30 July 2021
Post date: Jul 29, 2021 10:19:36 PM
We are back! I've been reflecting on the whakatauki you will find on a lot of our more formalised documentation.
I know how easy it is to come up with all of these lofty ideals to guide us but I can guarantee that we truly want to have a direct line between our aspirations and what happens on the ground.
It's sometimes the smallest things, the minute by minute, the day by day that all add up to something big. Often, it's a 'feeling' you get, the heart brain sending us messages. At a guesstimate, I would say that about 80% of prospective parents I show around our place comment on the feeling of it. They use words like "warmth, friendly, busy.... happy". Of course, this isn't always the case, let's be realistic! There will be games that go awry, that sharp stick will poke someone, there will be an activity that's just not going right... yet!. Yes, life at school does = real life outside!
That's what we have to help get our children ready for.... the great as well as the not so great times. It's all about what they do when it's the latter. What tools do they have to drive through the mud or climb over the wall to the other side. When a problem stops us in our tracks - we can't always rely on the same tools time after time either. We need a range. This learning will not be completed by the time they leave our shores either... it's a lifelong 'thing' to befriend!
Teachers have been working on our social coaching approach to working with children who have crossed that 'acceptable behavioural' boundary. When I listen to the teachers, I often think how different things are now to the dark ages of my schooling. How we try our hardest to not remove the mana of the person we are dealing with and just how many situations can be a learning opportunity for the future rather than a punitive response which may just make it go underground. (Standing in the corner with my arms in the air for talking too much wasn't so great!) The thing we need most is consistency across the school. Children will know immediately which of us can't be maneuvered or who is 'kind'. We all want the same thing - there is just a bit more polishing to do. It's complex, messy and not always black and white!
But, watch this space to hear more about tweaks and changes and how we may work even more closely with you to support social and emotional growth of our tamariki.
To find out more about our Whole Person Wellbeing / Positive Education programme, please come along to the Parent Workshop on Thursday 5 August. We would love you to have a go at the Values in Action Character Strength Survey beforehand and bring it along. It doesn't take long and it will possibly be useful for a couple of the workshops. It's free!
You can find it here: