Assistant Principal's Page
Character Strengths
At Croydon Hills Primary we believe it is important to teach students about Character Strengths. Character Strengths represent positive qualities within a child that help to bring out the best in them. When they are using their strengths, they feel good – energized, excited, and motivated. These attributes help children to learn and improve their mental health & wellbeing. Children feel successful and happy when they are using their strengths.
According to those who practice positive psychology, good character is exemplified in 24 widely-valued character strengths that are organized under six broad virtues. These 24 character strengths were first studied and identified by Dr Martin Seligman and Dr. Neil Mayerson.
At school we encourage students to recognise their character strengths and build on these strengths in order to improve their lives and their emotional wellbeing as well as address the challenges and difficulties they are facing.
It's important to point out that people typically have varying degrees of each strength. In other words, they will be high in some character strengths, average in others, and low in others.
Consequently, researchers caution against assuming that there are single indicators for good character. Instead, a person's character should be viewed across a continuum.
Accordingto VIA Institute of Character, humans possess 24 Character Strengths in different degrees. We all have a different mixture or combination of strengths; some representing our top strengths (often called Signature Strengths).
For instance, growing evidence indicates that the character strengths hope, kindness, social intelligence, self-regulation, and perspective all guard against the negative effects of stress and trauma. Meanwhile, successful recovery from physical illnesses is associated with increases in bravery, kindness, and humour.
The 24 character strengths that Dr. Seligman identified are divided into six classes of virtues. These six virtues include wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Here is a closer look at the six virtues and the character strengths that are classified under each.
One of the main reasons for assessing character strengths is to use that information to understand, identify, and build on a person's strengths.
Knowing a person's character strengths provides a lens through which psychologists, educators, and even parents can see not only what makes a person unique, but also understand how to help that person build on those strengths to improve situations or outcomes.
Parent Helpers
It has been wonderful to see so many smiling faces in our classrooms over past weeks, as parents return to help out in a myriad of ways. Croydon Hills PS has always placed enormous value on parent involvement in their child's education and recognises the huge contribution made through parent assistance in a range of school activities. This week parent helpers have assisted with inter-school sport, with Prep classes as they walked to the local Post Office and in many other classroom-based roles. To each and every Parent Helper, the school and all its students thank you!!
Carol Wyatt - Assistant Principal