Student Wellbeing

Raising Student Voice at St John's

As part of our school Annual Action Plan, the staff have been looking at ways to increase “student voice” within our school community. Over the last few weeks we have been introducing class meetings into some of our learning areas. Our class meetings provide children with the opportunity to discuss and learn about community and world issues outside of their own world and they expand our students' capacity to understand and accept the views and perspectives of others. They also help in creating a more tolerant and respectful community. 

All children and the chairperson are scaffolded and supported to find ways to express and acknowledge each other’s comments, beliefs, ideas and contributions. 

Our class meetings provide opportunities:

• for our students to lead
• to develop the voice of our students
• for leadership via chairing and recording roles
• for speaking, listening & contributing

To give you an example, 5/6B held their class meeting this week. They began by watching an excerpt from a speech by Navy Admiral William McRaven (a retired navy Admiral who held many significant leadership roles).  (The Power of Hope Speech)  His speech had 10 key messages that the students identified and discussed. It was an extremely positive experience and all students walked away with some new understandings. 

Below are just some of lessons we talked about:

• Make your bed - Start each day with a completed task.
• Paddle as a team - don’t go it alone.
• Don't discount the small guys - measure a person by the size of their heart.
• You will never be perfect and that’s ok.
• Life's not fair and you will fail often - that is how you will learn.