Years 7 and 8 update

Stay safe, stay active, stay connected and stay positive

Stay safe, stay active, stay connected and stay positive. These are the words with which I sign many of my emails of late, and it is what I commend to all Year 7 and 8 families at this time.

Safety

Here are a set of useful reflection questions I have recommended to the Wellbeing team for Years 7 and 8. You are welcome to use them at home, too.

• What am I grateful for today?
• Who am I checking in on or connecting with today?
• How am I getting outside today? (Remind them of face masks and 5km radius!)
• How am I moving my body today?
• What beauty am I either creating, cultivating or inviting today?
• How can I enjoy my passion or hobby today?

Activity

Please see ‘Mr Hill’s Officially Approved Awesome Lockdown Activity List of Awesomeness’ which contains 40 enjoyable, challenging and varied activities for all ages in lockdown. 

I have also launched the Year 7 Lockdown Challenge and Year 8 Lockdown Challenge which runs from the 17 August to 7 September. This incorporates a range of physical, creative and academic challenges in the style of a decathlon for students. 

Connection

I am going to host a little trivia competition each Tuesday after school from 3.15pm to no later than 4pm. Students can compete by themselves, or in a team of up to four students. This will be just a fun opportunity to work collaboratively and engage with others. It will be ‘honesty rules’, meaning I just trust that the participants don’t cheat by looking up the answers, and that way we all have a good time. A sign-up form has been sent to students’ email.

I will set up a rotating roster of little activities for Thursday afternoons, things like Scattergories, Book Boasts, Slam Poetry and the like. More details to come via students’ emails.

Positivity

This is perhaps the most important thing! But it is also, perhaps, the hardest. We all need a pick-me-up sometimes. To that end, I recommend instituting the Dinner Time Rule: ‘No screens; everyone contributes’. Using the time together to hold conversations about the day and our experiences is a rich opportunity for connection. When talking, ask about one thing achieved or learned today (the past), one thing you are proud of or have noted as interesting (present) and one thing you desire moving forward (future).

Resources

Ask me anything podcast

Sometimes we need advice as adults trying to navigate the experience of our children, too, and so I have the following resource to share which I have found to be immensely valuable both for parents and especially children: Rebecca Sparrow’s podcast ‘Ask me anything’.

Rebecca Sparrow is an author and podcaster on the experience of girls growing up. In her own words, her purpose is ‘to help teenage girls traverse that tricky path from childhood to adulthood’. Here’s a link to her website. Rebecca’s podcast has a range of very short but valuable episodes on important topics like ‘How do I make friends at school’ and ‘How to avoid the drama cyclone at school’. It is well worth you and your daughter’s time.

Let’s talk body confident children and teens parent seminar

This is a free seminar presented online. 

For: Parents of primary and secondary age children. 

Covers: Power of positive role modelling | Reducing toxic body talk | Developing resilience to social media pressures | What to do if concerned.

Date: Wednesday 1 September

Time: 7–8.15pm

Format: Live, via Zoom (no recording)

Register for the webinar. 

Tristan Hill

Middle Years Coordinator