APA News
It is always surprising to me when the end of term rolls around as things tend to move so quickly in the school environment. One indicatation of the approaching end of term is the obvious shift in resilience of the student body as fatigue sets in and the holiday approaches. Over the last couple of weeks, we have had many opportunities to support students with social problem solving as their frustration tolerance decreases. Supporting students to learn positive ways to deal with negative emotions is crucial for their social and emotional growth. It is natural and normal for children to have emotional responses to the environment around them and things that happen in that environment. Part of our wellbeing work is to reassure students that feelings ( particularly ‘big’ feelings) are experienced by everyone and can, and will pass. The key to ensuring that the actions that result from these feelings are not detrimental to others or themselves is fundamental work for all students, and dare I say all humans. I know myself that that when I am unable to self-regulate my emotions, I am more likely to make decisions that have a negative effect on others.
This work around identifying signs of emotional dysregulation, labelling emotions and problem-solving strategies to self-regulate, is work that sits alongside our restorative practices. When conflicts arise, we encourage open and honest communication, allowing everyone involved to express their feelings and perspectives. This process helps students understand the impact of their actions and work towards making amends. By using restorative practices, we aim to create a safe environment where students learn to resolve conflicts constructively and develop empathy for others. We also are encouraging a sense that if my actions harm others or a relationship, we have a part to play in making things right.
One misconception that sometimes people can have is that restorative practices are just lots of ‘talking’, however there is always consequences for actions in school, and in life. Natural consequences can very from spending time cooling down away from a game, to spending time out of the playground to give some space to others, reflecting on how to interact safely and appropriately. Sometimes a simple acknowledgement of actions and an apology is all that is needed when students listen to each other’s perspectives and understand the role they each played in what occurred. At the other end of the spectrum at times, in the interest of community safety, there may need to be some time away from school to reflect and reasses. Discussing plans and strategies for how future interactions will proceed and how we might respond should it not go well is always the final step in the process. As we are a learning environment dealing with children, there is no guarantee that further work won’t be needed, however I would suggest that purely punishing students without any reflection or owning of actions does not necessarily guarantee a change either. By developing the ability for students to 'Fess Up' ( be honest and own their actions) 'Face Up' ( hear how their actions may have impacted others), 'Fix Up' ( make things right) and 'Finish Up' ( plan for the future and move on) we are instilling skills that students will need well into adulthood.
Another indicator of the approaching end of third term are the beautiful spring flowers that bloom at this time of year. We are blessed to live in the 'Garden City' and enjoy the Carnival of Flowers during September school holidays. From this Friday the 13th to Monday the 16th the community is invited to St Patrick's Cathedral to view the beautiful floral displays. Our school has a display that all students have contributed to, coordinated by our talented Year 4 teacher Mrs Nicole Cooper. The display is open 9am to 5pm daily across the weekend.
Once again, thank you to all members of the school community for a successful term. We have certainly strived in faith, learning and life.
Emjoy the break from routine over the next couple of weeks.
Katie Hauser