Wellbeing

Did you know that you could be having a Friendship Fire without even realising it?

Sometimes we have situations where we might be doing something that is bothering or upsetting a friend, but they aren’t quite sure how to speak up and let us know. It might be a joke we are making that makes them uncomfortable or they might be feeling left out or thinking that we are talking about them when we talk privately with another friend. 

Some recent discussions with students experiencing small Friendship Fires have highlighted the importance of thinking about how your actions are actually being perceived or could be being perceived. 

The URSTRONG workshop our current Year 4s and 5s participated in last year taught them about the four friendship rules, one of which has come up a few times already this term when supporting students to “put out” a Friendship Fire- Trust and Respect are the two most important qualities for a friendship.

We talk a lot of respect involving using kind words, but kind actions are also important- rolling your eyes is an action that can have quite a disrespectful message, without any words being involved at all. Very small actions we might do, maybe without even really thinking about it, can really hurt someone’s feelings. 

You might want to talk to a peer in private, which can be ok, but if you go about it by having a whispering conversation near others, what are they going to think you are talking about? They will think you are whispering about them! 

There are lots of ways we can make sure our actions towards or near others, are respectful. Some Year 5 students have drawn some visuals to support a display about how we can speak AND act in a kind and respectful way.

Katie

Wellbeing Officer