Teaching and Learning 

Common areas

In the weeks prior to the start of term all staff have been developing the building common areas into inspiring reading spaces to encourage all students to develop a love of reading. Teachers and students will develop these spaces over the coming weeks. How lovely to see the look on students faces as they saw the new areas in their buildings.

Bounce Back!

The Bounce Back! wellbeing and resilience program teaches children the skills and attitudes to help them be in a positive mood most of the time, get along well with others and become more resilient. It uses literature as a starting point for discussions and follow-up activities. We are now in our second year of explicitly teaching this program to all students. The ten coping statements below are a core part of the program. You can help your child get the best out of their involvement with Bounce Back! if you reinforce the key messages they are learning.

Bounce Back! stands for: 

Bad times don’t last. Things always get better. Stay optimistic. 

Other people can help if you talk to them. Get a reality check. 

Unhelpful thinking makes you feel more upset. Think again. 

Nobody is perfect – not you and not others. 

Concentrate on the positives (no matter how small) and use laughter. 

Everybody experiences sadness, hurt, failure, rejection and setbacks sometimes, not just you. They are a normal part of life. Try not to personalise them. 

Blame fairly. How much of what happened was due to you, to others and to bad luck or circumstances? 

Accept what can’t be changed (but try to change what you can change first). 

Catastrophising exaggerates your worries. Don’t believe the worst possible picture. 

Keep things in perspective. It’s only part of your life.