Positive Futures News
What is the EDSC Positive Futures program?
Positive Education brings together the science of positive psychology with best-practice teaching.
The school’s journey with Positive Education began in 2012 with Positive Education focuses and values implemented across each year level and over time has evolved into the whole school approach launched in 2020.
Our Positive Futures program has some very clear goals:
- We want to improve student quality of life and their engagement with others, including with their teachers
- We seek to develop students in a more holistic way, with a stronger focus on wellbeing
There are six tenets of Positive Psychology that are embedded into our model:
Positive Health – Positive Self
Developing knowledge, understanding and skills to promote health and well – being.
Positive Relationships
Nurturing positive relationships based on respect.
Accomplishment
Generating hope and optimism through the accomplishment of personal and community goals
Positive Emotion
Building and experiencing positive emotion.
Meaning
Believing in serving something greater than ourselves.
Positive Engagement
Developing critical thinkers by promoting challenge, curiosity and creativity.
More resources and information can be found here:
https://www.eastdonsc.vic.edu.au/wellbeing-engagement-positive-futures
Student Planners – Use in Positive Futures
At the beginning of the year all students received an EDSC planner that is to be brought to all classes. You may notice that there is a substantial part of the planner dedicated to the Resilience Project. This has been specifically designed as a workbook for students at all year levels to use in Positive Futures. Therefore, it is imperative that the planner is brought to every Positive Futures lesson to be used to record notes, complete activities, and explore the GEM model.
If your child has lost their planner, please contact the appropriate sub school for guidance in obtaining another one.
The Resilience Project is committed to teaching positive mental health strategies to prevent mental ill-health and build young people’s capacity to deal with adversity.
Teachers and students will engage in weekly lessons and activities around the key principles of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness (GEM) and Emotional Literacy to build resilience.
Check out their website for more information:
And check out TRP@HOME; a place filled with inspiration and activities for the whole family, to help improve your wellbeing and build resilience.
Term 2 Positive Futures
Next week sees our last week of Positive Futures for the term due to us taking a break due to exams in Week 8 and 9.
All groups last term focused on our TRP elements of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy and we continue to build on those this term.
Reconciliation Week was featured as a theme for our sessions this week with students creating posters highlighting the contribution our First Nations people have had on Australia and more locally, the Manningham area. We hope to build on the knowledge learnt this week when we celebrate NAIDOC Week next term.
This has been the focus of our groups this term:
Year 12s have been involved in year level games, a Party Safe workshop delivered by the organisation ‘Red Frogs’ and some more elements of the GEM model.
Year 11 students have undertaken some sessions on study skills in preparation for their exams at the end of Week 7 leading into Year 8 and 9 and building their capacity as leaders.
Year 10 students participated in Peer Support with our Year 7 students, and we are building our work-related skills and applications in preparation for Work Experience next term. Some classes are also working on a Community Action Project.
Year 9 students have had a mix of sessions this term with students attending a session about inhalants run by our Mental Health Practitioner, Maddie Sill along with sessions on careers and preparation for exams.
Year 8s focus has been on how physical activity and moving can influence our mood. They are in the process of creating some healthy events/games to run within the school.
Year 7s students have participated in Peer Support sessions and focused on self-care with the intent of strengthening their connection to each other, whole school, and community.
Positive Futures Book of the Week
"To all the young athletes out there looking for motivation check out Trust The Grind." ―Jason Kidd, Member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
#1 Best Seller in Teen & Young Adult Fitness & Exercise, Baseball & Softball, and Sports
Exclusive interviews with top athletes in sports today. Trust the Grind reveals how these men and women reached the height of their profession.
Sixteen athletes from eleven sports. Each chapter tells a different story, as each superstar shares the habit that helped them accomplish their goals and reach the pinnacle of their profession.
Sports fanatic or not. Guaranteed to tap into your athletic edge, Trust the Grind, is made for sports fans and nonfans alike. Fans of professional athletes get an in-depth look at their heroes’ climb to the top; those less passionate about sports have the chance to read the secrets of success from some of the most talented people in the world. Both learn pivotal life lessons and can immediately instil these traits and habits into their lifestyle.
A ‘success habit’ point of view. Learn the secrets behind success, and what it takes to remain on top. With Trust The Grind, you learn about the value that comes with becoming disciplined, staying driven, setting goals, identifying your “why,” staying active and eating right, making sacrifices, obsessing over your passion, and more. Rather than harping on remarkable accolades and astonishing statistics, this story is formulated to teach you what it takes to be great in any desired field.
Trust The Grind includes interviews with: Jason Kidd, Chipper Jones,Terrell Owens, Paige VanZant, Manny Pacquiao, Mike Modano, Jimmie Johnson, Gary Player, Deena Kastor, Ryan Sheckler, Georges St-Pierre, Ryan Lochte, Devin Hester, Andruw Jones, Luis Gonzalez, and Tim Hudson.
Rebecca James
Student Engagement & Connection
Learning Specialist