23 September 2015
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Homestay Families
Term Three has been busy, busy, busy, especially for those who participated in winter sports, the sports tournament and the music competitions.
Getting Involved at Westlake:
At the start of the year, we talked about the importance and benefits of getting involved in school activities, and I am now pleased to see a large number of international students participating in a wide range of co-curricular activities and representing our school in many different areas.
These experiences will not only improve students’ sporting or musical abilities, but also give them skills to manage their time and work as a team player.
2016 Option Selection:
Also in Term Three, all students have been interviewed for option selection. These are important conversations where students reflect on their own learning and progress, identify their academic and career goals and plan their courses accordingly.
Study strategies were discussed in these interviews as well. I would like to remind all students to keep focused on their goals and make sure they continue to develop the study strategies discussed to achieve them.
Exams:
External exams start in October for senior students. It is imperative that senior students use the upcoming holidays effectively and revise for these very important exams.
Year 13 students, in particular, should make exam preparation their top priority for the next two months and make sure they do everything in their power to gain a qualification they can be proud to leave the school with.
Revision Tips for Students:
I have included some revision tips for all students as you get ready to sit your exams. Don’t forget to enrol in the Holiday Revision Programmes run at school these holidays and make use of the Homework Centre in P3 at lunchtimes.
I wish you great success in these very important external exams.
Tina Kwok
Head of the International Department
10 Important REvision Tips
- Draw up a revision timetable
Your revision timetable must be realistic and specific, outlining the times and subjects you want to revise each day. It should also contain frequent, short breaks.
- Exercise
Physical activity is very important, particularly during intense study time. Exercise accelerates blood circulation which allows your brain to get more oxygen and increase its productivity.
- Create a good study space
Find a place where you can be uninterrupted for a few hours. Your bedroom and library are good choices. Starbucks is not! Make sure your study space is well lit and ventilated.
- Morning is better than evening
Research shows that you are more likely to do all the planned work if you start early. Your brain also works better in the morning as it is well rested and ready to work.
- Use colours
Drawing colourful learning maps / notes will help you memorise faster. Research shows that colourful notes are easier to memorise than plain black and white ones.
- Do lots of past papers
You can download past papers from NZQA website. They come with assessment schedules and exemplars. You can also buy revision guides and workbooks from bookshops. When doing past papers, pay attention to both content and exam skills.
- Make summary notes
When you read a textbook, you should highlight the key information, then summarise this information in your own words in your revision workbook. You can test yourself by twinking out the key words in your own notes. The best way to memorise information is by making notes repeatedly.
- Reward yourself
Treat yourself to something nice after a productive day. This will give you the right balance between study and leisure and make sure that you don’t burn out.
- Use your family and friends
Ask your family to test you and give you feedback. Form a study group with your friends and help each other stick to the revision plan.
- Think positive
Your revision plan may seem daunting at the start, but each day you are making progress and each day you are one step closer to your goals. Keep a positive attitude and revision will be a lot more enjoyable.
Visit from our Sister School in China
In July, Dong Guan No 6 School, our sister school in China, visited our school for four weeks. We have had the pleasure of welcoming students from this school for visits since 2011 and have also been able to send some of the students who study Chinese at our school to China to see what school and life is like in another culture.
This year we welcomed 23 boys and their teachers and hosted them with our homestay families.
They spent time in our classrooms seeing what Westlake school life is like and making new friends. They learnt to make scones, do the haka, play rugby, sing a waiata (song), and much more. They toured parts of Auckland as well as Rotorua and Taupo.
We enjoyed having the boys visit with us and for the many opportunities we had, sharing each other’s cultures. The photos below were taken when the boys were learning how to make scones.
Sports at Westlake
We have many talented sports international students and this term congratulate all the boys who participate in our school sports programmes.
With over 30 sports to choose from there is something for every student to try.
It is an important way to meet new friends, keep fit and learn about working in a team. Popular amongst our boys are the sports of basketball, table tennis, rowing, hockey, swimming, football and rugby. We encourage all students to try a sport and proudly represent our school.
Pictured here are some of the boys who play sports for Westlake: David Qiu from China who plays badminton, table tennis and basketball, Tim Rohrbach from Germany who plays hockey, Luke Li from China who is a rower, David Minsch from Germany who plays table tennis, and Bongwon Seo from Korea who plays rugby. Warakorn Jetlohasiri from Thailand has really got into the spirit of the school sports programmes, playing badminton, table tennis, squash, tennis and now he is learning to row!
| Mats Radeck: Dedicated to Swimming
Mats Radeck joined Westlake at the beginning of this term and is already swimming for our school. We interviewed Mats to find out more about why he came to NZ as an international student and to learn more about his interest in swimming… Mats is 15 years old and arrived in July 2015 to study at Westlake for this year. He is from Trier, the oldest city in Germany. He loves swimming and has been swimming since he was 5 years old. In Germany he represented his school, his local club, and his region at swimming events. All of his family swim so they share a mutual love of this sport. Mats came to WBHS to experience life in a NZ school and to learn all about kiwi culture. He has already represented WBHS and has received top placings at two recent school swimming meetings. His day is impressive. Six days a week he gets up at 4.30am and arrives at the pool by 5.15am. He swims until 7.30am and then comes to school, grabbing breakfast on the way. He also swims three afternoons a week for 2 hours each session. In between he attends a full school day and does his homework! Well done Mats! Our thanks to his host family who support Mats with his school and sport and also to our swimming community who help Mats get to all his trainings and events. |
Music at Westlake
In August, Voicemale, the school’s 61 member choir conducted by Mr David Squire, spent a successful five days in Wellington for The Big Sing National Finale.
Voicemale were awarded a Gold Award, putting them amongst the top 6 choirs in the country.
Yekang Kwon, one of our international students, sings baritone in Voicemail. Yekang is from Yang Pyeong, a beautiful city in Korea, popular for cycling. He has been singing for three years and joined Westlake two years ago. Congratulations to Yekang and the Voicemale choir!
Host Families:
We would like to thank the wonderful host families who look after the boys in their homes. Not only do they make sure the boys have a warm and comfortable room, with good space to study and do homework, and of course provide good, healthy food each day, they do many other things to support the boys in their care.
This can include such things as helping with transport, organising bus, phone and bank cards, attending parent interviews about the student’s progress, helping with homework, providing advice for problems, taking to the doctors when unwell, celebrating birthdays, watching school sport, showing off Auckland or maybe even taking a student travelling on holiday.
Yes, these are very special people and we value the immense contribution they make.
To our students, please make sure you show your gratitude regularly to your host families– they are a big part of why you are able to do well in NZ and at school. We truly appreciate the wonderful homestay families we have who care for our international students.
What a great photo of Pamela with ‘her boys’ at the Mother Son Breakfast
Here is Chao who had a great day out fishing on the family boat with his host family. What a catch! Chao and another student David live with host Chris and his family.
Chris has also introduced the boys to rugby, and has taken the boys to watch our national game live at the stadium. We are sure they will be eagerly watching the progress of The All Blacks at the current World Cup!
Thank you to all our host families!
Cultural Corner: Chuseok
Chuseok is one of the biggest and most important holidays in Korea.
Family members from near and far come together to share food and give thanks to their ancestors for an abundant harvest. In 2015, Chuseok falls on September 27, but the holiday is observed for a total of four days (September 26–29).
On the morning of Chuseok, food prepared with the year’s fresh harvest are set out to give thanks to ancestors through Charye (ancestor memorial service).
After Charye, families visit their ancestors’ graves and engage in Beolcho, a ritual of clearing weeds that may have grown up over the burial mound.
After dusk, families and friends take walks and gaze at the beauty of the full harvest moon or play folk games such as Ganggangsullae (Korean circle dance).
Wearing Korean traditional dress (Hanbok) and eating delicious traditional rice cake (Songpyeon) is always the most enjoyable part for kids.
By Kevin Ahn, WBHS Korean Advisor.
Kevin is currently in Korea visiting with the families and agents of our students. He will enjoy the Chuseok holiday period whilst in Korea.