ISSUE 50
|
SUMMER 2016
9
STAFF WELLBEING
Student wellbeing begins with staff wellness and Ravenswood’s
model is based on in-depth Positive Education training for every
school employee, plus support for staff to use Positive Education
practices in their daily lives. Best-selling author and workplace
wellbeing teacher, Michelle McQuaid, visited the school to teach
everyone from maintenance to academic staff to identify their
own character strengths and employ them at work and at home.
In addition, every employee had the chance to select from a vast
range of personal wellbeing options like yoga, calligraphy,
a gratitude walk and bubble soccer to find inspiration and
invigoration in the lead up to Term 3. In 2017 we will have rare
access to training by the founder of Positive Education, Professor
Martin Seligman and Professor Lea Waters from the University
of Melbourne, significantly enhancing the school’s capacity to
lead students in this important approach.
THE POSITIVE ADVENTURES OF DAISY
Year 2 girls embraced the chance to educate themselves and their
peers on Positive Education concepts by writing a picture book
and presenting it in Chapel.
Daisy Turns Her Frown Upside Down
is the story of the girls’ class bear Daisy, who takes practical,
positive action in the face of obstacles. Each student took a page
of the book to write and design, while their teacher Tracey Hurley
photographed Daisy in a series of outfits made at home by the
girls, and super-imposed them onto the drawings. The resulting
Chapel service was themed Optimism and proved to be an inspiring
look at the ways we can all look on the bright side and make our
own and others’ lives more positive. Additional elements of the
Year 2 presentation included a discussion of the difference between
likely and impossible scenarios and videos of the girls displaying
their ability in areas in which they are seeking mastery, from
music to cartwheeling.
WHO AM I? CAN YOU SEE? CAN YOU SEE?
Ideally a positive outlook is nurtured from a young age and Kate
Barbat, Ravenswood’s Year 9 Coordinator and PDHPE teacher has
written an inspiring book to encourage young children to choose
happiness and believe in themselves.
Who Am I? Can You See?
Can You See?
features beautiful illustrations of the protagonist
who is aptly named Hope. ‘The book is part of a series that I have
written called
See, Think, Wonde
r,’ Kate says (the other books are
awaiting publication). ‘Together they are designed to ignite little
minds with possibilities and encourage them to have wonder
about the world and themselves. I hope this curiosity will lead
them to experience it first-hand, which is why every book ends
with the words, ‘
You’ll see
.’
Kate wrote the book for her own two small boys and relished the
opportunity to read it to Ravenswood students in Kindergarten,
Year 1 and Year 2. ‘What does it mean to believe in yourself?’ she
asked them when she was done. ‘Don’t stop no matter what’s in
front of you,’ said one. ‘Any obstacles, don’t think about them,’
responded another.
Who Am I? Can You See? Can You See?
is
available from Dymocks, Berkelouw Books, Big W and on-line
at Booktopia.
Mrs Kate Barbat
