Quaker Values in Action

Quaker values and practices influence every aspect of the School’s operations, in the context of modern society. For example, our motto Nemo Sibi Nascitur, or ‘No-one is born for self alone’ encourages us to think of the needs of others and to give back to the local and global community through service activities. 

Term 2 Meeting House Gatherings - Morris Primary Years' Students

By Jess Dundas, Quaker Gathering Advisor - Morris Primary Years

In Term 2, Meeting House Gatherings in Morris Primary Years focussed on the Quaker testimony of “Community”. I wanted to share some of the experiences and resources that particularly resonated with students and teachers alike. 

We reflected on the joy of giving to others and how we don’t need to have much to be able to share joy with others. It was lovely to explore the idea of giving with no expectation of receiving in return, but to notice that often the giving itself is its own reward.

We also considered this query from Friends Seminary School - How do we balance the needs of the individual with the needs of the community?  and thought about ways that we can care for ourselves and others in our community. The Power of One by Trudy Ludwig emphasises the simple power of sharing kindness, saying sorry, being a friend and taking action as an individual. The video can be watched here.

The most beautiful story I shared this term was chosen to link with this query - How can I become more open to the emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of the people around me? (Faith and Practice, Friends School of Baltimore). I spoke to the students about how when a friend is sad or angry, we often think of what we would need or want in that situation, but perhaps we need to stop and really think about what our friend needs or wants. The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld was a reminder to all of us about the power of listening and being present with someone, holding space for them to feel whatever they are feeling at the time. A video of it is available here. 

Next term our testimony focus will be “Earthcare” and I will share queries and stories with the students related to this concept. 

Term 2 Gatherings - High School Students

By Louise Giudici, Quaker Gathering Advisor - High School and Co-Head High School

In Term 2, our Gatherings in the High School tied into our Social and Emotional Learning program and focussed on building community, kindness, empathy, resilience and hope. We moved from our outdoor Gathering space on the High School lawns to The Farrall Centre due to COVID-19 restrictions. For our final Gatherings this term we were able to return to the Meeting House due to the lifting of density restrictions. Like Jess, I would like to share some of the experiences and resources that particularly resonated with our High School students and teachers. 

A continuous theme in our Gatherings is the need to build on our relationships with others in a positive way. Our Gatherings are scheduled to be one period in the High School timetable per week, per year group. As you would appreciate, developmentally this is a significant amount of time for teenagers to experience stillness and silence in a meaningful, authentic and beneficial way. Our Gatherings usually begin with some reminders about how to find stillness, how to centre and a gentle reminder of why we do this as a Quaker Community. The most common way being a focus on the breath, checking in with ourselves - how we are travelling, are we in line with who we want to be? We try to hold the silence for as long as possible - as the year progresses our students build capacity regarding their skills and ability to be ‘still’ in the space together - now we can sustain this in a gathered way for up to 15 minutes, with our Year 10 students, even longer. 

We then share some kind of provocation, for example a story, a video clip or something significant happening in our community. Students are invited to think about this in relation to their own experiences, and queries for reflection are designed for a final silence for them to reflect on what has been shared and how it connects with them in their daily lives. 

For Term 2, the themes for this part of our Gatherings have reflected on the power of mindfulness. In these Gatherings on mindfulness we have done things like: read this story, shared this clip and considered these queries:-

Consider the message in the story - we each have 2 wolves-how can you allow the peaceful wolf to grow in strength in your daily life?

What unhelpful thinking do you need to let go of to help build your personal resilience?

For our Gatherings connected to our High School Social and Emotional Learning Program (HS SEL program) we have focussed on topics like growth mindset, recognising and building respectful relationships and the significance of responsible decision making, while considering these queries:-

How can I ensure I bring empathy and compassion to important decisions I need to make? How will this help me make better decisions for myself and others?

Consider how you will bring a growth mindset to your experience for the Connections Days (and beyond) - what will this look like?

As a High School community we have also considered the various celebrations and weeks in our wider community and their connections to us as a school community and personally. We had Gatherings with themes on Reconciliation Week, World Environment Day, Refugee Week, Pride Week and NAIDOC Week. 

During our focus on reconciliation we mentioned dadirrii. The overlap with dadirri- silence/stillness and connection with nature compels us to care for our earth. For World Environment Day the theme Only One Earth, highlights the need to live sustainably in harmony with nature by bringing transformative changes – through policies and our choices – towards cleaner, greener lifestyles.

During Pride Week, we considered the power of language and the importance of choosing to be kind with our use of language in our relationships with others. Below is a picture of our High School banner made from student pledges to ‘choose kind words’. These pledges were made during our Gatherings during Pride Week. The banner is on display in the Student Common Room.

During Refugee Week Gathering we shared this clip (below) about refugee support happening now in Australia. Since the war in Ukraine began, more than 3,000 refugees have arrived here. But while waiting for news of their humanitarian Visas, many have found themselves needing shelter and guidance. 

Ukrainian refugees welcomed into the homes of Australian families | 7.30

We considered these queries:- 

What could you do to show that you are aware of and appreciate the positive acts that have been demonstrated by refugees who have come to share our community? 

What can you personally do to support people who join our community with this kind of life experience in their past?

In the final week (NAIDOC Week) we connected the story of Eddie Koiki Mabo to our now deeper understanding and acknowledgement of our First Nation’s people's connection to Country and the power, strength and courage of people who struggle for necessary change. It was also the last week of term so we took time to reflect on our first semester - the highlights, the challenges, what we are grateful for and our goals for next semester. 

We considered these queries:-

Take time to consider what personal goals you may have for semester 2, for more regularly utilising more of the helpful strategies we have identified in Gatherings and Long Tutor sessions? i.e. responsible decision making, respectful relationships, hope, gratitude with perspective, kindness?

How can you make a difference in the lives of others? 

With reference to NAIDOC Week ​​- how do you think all Australians can be a part of positive change for our First Nation's people's?

What goals do you have for your next semester in the High School?

Next term I will be on Long Service Leave and Beverley Carr will be supporting our Gatherings in my absence. Our Gatherings mean a great deal to Beverley and I am confident she will support our staff and students with her wisdom and enthusiasm for their role in the lives of our students.