Well, it could be. Grit isn’t something that everyone intuitively understands, but it can be a learned skill. It’s one of the defining traits of anybody who has ever achieved anything in their life. It’s the dogged, determined pursuit of what you want, no matter the odds, or even because of them.

Angela Duckworth, in her bestseller Grit, talks about the differences between people who apply grit to their life, and those who don’t. As she quotes, “Our potential is one thing. What we do with it is quite another”.

Your True Grit

So, what does that mean for you? It means that you may have coasted through your life as the smartest kid in the class. You may have never studied for a test because it was too easy. You may have gotten good grades because you understood the material better than everyone else. Were you the “smart kid” in class? Have you been told that you’ve been intelligent your whole life? Well, the startling news, and it’s been proven with excellent studies, is that that intelligence means exactly diddly squat in the real world.

That’s the bad news. There is good news. As Duckworth says in her book, “as much as talent counts, effort counts twice as much”. So, if you feel like you’ve been the dumb kid. If you’ve been routinely told you’ll never amount to anything, or that you haven’t been born as lucky (whatever that means) as anybody else, than you should be comforted by that fact. Grit, not intelligence, is the way of the world. And those who perform harder and work longer, and try more avenues to success, in other words, those who have grit, are those who become successful, happy, and healthy.

It’s tough to hear this message. It’s tempting to think that successful people are CEOs or rich businessmen or top athletes because they’ve been fortunate. Duckworth talks about this too. “Nobody wants to show you the hours and hours of becoming. They’d rather show the highlight of what they’ve become.”

So, if you’re smart or dumb, if you’ve been lucky or unlucky, if you’ve been tall or short or fat or slow or whatever else label you’ve heard about yourself, that doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t. The only factor that pulls you through, the only thing that sticks in the sieve of time is grit and determination. Everybody can outhustle the competition, and that’s the exciting message about grit. Anybody can have it and everybody can use it.

By all means, watch the movie True Grit. It’s a wonderful film and Matt Damon and Josh Brolin are excellent. But even better, develop your own story of true grit. It will serve you better over the course of your whole life.

Further Reading: If this message intrigues you, we here can’t highly recommend enough Angela Duckworth’s book Grit. Along those lines, we’d also like to suggest Mindset by Carol Dweck and The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday. They all talk about the principles of determination and pushing through no matter what’s in your way.

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#1 Consolidate your knowledge.

Whether this be content you’ve forgotten from the year 11 syllabus that might be an important foundation for current year 12 topics such as basic calculus or knowledge that you’ve had difficulty grasping this previous term, the holidays are a critical period to fill in these gaps. Not only will this boost your confidence heading into term 2 but it will help eliminate any unnecessary stress arising throughout the rest of year 12 from any unresolved content issues. This would also be a good time to use the HSC CoWorks Coaches in the learning space during Bootcamp to help out with any of these issues, so use your resources available to the fullest.

#2 Planning to plan isn’t planning.

2 months is a long time and in between holidays, social gatherings and other commitments, it can be easy to lose track of how much time you actually have to accomplish your tasks. Therefore, we highly recommend that you plan both with good intentions and effectively. Look over at what needs to be done by the end of the holidays for each of your subjects, then make goals out of these tasks measured quantitatively (i.e. SMART goals) and always apply a deadline to them. Even better, use the Portal so coaches can check in to see how you’re going to add an additional layer of accountability. That way, it will become a lot more rewarding when you head back to school knowing you’ve completed what you set out to do.

3# Getting ahead of the curve.

The holidays are a supremely useful time for you to start thinking and enacting ways for you to pre-learn and enter into term 2 ahead of the class. Whether by getting more done on your major works (remember to book in for the free Major Work Workshop in January) or by pre-reading the textbook and attempting practice questions provided to you, pre-learning can be a very efficient use of your time. By doing so, classes in school will shift from just learning new content to pointing out gaps and flaws in your knowledge. You can also use the time there and in the space more effectively by asking and attempting more challenging questions. One thing I found very useful in the grand scheme of things was to keep that momentum going beyond the summer holidays. If you’re able to cover even just the first part of a new topic every single holiday before class, you’ll find it a lot easier come Trials and HSC time to focus more on applying rather than learning new knowledge.

4# Don’t skimp on the reading and research

It’s such a simple thing but given that you have so much time, why not use it to catch-up on your prescribed texts that you’ve been neglecting to read, or perhaps even doing that extra bit of reading on a school of history for your history extension major work. Regardless of what subject, the holidays represent a time where you can tick off the less invigorating HSC tasks and yet also allow you to gain a greater understanding of the content that you need to know before you apply. Bottom line is, most students perform better in their essays and works if they have done the reading that is required of them, so why not use these holidays to do exactly that?

5# Thinking about your vision and post-HSC ideas

These holidays represent perhaps the last time where you have a lot of freedom outside of term to explore some of the big picture stuff like what you want to achieve in the HSC, what you want to be doing after the HSC and how this ties into your overall vision for the HSC. For example, use this time to evaluate what marks you might want going into the remainder of year 12 to get into a particular course or adjusting your vision after realising if you put in the effort you could get a higher end result. Furthermore, the vision you create here will be of great use heading towards the business end of year 12 and really giving it some thought can definitely be a useful thing to do over the holidays.

So there you go! These are just some tips and I’m positive you definitely have some ideas of your own so please feel free to use them and share with us any which you found particularly useful. On that note don’t forget that through the Study Bootcamp sessions & Workshops we run the holidays, coaches and the markers here at HSC CoWorks are ready to help you with any issues that you may be facing and help guide you through your HSC journey. Enjoy your summer holidays and we’ll see you back for the New Year!

HSC CoWorks Coach

The post 500 Tips Of Summer (actually, more like 5): How To Use Your Holidays To Their Full Potential appeared first on HSC CoWorks.

Term 4 begins next week, Tuesday 6^th October, for the HSC 2016 students. We invite all interested students to contact us by completing an enquiry form and joining us in our Bondi Junction, Mosman or Lindfield office to hear more about our Year 11 & Year 12 Program.

We also offer an Online Program for students who cannot attend our office during the week.

Some photos from the new office…

[easymedia-gallery med=”5384″ filter=”1″]

The post The New Lindfield Office! appeared first on HSC CoWorks.

So why build an EBT before writing your essay..

1. A well written EBT will prepare you to answer any question for that text!
2. Follow a proven system for building great essays
3. The EBT is your essay structure
4. Assemble all of your information, ideas, quotes and techniques in the one place
5. Build your essay with smaller and more manageable parts
6. Create your ebt online whilst watching fergus deliver his ebt
7. Make the process of essay writing much faster and stronger
8. Submit your EBT to the markers to make sure you have the correct ingredients for a great essay

“Whatever the project, without planning the end result will never be more than just adequate”

 

LETS GET SUBMITTING!!!

HSC CoWorks Online

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“A recent OECD report found that students in Australia’s private schools do two hours’ more homework each week than their public school peers but their results were are no better once socio-economic advantage was taken into consideration.” (Sydney Morning Herald, March 15 2015)

Currently there is no standardised guide provided by the NSW Department of Education as to how much homework students should receive in Primary school, instead allowing schools to decide their own policies.

At HSC CoWorks we do believe that homework has it’s place, in both primary and secondary school, and understand too well that the content delivery required by the Board of Studies is such that it cannot be completely covered during school hours. However we are also very clear with our students that they MUST make time for the important study tasks which are going to maximise their results come the HSC. These include;

• Memorisation, concentrating on Stretch & Challenge (generating mindmaps, submitting essay building templates for marking)
• Submitting practice exam style questions for marking via our website
• Submitting practice essays for marking via our website

It is very easy for students to become over burdened with homework and we regularly see students try to complete this in their weekly session at HSC CoWorks. We are quick to stop this. A student’s time at HSC CoWorks is best maximised being stretched and challenged, moved out of their comfort zone and focusing on the study techniques which are going to improve their end of year results.

Link to the full article here.

The post Is Optional Homework A Good Idea? appeared first on HSC CoWorks.

In this post we look at the most important strategy of all “Stretch and Challenge” where we are always looking to expand our comfort zone. Without stretch and challenge and a willingness to operate outside your comfort zone when studying there will be little improvement regardless of how well intentioned a student is with their study.

Whether we are talking about conquering Mount HSC or working towards any other goal there will always be a natural gravitation towards working on the tasks which allow you to operate within in your comfort zone (making “notes” is a great example of this)  however the additional marks you are looking for can only be found outside your comfort zone.

As we say to our students every day, every single HSC student starts the year with the exact number of hours before the final exams commence in October however how a student uses those hours is the most important single factor in determining the final HSC result.

Strategy number 1: Stretch and challenge/Pushing your comfort zone

Without a good amount of stretch and challenge in a study session it is unlikely that you will be fully engaged with what you are working on and therefore it is unlikely that you will be making new connections in your brain and therefore not operating at our optimal level. Whenever we are studying we should be trying to complete tasks which challenge us to the maximum or as Daniel Goleman in his book “Focus” puts it, at a level which is a “just manageable” demand on our skill level. More stretch and challenge means better focus, more brain connections and much better learning.

Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new. Brian Tracy (Motivational and Productivity Guru)

Examples of “Stretch and Challenge” study techniques to push your comfort zone

• If you have learnt something new either by reading or making notes, test yourself by trying to brainstorm from memory what key concepts you have just covered. For best results attempt the same task every day for the next 7 days filling in the gaps in your memory once you have “stretched and challenged” yourself to see what you can recall.

• Find some short answer questions which relate to the topic you have just worked on and attempt without your textbook/notes then use your textbook/notes to make adjustments as needed.

• Once you have completed a Maths chapter review for a particular topic, instead of closing your books, find relevant questions from past HSC papers to see what you can complete.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Jesse Gardiner

Head Performance Coach @ HSC CoWorks

jesse@hsccoworks.com.au

The post Strategies To Get You To The Peak Of Your Mount HSC – #1 – Stretch and Challenge appeared first on HSC CoWorks.

Just like a gym has different styles of classes to support members achieve their fitness goals, at HSC CoWorks we are introducing a new style of session to support students achieve their HSC Vision. The Study Burst Session is based on the time management tool taking over the world, the Pomodoro Technique, which allows for 25 minutes of focused effort followed by 5 minutes of break followed by another 25 minutes of focused effort.

What are the Study Burst Sessions? 

These sessions are an alternative to the Weekend Support Sessions and are perfect for when a student just needs to get some focused work completed by working independently and taking responsibility for their own performance instead of getting any support. This will also allow them to gauge how well they are performing in particular tasks and then get the necessary support from our coaching team at their next session.

In this  3 hour intensive study session, which is broken up into 25 minutes of serious concentration and performance followed by a 5 minute break followed by another 25 minutes of concentrated performance.

Students will determine what they need to work on in each 25 minute block of time whether it be completing an essay for English, attempting 10 challenging Maths Questions, finishing an Economics essay, revising a topic for Biology, accelerating ahead of the class for Modern History, updating your Basecamp project etc the focus is completing focused work with zero distractions. We repeat the 25 minutes ON and 5 minutes OFF until 6 x 25 minute sessions are completed.

If you would like to complete a 55 minute burst, no problem, just skip one of your 5 minute breaks and keep working through to the next break.

Benefits of the Study Burst Sessions

Zero Distractions

Mobile phones, internet surfing, Facebook, talking, getting food/coffee will only be able to done in the 5 minutes of breaks. Silent and focused effort at all other times.

Accountability

Be kept accountable to your focused effort so that you can increase your output and preparedness for assessment tasks and exams.

Improve your brain function

We know that multitasking is completely at odds with the deep reflective thinking needed for successful study. Furthermore multitasking (including digital distractions) is an energy sapping exercise for our brain so if we are working on only ONE task per 25 minutes without any distractions, we will preserve the limited energy of our brain (specifically our Pre Frontal Cortex).

Frequently asked questions

Can I get support in the Study Burst sessions? 

During the Study Burst sessions there will be limited support during the 5 minute breaks however this session is more geared towards students making serious progress towards any assessment tasks, exam preparation or revision with zero distractions. As a result of completing 6 x 25 minute focused efforts students will be able to find out specifically where they need support for their next session with support from the coaches.

When are the Burst Sessions run? 

This coming Sunday in Bondi Junction and Mosman the Burst Session will be a bonus weekend session so students can still attend their normal number of weekend support sessions (1 for Standard Package students and 2 for Premium Package Students).

Bondi Junction: 

1. Sunday 16th November 4:15pm to 7:30pm (first 15 minutes will allow for setting up, planning and going over logistics)
2. Sunday 23rd November 4:15pm to 7:30pm
3. Sunday 30th November 4:15pm to 7:30pm

Mosman: 

1. Sunday 16th November 1:15pm to 4:30pm (first 15 minutes will allow for setting up, planning and going over logistics)
2. Sunday 23rd November 1:15pm to 4:30pm
3. Sunday 30th November 1:15pm to 4:30pm

We will trial a few different times for these sessions next year to see which is the most popular however for the remainder of Term 4 they will be run in the above Sunday time slots.

Who are the Burst Study Sessions best suited for? 

• We would recommend that students on our Premium Package attend 1 x Weekend Support Session and 1 x Study Burst Session each week.
• The burst sessions are also perfect for the student who isn’t currently achieving their recommended 3 hours study/homework per night. The Burst Study Sessions will get students used to sitting down and working for 3 hours.
• For students who need to be doing more well intentioned and EFFECTIVE study as opposed to doing well intentioned and INEFFECTIVE study
• Students who have assessment tasks piling up and need to make some serious progress towards their completion rather than needing specific support on how to approach the task.
• Students who are used to multi tasking (texting, Facebook, watching TV etc) while studying.
• Students who still need to come to terms with the study demands of the HSC year.
• Students who work slowly on tasks and don’t set deadlines for task completion and as a result feel overwhelmed as the deadlines approach.
• Students who have poor study habits at home can develop their study skills and transfer these skills to their home study performance.

Look forward to completing a few Study Bursts with you all to get you to the front of the pack climbing Mount HSC.

The post Introducing Our Study Burst Sessions appeared first on HSC CoWorks.

The work being done by students in the office has been outstanding over the last few weeks so we have decided to run six “Bonus” supervised study sessions at both the Bondi Junction and the Mosman office next week (Week of 6th Oct) and the week after (Week of 13th Oct). These sessions are in addition to the Friday and Sunday sessions which are still available for students to attend.

Prior to the final exams commencing (Bondi & Mosman)

Wednesday 8th October

• 9am to 12pm Supervised study session

Thursday 9th October

• 9am to 12pm Supervised study session

Friday 10th October 

• 9am to 12pm Supervised study session

During the final exam period (Bondi & Mosman)

Wednesday 15th October 

• 9am to 12pm Supervised study session

Thursday 16th October

• 9am to 12pm Supervised study session

Friday 17th October 

• 9am to 12pm Supervised study session

 Saturday 18th October

• 9am to 12pm Supervised Study session

The post Bonus Supervised Study Sessions appeared first on HSC CoWorks.

How students use this equal amount of time will have a large impact on the ATAR calculation. Apart from the HSC CoWorks Mock Trial Exams(compulsory and included in your fees) students must be completing exam style tasks every day, eliminating distractions such as mobile phones and keeping your eyes on the top of the mountain.

Make every minute count towards the awesome feeling you will get when the results come out.

I can promise that you won’t regret it.

Here we share our 6 top study tips…

Dream study space?

1. Create a pre study ritual

Spend 2-5 minutes before you start studying remembering what your Vision is?  Why are you studying?  Perhaps looking at your vision board or a positive mantra/saying.  What about putting on a piece of music super LOUD and get in the right head space.

2. Prep the night before

At the end of each day work out what and when you will be studying the following day.  This means when you sit down you know exactly what you need to be doing and can just get started instead of wasting valuable brain resources thinking about what you are going to do that day.

3. Get creative about where you study

Can you find a different or perhaps less comfortable place to study?  Instead of studying at your desk in room surrounded by lots of distractions and comforts, find another less distracting room to study in.  What about moving outside to a shady area and setting up for a day of study or heading off to a different library. Being creative about where you study can change your flow and make you feel more inspired to start working.

4. Set an alarm

Timing yourself can be a great motivator.  Set an alarm for when you need to finish and stick to it.

5. Use your friends to help motivate each other

Why not create a small group of friends where you hold each other accountable for how much you’ll study.  You could all agree to do 3 hours of study and once you have completed that 3 hours you email or call each other. Knowing that your friends are counting on you to also do the work could be just the thing to help keep you on track.

6.  Reward yourself

For putting in a good solid effort of study make sure you reward yourself for your efforts.  This could be as simple as really relaxing in your down time knowing you studied hard earlier in the day or it could be watching a movie or tv show or meeting up with friends.

The post Top 6 Tips For Getting Motivated To Activate Your Study… appeared first on HSC CoWorks.

Sally Pearson recently won the 100 m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.  How she focused on winning that race and achieving her goal can be applied to our HSC students.

Here are 3 winning tips that Sally shared post race that can easily be applied to all our students.

1. “I don’t want to win I HAVE to win.”  

How could changing the way you look at your HSC Goal into something you HAVE to achieve rather than something you WANT to achieve impact on your own HSC result?

• I need to get 90+ ATAR
• I need to get into that Arts degree course
• I need to get into UNSW

2. At the start of each race she looks down the track and finds some green and gold to focus on. This reminds her of why she is there. Knowing that she is an inspiration to others who look up to her and representing her country is what motivates her?

• What is your motivation/vision?
• How can you find your own ‘green and gold’ to focus on at the start of an exam, trials, study?

3. Sally had a difficult run up to this important race.  She was trying to retain this title from the last commonwealth games, she had injuries leading up to the race and there was a lot of behind the scenes drama that were distracting.  She said she just had to get the job done and that she had ran that race a million times.

Fergus often says you can have excuses or you can have results but you can’t have both.

So as an HSC student practicing exam style questions under timed conditions over and over again is as Sally puts it ‘going to get the job done’ in the HSC.

Thank you Sally Pearson for being so inspiring.

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