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March 29, 2024, 03:34:32 am

Author Topic: What does year 9 mean to you?  (Read 2282 times)

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Bri MT

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What does year 9 mean to you?
« on: June 22, 2018, 08:40:07 am »
+4
For me,  year 9 was mainly about identity.

- figuring out group membership and my role in the school

My class had mainly been together from year 7 until year 9 (with some additions and subtractions) and we knew that we'd be split up in year 10 - so in this last year we clung together more tightly.

- finding my role in the community
I had an overabundance of extracurriculars in highschool and year 9 is where this really started.


What is year 9 about for you? Choice? Security? Self-development? Just another year?    Do you think you'll have the same take on it in the future? 

It'd be great to hear your stories :)

Joseph41

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Re: What does year 9 mean to you?
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2018, 12:00:15 pm »
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Year 9 definitely wasn't one of my favourite years. I think it was kind of peak "will school ever end?" time. The novelty of high school had worn off for sure, but VCE still seemed like ages away to me. Bit of a nothing period in that sense.

Socially, I had the same class from Year 7-Year 10, so like, it was mostly just same same. Developed some good friendships in Year 9 but was pretty disillusioned with my cohort overall, I think.

My school sort of recognised that Year 9 was a tough year and tried to mix things up a bit. Lots of activities, excursions and stuff. Nothing really stands out, though. Like, I saw homework and stuff as more an inconvenience than anything else.

Interesting thread. :)

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owidjaja

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Re: What does year 9 mean to you?
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2018, 03:49:27 pm »
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Year 9 was probably a bit rough for me- I never had a stable set of friends and although I found a group of friends to sit with towards the end of Year 8, it certainly didn't last in Year 9. There was a lot of conflict within the group and I never really 'sided' with anyone so it kinda left me in the middle.

It wasn't also the best time, academically. My science teacher was horrible (after having a really good science teacher in Year 8 ) and no matter how many times we complained to the school, nothing was done. And it's not me being that one hater, everyone hated her- she would often talk and go off tangents and we'd never learn anything. Year 9 was also the first year starting my electives. My grades for Extension Studies probably impacted me the most because I got a lot of B's- it's a relatively good grade but it wasn't a grade I was used to seeing even though we were told in advance that the content will be harder.

My history teacher liked to call Year 9 as the Wilderness Years (like how Churchill didn't do much politically in the 1930s)- looking back, I would agree with her statement.
« Last Edit: June 22, 2018, 04:06:32 pm by owidjaja »
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Aaron

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Re: What does year 9 mean to you?
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2018, 04:05:03 pm »
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I guess Year 9 in majority of schools is framed as a year of exploration... most schools employ a City experiential program of some kind which introduces the "first time" for A LOT of students going outside their main suburb without parents/relatives.

In alot of cases too, Year 9 is the first year that elective choices are introduced... which aims to get students to question where they potentially see themselves in the future via interests and possible career paths. I definitely think more needs to be done in this area to expose students to areas of interest... no wonder so many are puzzled when they are in Year 12 and don't know what they want to do.

For me personally, year 9 was the year that I found out that I wasn't that bad in maths, first time I really went into the city on my own, first time I got into a full blown fight (I was a very shy and quiet person so for me to show any sort of violence was quite significant).

It wasn't the best year, but from a teaching perspective I can definitely see that there is a transition element there.
« Last Edit: June 22, 2018, 04:07:04 pm by Aaron »
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secretweapon

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Re: What does year 9 mean to you?
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2018, 06:49:16 pm »
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The first year where you can choose electives and find out what you enjoy and what you don't

Joseph41

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Re: What does year 9 mean to you?
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2018, 09:08:25 am »
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The first year where you can choose electives and find out what you enjoy and what you don't

Which is pretty exciting, really! I felt a little bit disillusioned in Year 7/8 because I was doing subjects I a) just had no interest in, and b) wasn't any good at it. Definitely hurt my confidence a bit.

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