarding myself with a walk down to the lounge room to see what is happening. Or a quick snack.

Make sure the rewards have time limits attached – don’t just let it be ‘go on Facebook’ because we all know how that can get out of hand!

5. Focus on the goal.

There should always be a goal – even if that goal is simply to get it done and out of the way. Nothing gets my 3 year old eating her dinner like the prospect of dessert – so for her, she smashes her dinner with the goal being a gummy bear or oreo.

If you have some rough homework to get through, focus on the goal – just to get it done. Because when you are done, you can go and do whatever you want.

On a larger scale, know that every hour of studying you do is shaping your future. Every dumbbell you lift is making you healthier. Every book you read is giving you an army of knowledge and wisdom about the world. Every great achievement in history has been crafted through hard work and focus.
Considering a tutor for your child? We can help! We have amazing tutors ready to go that will help your child grow in confidence, love the learning experience and ultimately realise what they are capable of. Learn more here and book their first lesson online today!

02 Dec 2016

The Alchemy Team Parenting, Schooling Permalink

Handling your child’s poor report

The Alchemy Team 2 December 2016

I’ll be the first to admit that my end of year report wasn’t always the best. In year 8 and 9 I completely underperformed – there were too many distractions and I simply didn’t care enough to put the effort in. I remember my Dad taking me for a walk and talking to me about it. It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t even disappointment. It was a frustration that he knew I could do better.

As a private tutor, I’ve seen many students in the same position – not realising their full potential. Bad reports can happen, and the reality is they probably won’t come as a surprise to your child – he or she will be fully aware that they didn’t apply themselves 100%. BUT, that doesn’t mean it won’t upset them. I remember trying to pretend I didn’t care, but deep down I did. I wanted to top my class. I wanted to make my parents proud. I wanted to make me proud!

Here are 5 tips to handling a bad report card:

1. Understand it probably upsets them. Even if they don’t show it.

I think this is really valuable to remember. Getting angry at them will probably only further their feelings of failure. When we mess up, we don’t usually want someone rubbing it in our faces. You might be mad – you’ve spent time and money supporting them with their schoolwork – but try to turn that anger in to something constructive.

2. Remind them what they are capable of.

Find some sort of achievement of theirs that happened in that same year, like a sporting trophy or a good mark in an assessment task. It is really important to remind them that they are capable of achieving great things, even if this report might not show it.

3. Convey the value of education.

A lot of the time, a poor report will come because a student doesn’t apply them self in class. Highlighting the importance of school, and perhaps discussing where they eventually want to end up (as a career or at University), will help them to see the significance of their education.

4. Identify the problem.

Try to find out what the issue is. Was it that they didn’t understand something in a class? Was it that they were too distracted sitting next to their best friend? Or was it an issue with the teacher? Identifying the problem is crucial in moving forward and improving those results.

5. Offer to help.

As you begin to think about the following year, offer to help them in whatever way they need. This could be in the form of helping them with their homework each evening. Or it could be getting them a maths tutor or English tutor. Having a private tutor work with your child makes such a big difference as it is someone there on their side helping them along the way. Get in touch today to discuss how we can help you find the perfect tutor.

Dealing with poor report cards are never easy – but use them as a teachable moment, just like my Dad did all those years ago!Considering a tutor for your child? We can help! We have amazing tutors ready to go that will help your child grow in confidence, love the learning experience and ultimately realise what they are capable of. Learn more here and book their first lesson online today!

30 Nov 2016

The Alchemy Team HSC, Schooling, Students Permalink

Finding Discovery in Shakespeare’s The Tempest

The Alchemy Team 30 November 2016

Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest, is perhaps the most commonly studied text in the Area of Study. This means two things: firstly, that there are plenty of resources available for students, and secondly, that the competition is fierce!

I want to break down the Tempest a little bit, and discuss the main points of discovery that I see. Of course, your teacher may focus on other elements or characters, but as an English tutor I get to work with students from dozens of different schools, so it actually gives me the advantage of seeing what many different teachers focus on and therefore determining what most teachers are looking for!

Now I’ll be the first to admit, The Tempest isn’t one of Shakespeare’s most gripping plays. It is hard to beat the tragedy of Othello or Romeo and Juliet. Nor does it contain the complexity of Hamlet or Macbeth. But there are still plenty of discoveries to draw upon, and it contains perhaps one of Shakespeare’s most illustrated character transformations.

In my experience, this module is all about Prospero. Sure, there are other discoveries made. Ariel discovers independence. Miranda discovers love. But the most prevalent discovery is the self discovery made by Prospero as he realises his flaws, repents of his ways and releases his hold on the island. The best essays I see are those that take the marker on this journey of Prospero from bitterness to forgiveness.

At the start of the Tempest, Propero is fuming. He is telling his story of betrayal to his daughter (who like most teenagers keeps getting distracted). Prospero is proper angry; betrayed by his own blood – his brother. We learn that he caused the storm, marooning them on that island, and his mastery of magic is keeping every one under his rulership.

As the play progresses we begin to see him change. He discovers that his bitterness isn’t helping anyone – including himself. Eventually he lets Miranda get married. And then at the end of the play he relinquishes his use of magic, which is so wonderfully symbolic of his inner discovery.

But this rough magic
I here abjure, and when I have required
Some heavenly music, which even now I do,
To work mine end upon their senses that
This airy charm is for, I’ll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I’ll drown my book.

Him giving up magic is so much more than a physical act. He uses magic to cover up his own insecurities after his brother betrayed him, so giving up that mask represents that he has finally understood who he is. Discovery is totally connected to identity, and this is the strongest case for personal discovery in the text.

What I usually recommend to students is devote one paragraph to self discovery (Propero) and then the other paragraph to discovery of the world – this could be Miranda, Ariel, or any of the other characters that learn more about the world around them.

You then want to find a related text that shares the same ideas – a character who learns about themselves and another who learns about the world. You need to ensure you RT aligns with your thesis – too often I see students choose discovery related texts that don’t connect with their argument at all.

This is just a simple summary from a private tutor of how I would approach Shakespeare’s the Tempest. Ultimately if you know your text well and can string together a good essay, you’ll be fine. If not, one of our incredible English Tutors can help you! Get started with them today to get the competitive edge in your HSC!
Considering a tutor for your child? We can help! We have amazing tutors ready to go that will help your child grow in confidence, love the learning experience and ultimately realise what they are capable of. Learn more here and book their first lesson online today!

10 Oct 2016

The Alchemy Team HSC, Parenting, Schooling, Students, Study Permalink

CREATING VALUE IN TERM 4

The Alchemy Team 10 October 2016

It is so easy to view term 4 as the term that doesn’t matter. This is usually because exams are taken half way through, and then reports come out a few weeks later – so the last few weeks can often be a bit of a struggle.

But, there is still so much to play for in term 4. Here are 4 reasons why your child needs to bring their A game to term 4:

Final exams

If your child is in high school, they will have end of year exams which can count for up to 50% of their course marks. This is the time where they need to start studying and revising content that they have learnt over the year to maximise their potential in their final exams. I’ve seen it many times – students do great through terms 1-3, but by term 4 they burn out and they stop investing in to their studies. This has a negative effect on their class ranking that brings them down the following year. For the sake of end of year exams, get your children fired up and studying from day one!

Milestones

There are a lot of significant milestones in term 4. Year 11 students start year 12, year 10 students prepare for their HSC courses, and year 6 students prepare for High School. Even if your children aren’t in any of those grades, it is still an exciting time to be at school.

Foundations

In term 4, the foundations are often put in place for the following year. For many subjects, this is a crucial component for year on year success. If a student is disengaged in term 4, there is a good chance it will impact them at the start of the following year.

Discipline

If for nothing else, a student who can apply themselves all the way until the end of term 4 builds persistence. In the instant world we live in, where young people have micro-attention spans, this is a beautiful thing to have!

Make term 4 incredible by making it important. Students who understand the value of term 4 will be the ones who get results!Considering a tutor for your child? We can help! We have amazing tutors ready to go that will help your child grow in confidence, love the learning experience and ultimately realise what they are capable of. Learn more here and book their first lesson online today!

19 Sep 2016

The Alchemy Team Homework, HSC, Students Permalink

WHY SCALING DOESN’T MATTER

The Alchemy Team 19 September 2016

Around this time of the year, as year 11’s begin to think about year 12 and what subject to drop, the discussion of ‘scaling’ returns to the surface.

Scaling is the term used to describe the weighting of courses in the HSC and how this affects the overall ATAR. At its most basic, it rewards harder courses (such as the extension subjects, physics and chemistry) and ‘scales down’ simpler subjects – like creative or trade subjects.

I see a lot of students get stressed about this, because they want a good ATAR and they don’t want their subjects to affect them. Often a student will consider dropping Music which they love, in favour of keeping Physics which they hate, because the perception is that keeping physics will ‘scale up’ their ATAR.

But here’s why scaling doesn’t matter.

Scaling is only relevant if you receive the same mark in every subject. So for example, if you got an overall mark of 95 in every subject, then you may get to see the impact of scaling. For most people, this is not going to be the case.

Too many students push themselves through subjects they hate in order to bump up their scaling. But 9 times out of 10, students will always perform better in subjects they enjoy. If you enjoy something, you will work hard at it. If you work hard at it, you’ll get good at it.

Don’t choose a subject just because it ‘scales well’. Choose subjects you enjoy – because there is nothing more true in the HSC than this; hard work gets results. You will find it one thousand times more difficult to work hard at a subject you don’t like or struggle with than to commit that energy to something you are passionate about.Considering a tutor for your child? We can help! We have amazing tutors ready to go that will help your child grow in confidence, love the learning experience and ultimately realise what they are capable of. Learn more here and book their first lesson online today!

19 Aug 2016

The Alchemy Team Homework, Schooling, Students Permalink

HOW TO INTERPRET NAPLAN RESULTS

The Alchemy Team 19 August 2016

NAPLAN results are out this week and we’ve been seeing the reports scattered on kitchen counters around the country.

The report itself is fairly self explanatory. Your child is the dot, and the two arrows show the average in their school and across the country. I want to share 5 things you can learn from your child’s NAPLAN results and how you can help them continue to improve:

1. Rather than comparing them against the nation, compare them against their previous results.

I always tell parents to hold on to those reports, as the most beneficial aspect is seeing how they have improved over the previous 2 years. The NAPLAN exam is quite clever in that the standard generally remains the same for each exam, they just make them slightly harder as the student gets older. In doing this, it allows you to see if your child has improved since they last completed the exam.

In my eyes, this is the most valuable measurement of all. There are too many variables in using the school or national performance as the benchmark, but by comparing them against their previous results you can identify any potential issues that will need to be addressed.

Ideally, you will see improvements across the board. Even if they stay the same it is ok. If they have gone backwards in any of the areas, you may need to consider getting some extra support as it probably means they are struggling with new content

2. If they struggle with any of the literacy subjects, get them reading

The most effective way to improve spelling, grammar or writing abilities is by getting young people to read. In my ten years working with students this has been the biggest differential in high performing students – they read often.

It is getting harder to get young people reading – I understand this fully. iPads, iPhones, computers and video games are way more fun for everyone. But the art of reading is so important for young people to learn.

Try to get them reading a book for half an hour each day. Schedule it in, just like homework time and hopefully it will become something they look forward to.

3. A lot of the time, numeracy struggles are actually comprehension struggles.

I see it from students all the way up to year 12. When you give a student a simple maths question, they nail it. But give them the same question in a complex word problem and they struggle. So often in exams like NAPLAN, they cloak simple maths problems in confusing multi-stage questions and it is actually that part that catches students rather than the maths.

This again comes back to the need for reading. Of course, it will naturally require good mathematical skills, but it is about combining both skills together.

4. If your child is well above their school average, you may need to find new ways to challenge them.

The unfortunate reality of our 30 to 1 schooling system is that each class caters for the average. If a student struggles, they will often have remedial classes to support them, but if a student is a high performer, they generally aren’t given too many opportunities to really test themselves.

Our tutors can provide the perfect challenge that high performing students need. It is worth noting that a private tutor is not just for those that struggle, but for those who thrive off the extra challenge. It will keep them engaged and prevent them from getting bored in class. Book your first free session with one of our tutors now.

5. Finally, remember that standardised testing has its limitations.

NAPLAN exams are very black and white, but young people are not. Every student has their unique strengths and this exam won’t recognise those.

Whatever your child’s results, make sure they know that it does not impact upon who they are, how smart they are or what they are capable of achieving.

We love bringing out the hidden gold in students. It is what we do best. We provide the individualised care that students deserve by pairing the best tutors in the country with students in K-12. If you’ve ever considered a tutor for your child, don’t wait any longer. Learn more about what we do here.

I hope that helped a little. Remember to hold on to that report so you can compare the results the next time your child sits the exam!Considering a tutor for your child? We can help! We have amazing tutors ready to go that will help your child grow in confidence, love the learning experience and ultimately realise what they are capable of. Learn more here and book their first lesson online today!

12 Jul 2016

The Alchemy Team HSC, QOTD, Study Permalink

QOTD 7 – HOW TO CRAM FOR EXAMS

The Alchemy Team 12 July 2016

The Alchemy Tuition Blog