St James Learning and Teaching 

MATHS  &  STEM

FAMILY MATHS AFTERNOON 

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the Family Maths Afternoon. It was fantastic to see all students engaged in playing Maths games and challenging their thinking. A copy of the instructions for the games that were played have been sent to all families so that you can continue to play them at home.

If you have ordered a Dr Paul Swan Essential Maths Pack but have not collected it, please purchase and collect it from the School Office. Alternatively, you can call the office to make a payment over the phone via card or do a bank transfer (St James School General Account / BSB: 083-347 /  ACCOUNT NO.: 660465436 / REFERENCE: Maths Pack Surname ). Once we receive the payment we can send the Maths pack home with your child. If you did not pre order a Maths Pack, there are extra packs available for purchase.

Miss Bridie Slater

Maths & STEM Leader

WELLBEING

Understanding and Preventing Addiction: A Guide for Primary School Students

As a school chaplain, one of my key roles is to help children navigate the challenges they face as they grow. Relationships and social challenges are important for a child’s future happiness. One important topic that parents should be aware of is addiction, which can impact families and relationships.

What is Addiction?

Addiction happens when someone feels they need something—like a certain activity or substance—so strongly that it becomes hard to stop, even if they want to. For example, some people might play video games or eat sweets too much. While it's okay to enjoy these things, it's important to balance them to stay healthy. Otherwise it can become a constant loop where the person is stuck.

Why Teach Kids About Addiction?

Although addiction might seem like a distant concern, teaching kids early can help them make healthy choices in the future. Children can understand addiction through everyday things they experience, like sugar or TV.

The Chocolate Experiment

Objective: To see how eating chocolate makes us feel and learn about endorphins, which are chemicals in our brain that make us feel good.

Materials Needed:

• Small pieces of chocolate (one for each child and one for you)
• A piece of paper and a pencil for each child

Steps:

1. Introduction:
   • Explain that today we’re going to explore how eating chocolate makes us feel and learn about endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals in our brain.
2. Hypothesis:

• Ask the children to guess what might happen if they eat a piece of chocolate. Will they feel satisfied? Will they want more? Write down their guesses.

1. The Taste Test:

• Give each child a small piece of chocolate. Ask them to eat it slowly and think about how it makes them feel. After a few minutes, have them share or write down their feelings. Did they feel happy? Did they want more?

Discussion:

• Discuss their observations. Most will probably say they felt happy and might have wanted more. Explain that chocolate makes our brain release endorphins, which make us feel good. However, eating too much can be harmful.

What Are Endorphins?

• Explain that endorphins are chemicals in our brain that make us feel happy. When we do something enjoyable, like eating chocolate, endorphins are released. It’s important to enjoy things in moderation to stay healthy.

The Importance of Moderation:

• Talk about how enjoying chocolate is fine as long as we don’t eat too much. Just like with other enjoyable activities, balance is key. We should enjoy a variety of foods and activities to stay healthy.

Further Teaching

Historical Perspective:

• Sweet foods like fruits and honey were valuable for early humans because they provided quick energy. Our preference for sweetness helped our ancestors survive.

Modern Context:

• Today, sweet foods are everywhere and often consumed in excess. While liking sweet foods is natural, it’s important to balance them with other nutritious options to avoid health problems like obesity.

Endorphins and the Reward System:

• Endorphins act as natural mood enhancers. They are released in response to pleasurable activities, which can make us want to repeat those behaviours. Understanding this helps us make balanced choices.

The Goal of Delayed Gratification:

• One important lesson is learning to work for rewards. Explain to your child that if a pet dog had access to the treats, it would not be able to stop eating all of them. But because we can limit the access we can encourage them to work and learn before they get the treat. Unlike addiction, which is about seeking immediate pleasure, delayed gratification means working towards a goal and waiting for a more rewarding outcome.

Building Resilience:

• The aim is not to remove all enjoyable things but to help children build resilience. By understanding their reward system and practicing moderation, they can enjoy life’s pleasures without falling into unhealthy habits. Encourage your children to come up with their own reward system they can have when they complete difficult tasks, like homework, cleaning or any other less enjoyable task that leads to better outcomes.

Conclusion

Teaching children about addiction and the importance of healthy choices doesn’t have to be daunting. By keeping concepts simple, promoting balanced living, and encouraging open communication, we can help children make positive decisions. Together, we can empower them to lead happy, healthy lives and face challenges with confidence.

Warm regards,

Corey Payton

School Chaplain

Year 2

Mrs Cathy Busch

Year 2 Teacher