Pre-IB Information Evening

Welcome to Grade 10! Students are adjusting to the pace of high school Lots of opportunities for students to get involved at PA If students or families have questions: Tracy Giffin tgiffin@hrce.ca Amy Smith amyjsmith@hrce.ca (902) 435-8452 ex. 4101015

Pre-IB Courses Pre-IB students take 4-5 Pre-IB courses and 1-3 PSP electives Pre-IB English 10 Pre-IB History 10 Pre-IB Science 10 Pre-IB Math 10 (2 semesters) Pre-IB French 10 (optional for students not planning to pursue IB French)

What to Expect Students often need time to adjust to 80 minute periods and the increased pace of their first semester Students will likely see an increase in the amount of homework they are expected to do compared to their grade 9 experience Students begin to develop good habits and supporting skills in order to meet the demands of their academic and extracurricular activities

Support Skill #1: Asking for help Students are highly encouraged to ask for help when they need it: Ask questions during or after class Schedule extra help if necessary (before or after a test, if homework is too challenging etc.) Attend peer tutoring (room 118 everyday @ lunch) Form study groups Comprehensive guidance (Ms Park-Petropolis, Ms Glasgow, Ms Jennifer Foulser)

Support Skill #2: Being Proactive If students know they are going to be missing time, they should: Let teachers know ahead of time in order to get work packages if necessary Have a study buddy in class who can share notes and pick up extra handouts Use online platforms like Google classroom to stay up to date

Support Skill #3: Developing Time Management Students should be keeping track of assignment due dates, tests and other assessments and managing their time to complete each one well. Keep a due date calendar and chunk up larger assignments into smaller steps Set up scheduled time in the day to complete homework assignments (this could include off classes for band students, lunchtimes or time after school) Use time given in class to work on assignments efficiently Make daily “to do” lists

Support Skill #4: Developing Self Management Eliminate distractions like phones, video games, etc. when it is time to complete homework Seating for success Review notes nightly whether or not there is a test Find a good work space

Support Skill #5: Developing Resilience It is important that students learn to recover from setbacks Seek out teacher feedback - we learn more from our mistakes than our successes Students should ask themselves: is there something I am doing that is holding me back (i.e. texting in class, procrastinating, etc.)? See learning as an opportunity for growth over time

Support Skill #6: Developing Stress Management With a good understanding of stress management techniques that students can put into practice, they can learn to gain some control over their moods and improve motivation Use tops discussed in class (i.e. stress management workshop) Comprehensive Guidance Team Encourage healthy habits: physical activity, nutritious foods, plenty of quality sleep

What Parents Can Do Keep a calendar of due dates on the fridge or in a common area so everyone is aware of what’s coming up Help students eliminate distractions during homework and study time --- take the phone or video game system for an allotted period of time each day Make sure they get enough sleep Help students take proactive steps to chunk up their workload to relieve anxiety and stress Help them build resilience and grit by seeing setbacks and challenges as opportunities for growth (ask them what they learned from the experience and what they will do differently next time)