Junior School

Fostering Autonomy and Mastery

One of the many challenges of parenting pre-adolescent boys is the fine balance between offering support and encouraging growth, autonomy, self-discovery, and independence. Essentially, we want our boys to pursue their goals and interests, with the aim of living a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

Fostering a sense of autonomy and mastery is key in helping boys to navigate this developmental period. Mastery refers to the feeling of competence and control over one’s abilities, skills and/or environment. A sense of mastery occurs when we practise an activity and improve our skill in this area and ultimately contributes to the development of purpose and fulfilment.

On the other hand, autonomy refers to the ability to make one's own decisions consistent with self-beliefs; that is, having choice about a decision or activity. For our Junior School boys, this often involves having the freedom and independence to explore new activities and experiences. A term that is used in developmental psychology is ‘scaffolding’. Just like the construction of a building, scaffolding in parenting-terms refers to supporting our children to reach new heights; forming the framework and allowing them to grow, develop and learn. Autonomy and mastery are also important when we think of motivation. When we feel that we have control over our environment and can pursue activities that we are passionate about, we are more likely to experience a sense of satisfaction and engagement.

Parents/carers may like to try the following to promote autonomy and mastery in the boys; key skills they will need to continue to develop as they prepare for the next chapter of their educational journey in the Senior School.

Encourage your son in his decision-making. This can help him to develop a sense of control over his life and also increase his confidence and self-efficacy in his decision-making abilities.
Set clear, consistent, and appropriate rules at home (you may also consider involving him in the process of setting boundaries). Encourage your son to take responsibility for his actions.
Support your son in setting specific and challenging goals that are aligned with his interests and strengths. This can help to motivate him towards achieving these goals and provide him with a sense of accomplishment.
Offer various opportunities for skill-building. Encourage your son to engage in healthy and pro-social activities that allow him to build, develop and practise new skills.
Encourage and support effort and persistence, even in the face of challenges or setbacks.
Create an environment where your son feels comfortable taking risks and making mistakes.

Question Framing

In the conversations that you have with your son/s at the end of each day, parents/carers are encouraged to highlight the positive things that happened at school. Perhaps he played on the field with another boy he had never socialised with before; maybe he had success with a concept he had previously found challenging; or he learnt a specific point of information that he didn’t know before. There are so many success stories each day in the Junior School and these are certainly worth celebrating!

Positive questions can help to build your son's self-esteem and confidence. They show that you are interested in his successes and are willing to celebrate them with him. For example, asking him "What was the best thing that happened at school today?" can encourage your son to think about the positive aspects of his day and help him to feel good about himself.

On the other hand, negative questions can have the opposite effect. They can make your son feel defensive and discouraged and may even make him want to avoid talking to you about school altogether. Negative questions can also reinforce negative self-talk and discourage your son from trying his best. For example, asking, "Did you have any problems at school today?" can make your son feel like he did something wrong, even if he had a great day overall. Instead, you could ask him, "What challenges did you overcome today?" to show that you recognise and appreciate his efforts and successes.

Identifying the good things that happen each day can assist with developing a positive mindset, as well as the important character strength of gratitude. It is crucial for all of us to remember the things that we are grateful for, and this is a wonderful way of encouraging this sense of gratitude with your son/s at home.

If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email (glenn.stephenson@spc.nsw.edu.au) or phone (8705 9247) and I will endeavour to assist you in any way that I can.

May God bless you,

Glenn Stephenson

Director of Junior School

Cross Country Fundraising - Thank you!

A huge thank you!

Through your efforts in fundraising for the Junior School Cross Country, we have currently raised approximately $30,000. This will significantly assist The Edmund Rice Foundation in their work with the Ruben Centre, Kenya. While we have congratulated the boys, I acknowledge that the majority of these funds have come from you, the parents/carers and community. Here you have modelled a generous heart to your sons.

There are further funds also coming in from our other various Lenten activities.

Friday Morning Mass 8:10 AM – Year 6 to lead

Students from Year 6 will be leading Mass this Friday morning in the Chapel. All parents/carers are always welcome to join the school community, but especially this week to celebrate with your son. Perhaps this could be a small Lenten commitment as we approach Holy Week.

Stephen Cooper

Junior School Religious Education Coordinator