Middle Years 

It is wonderful to have myPEC full of students once again, and we are pleased to be back to normal school routines and to be with friends. Well done to students on completing their examinations this week. I hope that students feel a sense of pride in their results and pleased with their effort. It does take time to learn revision techniques, and there is no doubt that effort is needed in the weeks leading up to the examinations. So, I asked the question of students, what would you do differently to prepare for the end of year examinations? What have you learnt from this round of examinations? 

Year 8 High Ropes Day

The High Ropes Day was scheduled for this week; however, was postponed due to the lockdown and subsequent shift in the examination week. I am exploring rescheduling options later in Term 3, however we will avoid the inclement winter weather in July and August. 

Positive Education Theme: Your Best Self 

“We tend to remember when we are at our best…. We feel good and we rise to the challenge. We all know when we are at our best, and it is something we should strive for”. 

I would like all Middle Years students to understand the core idea of “Best Self”. Why? Because this idea can change lives. I wish I had been introduced to the idea of “best self” as a teenager.  This topic of Best Self is worth revisiting. We want to help every student become their best. We tend to have many ‘versions’ of ourselves which present at different times. Sometimes we are our ‘worst selves’ and we often give our worst version to the people closest to us, to family who love us unconditionally. 

The question we need to ask is “When are you at your best?”. It may have been when you were doing something you love or being a great friend or making a hard choice. You may have been alone or with others. We tend to clearly remember when we are at our best; this is when we use our personal resources, intellect, emotional competencies, and life experience. 

There is no definitive instruction on how to be at our best, but there are a few areas we can focus on:

1. Focusing our attention on what is good and what is possible.
2. Thinking optimistically about the future.
3. Developing an optimistic viewpoint.
4. Visualizing who you want to be, and the skills that you want to have. Imaging that you have worked hard and have all that you have hoped for.
5. Using your strengths, in activities, relationships and learning. This energizes you and makes you feel most alive and helps you make a meaningful contribution.
6. Foster and focus on positives emotions and feelings. This builds positivity.
7. Focus on what you have rather than what you do not have. This is gratitude.
8. Accept that life is hard, but you can always make it better.
9. Become your own person, take responsibility for your life and the direction of your life.

Mrs Julia Winter Cooke

Head of Middle Years