Assistant Principal - Pastoral Care
Social and Emotional Learning
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
This year, students in Years 7 to 10 have one lesson a week (titled Be Better) where they engage with what is termed ‘social and emotional learning’ delivered by the pastoral care team. This is part of a proactive approach by the College to enhance the wellbeing of students through the explicit teaching of essential concepts that all humans require to flourish.
The latest research has shown that a key element in the wellbeing work of schools lies in strengthening the protective factors which positively influence students’ capacities for resilience, and reducing risk factors which are associated with negative wellbeing and learning outcomes.
Social and emotional learning is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Social and emotional skills are critical to being a good student, citizen, and worker, and many risky behaviours (e.g., drug use, violence, bullying, and dropping out) can be prevented or reduced when multiyear, integrated efforts are used to develop students’ social and emotional skills.
The explicit and coherent teaching of social and emotional learning has increasingly been identified as a necessary element to young peoples’ wellbeing. This is in part due to rising concerns about the rates of mental health distress amongst young people, and in part due to the emerging evidence that effective social and emotional learning can not only improve wellbeing outcomes, but can also contribute to improved learning outcomes, and improved employment outcomes.
Through a systematic program, students will learn about five interrelated sets of cognitive, affective and behavioural competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Below is an outline of the concepts covered during Term 1. To date, most students have engaged from enthusiastically to suitably with the content and we hope to shape new lessons based on student input as to areas they believe they need to learn more about.
Term 1 | |||
Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 |
Learning Character Breaking the Ice Starting Secondary School Anti-Bullying Term 1 Reflection on Learning | Learning Character Managing Conflict Grit Empathy Anti-Bullying Importance of Stretch Speaking Up Culture and History Term 1 Reflection on Learning | Learning Character The Success Formula Anti-Bullying Self-care and Attitudes Empathy Term 1 Reflection on Learning | Learning Character The Success Formula Be Inclusive of Others Managing Conflict Speaking Up Anti-Bullying Amygdala Hijack Term 1 Reflection on Learning |
Mr Mick Larkin - Assistant Principal - Pastoral