Junior School

Striving for Incremental Improvement

It has been so enjoyable to see some sunshine over the last couple of weeks allowing time for the boys to spread their wings on the playground! As you can imagine, our boys do have minor disagreements while playing and although this is very normal for boys of this age, it is important that all students remember to seek help from a member of staff on duty if they feel that the situation is escalating, rather than taking matters into their own hands as this often exacerbates the issue. Throughout the Junior School, we encourage all students to actively listen to their peers, particularly during times of conflict, rather than simply react to situations without thinking. Displaying the traits of empathy and compassion to understand different perspectives is paramount when disagreements occur. Negotiation skills on the playground are critically important and this is something we regularly work on with the boys. At home, I encourage you to discuss with your son/s the need to listen to the ideas and thoughts of others to reinforce the fact that there is more than one side to every story! I also encourage parents/carers to organise ‘playdates’ with your sons over the weekend and during holiday periods. Spending time socialising in smaller groups will continue to develop appropriate social skills and this, in turn, will allow these skills to be transferred to the larger school environment.

At St Patrick’s, we want to see our students model what it means to be beacons of integrity and compassion, standing up for what is right and calling out anti-social behaviour. There is no place for intolerance or violent and disrespectful behaviour at the College and our staff are confident that all Junior School boys will continue to set high standards for each other and for the year groups that follow.

When discussing your son’s day at school with him, it can be quite common to receive very short responses. The way questions are framed can have an impact on the reception of a parent’s curiosity. Below are some suggested guiding questions to hopefully promote more open-ended conversations each night:

What was the best thing you did at school today?
What made you laugh, smile, or worry at school today?
Where is your favourite place to play at school and why?
What are you looking forward to learning next?

In the Junior School, we strive for all students to continuously improve in all areas of their individual development. In essence, we aim for incremental improvement. Author and organisational psychologist, Adam Grant, recently posted the image below on one of his social media accounts.

Personally, this image encapsulates the challenge we face as parents/carers. It can sometimes be hard to hear the words, “He’s making progress,” when that progress isn’t as rapid, or as wholesale as we might hope it to be. Sometimes, it is only when reflecting upon how far we have come, over a sustained period of time, as opposed to just a few short weeks or months, that we can celebrate progress as actual growth or improvement. Our boys are much better at this than we are, but only if we allow them to be; only if we celebrate the small wins with them. The alternative, which I know can often be all too tempting, is to remind them that someone else is better than they are, or worse still, tell them that their achievements are not good enough. There is an old educational saying that still remains true to this day, ‘Success breeds success’. Indeed, it certainly does!

So, as we officially reach the halfway mark of Term 3 this week, I would kindly ask that you please continue to reinforce expected behaviour with your son/s and the importance of working together with others to overcome obstacles. I also trust that the conversations you have at home each evening after school are beneficial in unpacking the unique educational journey all students are part of at the College. By working together in unison with our staff, it is hoped that our boys will continue to achieve the personal improvement and growth we all desire to see from them.

As always, if you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email (glenn.stephenson@spc.nsw.edu.au) or phone (8705 9247) and I will endeavour to assist you in any way that I can.

May God bless you,

Mr Glenn Stephenson

Director of Junior School

Year 6 Friday Morning Mass – 19 August

All parents and carers are warmly invited to attend morning Mass in the chapel each Friday at 8:10 AM along with your sons. This has not always been possible over the last couple of years, but we are pleased to be able to offer it now.

This Friday 19 August, Year 6 will be leading the Mass, so parents/carers of Year 6 students are particularly encouraged to attend if possible and join this celebration of the Eucharist with the College community. We look forward to welcoming you here.

Stephen Cooper

Religious Education Coordinator - Junior School