Wellbeing at EPS

Wellbeing Specialist Classes Term 1 Reflection

Years 1-4: Emotional Literacy and Gratitude - Character Strengths

Year 1 and 2 students explored and identified their own personal strengths.  In classes we discussed the character traits displayed in known nursery rhymes such as Incy Wincy Spider, and an updated version of Humpty Dumpty. Following this, each child selected and recorded personal strengths they felt they possess from a given list of 12, including adventurous, creative, fair. Building on this, they choose one of these to reflect on what that strength looked, sounded or felt like at home school, and in the playground.

Similarly, Year 3 and 4 students developed an understanding of character strengths by identifying the different skills, knowledge and talents that they individually have. They were encouraged to celebrate their character strengths and were guided to recall these traits in moments of stress or distress as a positive coping strategy that can help them to feel pride, gratitude and appreciation for themselves. The students used templates of construction bricks to reflect on their strengths, which will be displayed together in the 3/4 stairwell as a ‘Wall of Character Strengths’ in the coming weeks.

Years 5 and 6: Empathy - Connection and Oxytocin

In the Year 5 and 6 classes students explored the role of oxytocin when showing empathy. Often referred to as the ‘love hormone’, one of the important functions of oxytocin is to make us feel good when we connect with others through friendships and relationships. Students were asked to recall three occasions when they displayed acts of kindness as well as three memories of when they received kindness from another person. 

They were guided to identify these as times when they felt good because of the ‘warm fuzzy feeling’ that occurred. They looked at the molecular structure of this hormone and illustrated icons and imagery that represented various ways other people can help us to feel pleasant emotions through understanding and care.

SAVE THE DATE!

We are excited to announce that this year our school partnership with The Resilience Project provides the EPS community with exclusive access to an online webinar with author, counsellor and parenting educator, Lael Stone.

Details of how to register will be published via Compass by the end of this term.