13 August 2021

Post date: Aug 13, 2021 3:19:20 AM

We had almost 30 parents venture to school last Thursday evening to join with the teachers and explore a little bit more about our Wellbeing programme aka Positive Education. That's pretty good for a wintery term! Parents were taken on bit of a whirlwind trip through some of the key components of the programme/model - where it came from, the tricky bits and the importance of language as "Words create worlds".

We kicked off the evening with bringing the Arts alive. Yes, you would have noticed the engaged parental and staff faces in the Newsletter photo last week. We shared some research about the link with music especially, and Positive emotion. (Also, stressing that negative emotions are very useful and necessary at times so it's not all about a happy, happy, happyology at all.)

Teachers then facilitated three different activities - which demonstrated the types of learning the teachers undertake in order to be able to teach this work. This is part of the Learn it, Live it, Teach it, Embed it philosophy.

The first was a brief introduction to systemic awareness "Finding your inner resources". The purpose of this activity was to recognise that we aren't individuals, we come to a situation as being a part of numerous systems that have had an impact on us. When placed with a challenge, we can call on these experiences to support us. These became our tail feathers in our birds of paradise.

The second exercise was all about understanding behaviour and responding appropriately. We looked at how the brain works and how we might be able to self-regulate under pressure or stress. The analogy was a fizzing can of coke!

The last activity was all about getting grit. What the key elements of grit are and the different types of grit.

We would love to find manageable ways to keep this conversation flowing. When we look at our visual representation of our Strategic Plan, Positive Education sits boldly across the foundation, carved into the rock. If this is the solid base from which everything grows, it needs to be well understood... sought, caught and taught.

Please email your child's Base Group teacher if you have any questions and are curious about finding out more.

If you were at the Parent Workshop you will find the material on this web page.

If you couldn't make it and would like to access the material shared - please go ahead.... have a wander through and, again, be curious and check in with the Base Group teacher with any ponderings or wonderings...