Middle Years

Welcome to the 2024 school year. It’s been such a great start to the year in the Middle Years, with each year level completing their first full week positively. The Year 7s have been excited about all the new facilities, teachers, and subjects. The Year 8s have shown a kind and considerate side to the inclusion of new students into myPEC and the Year 9s are all excited and talking about the up-coming Year 9 Experiences: The Grampians Experience, Melbourne Experience and 19-days in Vietnam. I’m really looking forward to seeing the development of our Middle Years students this year.

Year 9 Man Cave Workshop

Wednesday was a busy day for our Year 9s (and Year 11s) with the boys participating in workshops run by The Man Cave and the girls completing a series of workshops presented by Victoria Police, Jess Fishburn (local physiotherapist, business owner and Old Collegian) and WISE self-defence. For both the boys and the girls it was an enlightening and useful experience, with many takeaways for students to reflect upon. 

Part of The Man Cave workshop included a parent information night where Ziah (the keynote presenter from The Man Cave) gave some pertinent and practical advice about how to handle adolescent boys. This included:

Be Curious

Seek first to understand boys before being understood. Lean into their world and ask questions about what is going on for them.

Listen

Hear what they think and feel. Don’t try to solve their problems (unless they ask). Boys often just want to share.

Role Models are Important

They can’t be what they can’t see. Ensuring there are adults in their lives that can be a relatable and healthy mentor.

Support Other Parents

It takes a village to raise a child…… so help and support other parents, particularly of your son’s friends.

Show Respect and Gratitude

Choose to see and celebrate the greatness in your son. Acknowledge their gifts and talents regularly.

Quantity Time 

Move from quality time to quantity time. Show up as often as possible and plan at least one adventure per year to do with your son. 

Share Your Stories and Opinions

Especially of times you messed up. They may not always want to hear these stories but keep offering.

Play the Long Game

Meet them where they are currently at. The long game involves revisiting things several times and staying curious about their world. 

Adolescence is certainly a challenging time, but I hope that the Year 9 (and Year 11) boys were empowered to develop their own sense of positive masculinity and The Man Cave workshop allowed them to explore and see how they are developing into good men.