Being Well at Magill
National Day of Action Against
Bullying and Violence.
Experts advocate that we must teach kindness and empathy in schools to reduce bullying. Why? Because kindness is the antithesis of bullying, and empathy is the foundation of kindness. At Magill School, we work hard to address wellbeing holistically. We use a restorative justice approach where the inherent worth of each individual is recognised, and we seek to strengthen the essential ties that bind us to one another – in the classroom, school and the community. Restorative justice is a framework used to create safe, supportive spaces in our schools. All members of the school learn to bravely engage in that community, and learn from honest – and sometimes difficult – conversations.
Today is the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. It is a day that formally shines a spotlight on measures employed to minimise this problem in schools and society generally. It is pleasing to see that all of our hard work is having a positive effect. This year’s Wellbeing Engagement and Collection Data (WEC), is the result of surveys sat by our Year 4-6 students in Term 2. Results indicate that the majority of our students report either high (green) or medium (yellow) wellbeing at Magill School for physical, verbal, social and cyberbullying. There is 10% or less of low wellbeing in this space. Naturally, each year, we aim to improve our results and continually seek feedback from our students on what is working well and where improvements can be made.
Our reception to year three students are currently filling out their wellbeing survey, the results of which will be actioned by our wellbeing team and teachers throughout the remainder of the year and beyond. In the meantime, here is a snapshot of how kindness, restorative justice and respectful relationships have been taught and embedded into our teaching and learning around the school.
During Walker learning investigations, Reception students have been focussing on kindness by sharing, communicating effectively, listening to the opinions and ideas of others, taking turns and using respectful language.
Meanwhile, our primary students have dedicated time to revisiting the definition of bullying, analysing the results from the WEC data, and conducting class meetings to discuss our next steps. Keep an eye out for upcoming reports from our student action teams, outlining their strategies to further enhance student wellbeing at Magill School.
The Year 1 students have been actively engaged in a kindness drive, during which they delved into the pages of "The Rainbow Fish." This enchanting tale beautifully illustrates the concept of sharing and the joy it can bring to both oneself and others. Moreover, it skillfully portrays the challenges associated with sharing and the profound influence it can wield on friendships. Much like many young children, the Rainbow Fish encounters difficulties in the realm of sharing.
One of our year 1 students enjoyed working on kindness so much, he incorporated it into his National Science Week homework project, by designing and creating a robot featuring feelings!
On that lovely, heart-warming note, have a wonderful weekend.
Erica Teumohenga
Wellbeing Leader
KidsHelpline: 1800 551 800
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
Lifeline: 13 11 14
