Keys to Success

In Torrens, we regularly refer to the 'Keys to Success' and the main focus for the first few weeks have been the Organisation and Getting Along Key.

Organisation:

We expect our children to be responsible for their own belongings (labels in clothing are very helpful!)

We expect them to pack and unpack their bags and it would be great if they were involved in packing a healthy lunchbox at least once a week.

Getting Along:

We expect our children to follow classroom agreements and show care, concern and respect for their fellow students and staff. Strategies to support them when they have disagreements with others are in the Managing Conflict section.

Confidence:

Children are very quick to say, 'I can't do that!' and 'I'm not very good at that!' It is important that they are reminded that not many people are good at everything but that 'having a go' and 'keep trying' will eventually breed greater confidence. They need to know that confidence is essential in many new situations that they find themselves in.

Persistence:

Persistence skills are vital for students to complete tasks successfully. They will need to think positively and develop positive self-esteem in order to find different ways to solve problems without giving up.

Resilience:

Resilience is essential in order for children to bounce back from disappointment and keep things in perspective. They need to try not to personalise issues and take responsibility for their own actions, learning to 'have a laugh' and not take everything too seriously.

All of these skills are important for the well-being of all children (and their teachers!).

Managing Conflict

As part of the Learning Rule and Getting Along Key, students are aware that they are responsible for managing distractions. They have discussed a three step approach...

Ask the person to STOP.
MOVE away from distractions or potential conflict.
SPEAK to an adult in school.

Sometimes, children take their worries home and speak to their families before getting to step 3. We request that families encourage children to follow the above steps so that problems can be discussed/solved before the end of a school day.