First for Hawke's Bay Scholarship Students

Over 200 Hawke’s Bay Scholarship pupils spent the weekend finding out the secrets of exam success with the expert help of local staff and Massey University.

In a first for the region, Massey University and the Hawke’s Bay Secondary Schools Principals’ Association teamed up to provide guidance to teachers and their students who are sitting the tough high-level exams.

The series began with two sessions on Saturday with Dr Lisa Emerson, from the School of English and Media Studies, providing advice on how to write for exams. Dr Emerson was named as the supreme winner at the national Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards in 2008.

Other subject-focused sessions will run from Wednesday June 22 to August 27 in afternoons, evenings and at weekends.

Eighty-eight local teachers are taking part in the programme providing expert advice and guidance to 208 year 12 and year 13 pupils across 15 subjects comprising Agriculture, Biology, Art, Calculus, Chemistry, Classics, Economics, History, Physics, Media Studies, Geography, Graphics, English, Statics and Te Reo Māori.

Principal’s Association Professional Development Co-ordinator Zac Anderson said the programme was the most comprehensive offered in the region, “the sheer size of it is impressive”.

“We are proud of the generosity of our presenters, but we are also excited about the high-level of take up from staff and students in the area,” she added.

Colleen Douglas, from the University’s Centre for Educational Development, said the programme had come about following a request from the Principals’ Association seeking to tap into Massey’s expertise.

“We are the professional development experts and we can offer those skills and those of our academics in a real partnership with the Hawke’s Bay Principals’ Association to help some of the brightest students in the region fulfil their potential.

“As New Zealand’s defining university, we want to support the next generation of New Zealanders who will play their part in developing our future.”

On July 19 during term two holidays, pupils and staff will be invited to Massey as a researcher for a day alongside post-graduate students and staff members, investigating an area of interest to the student or staff member.

Dr Emerson’s sessions will run from 10.00am to 12noon on report writing and from 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm on essay writing at Lindisfarne College, 600 Pakowhai Road, Hastings.