Principal's Update

Term 2 Reflection

As I reflect on Term 2 and all the wonderful things our students have achieved over the least 9 weeks, I am reminded on one of my favourite poems -‘Children Learn What They Live’. This poem emphasises the importance that we, as adults, have in the lives of our children and students. As positive role models, it is important that we always act with kindness and respect and remember that the children in our lives are always watching us and learning from our actions and words.

That is why I am so proud that this term we have had a whole school focus on kindness. Students and teachers discussed what it means to be kind, how we show kindness and what are the different types of kindness. Students explored how to be kind to each other, their families, the community, the world, and our environment. Students created a variety of kindness projects which included collecting canned goods to support community food banks, donating money to animal rescue charities, creating anonymous kindness cards which were mysteriously delivered to teachers and also going out of their way to give another person a compliment. Teachers noticed students going out of their way to be kind to each other and celebrated when someone showed them kindness.

Teachers jumped on board the kindness train too. We had a weekly ‘Wheel of Kindness’ which randomly choose a staff member to receive a free coffee and a yard duty covered by leadership. There where more compliments and friendly check-ins between staff. Our school was generally a more positive and kind space.

Our kindness theme really heightened the fact that we need to explicitly teach our children the values we want them to display and that the most powerful way to do this is to lead by example. Children learn by watching us. The poem says it best - ‘If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.’ Even though the term is over, and we will move onto a new topic next term, I hope that we can all keep the kindness momentum going…

Stay safe everyone and remember to be kind….

Children Learn What they Live

By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.