St Mary's Primary School Newsletter

Wellbeing & Inclusion

Grade 4 Pos Ed Focus: Learning About Empathy

This term, our Grade 4 students have been learning how to build positive relationships and understand empathy; the ability to feel what someone else is feeling.

What We’ve Been Working On

We’ve explored five key ways to build respectful relationships:

  1. Listen with your whole body
  2. Speak kindly and clearly
  3. Work together as a team
  4. Stay calm and use your tools
  5. Take responsibility for your actions

 

These simple steps help us feel safe, respected, and ready to learn together.

Understanding Empathy

Students watched videos, shared stories, and talked about how it feels when someone understands you. We discussed:

  • What empathy means
  • How emotions can be hidden
  • How stereotypes (like “boys shouldn’t cry”) can stop us from showing empathy
  • Ways to support others when they’re feeling upset

Our Empathy Graffiti Wall

Students created Empathy Graffiti Art to show what they’ve learned. They added drawings, words, and post-it notes with examples of empathy in action.

Embracing Diverse Ways of Learning 

Understanding Autism

At St Mary’s, we believe every child brings their own spark to the classroom and that includes the many wonderful ways children on the autism spectrum learn, communicate, and experience the world.

 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person thinks, interacts, and processes sensory information. It’s not a deficit, it’s a difference. Autism is lifelong, and every autistic person is unique, with their own strengths, challenges, and ways of expressing themselves.

 

Facts About Autism

  •  Many autistic children have incredible memory skills, especially for facts, patterns, or routines.
  • Some are highly creative, with vivid imaginations and unique ways of seeing the world.
  • Autistic kids often communicate honestly and directly. What you see is what you get!
  •  Deep focus is a superpower and many autistic children can concentrate intensely on topics they love.
  • Autism is a spectrum, which means no two autistic children are the same. Some may be chatty, others quiet; some love routine, others thrive on exploration.

Helpful Resources 

Videos & Podcasts

Websites & Support