Guarding ourselves with a shield

Junior assemblies at Pacific are designed to provide a rich learning opportunity that provides scaffolding for our young people to learn about themselves and how their interactions may be shaped or moulded when working with others. Our Pacific Way statement about how we work with others highlights the need to “listen, value difference and celebrate other’s potential.”

Part of this learning journey also involves solving problems and what to do when we make a mistake.

At this week’s Prep-Year 2 Assembly, I spoke of how we use “shields” to either protect ourselves or to avoid possible impacts of our behaviors. In Junior College when we speak of a shield, we are suggesting that when things go wrong, we protect ourselves with half-truths, blaming others or not accepting our part in the problem. This shield feels good to us as it creates a sense of safety, but by not being entirely honest and deflecting, we are not reaching the heart of the problem, hence delaying resolution. 

Mrs Ridey and Mrs Hogan also shared some important reminders that may help us to solve a problem and restore the relationship with our friends.

·       Make sure you are calm enough to talk

·       Listen to each other (Do not focus on being right)

·       Try to understand the other person’s side of the story

·       Try and find a solution that makes everyone happy not just you

When empowering our students to solve problems, we encourage our students that by “dropping our shield”, trust is formed as we own our behaviour and acknowledge the harm it has caused. By telling the whole story, admitting our part, and accepting responsibility, we are rebuilding the trust, to be honest with ourselves moving forward. Restoration and forgiveness provide the platform from which to understand our imperfections and move toward acknowledging them and rebuilding relationships.

Outdoor Education, Gawun and the Year 5 Leaders

Next week, as leaders of the Junior College, our Year 5 cohort will attend their Outdoor Education Program. Students will be exposed to concepts around leadership, group dynamics and their agency to help and serve others. As leaders of our Junior College, students are responsible for growing their leadership skills to benefit themselves and others.

This land’s traditional custodians, the Kabi-Kabi People, have a name for care or care for, Gawun. It is hoped that our Year 5 leaders can exhibit ‘Gawun’ for our College community and grow as leaders and people through a concentrated focus. You may have noticed our Year 5 leaders moving among our Junior College and adding a level of guidance to the younger students in the classroom and our play spaces.

Future planning involves building on the work established by previous cohorts and identifying critical areas within the Junior College that would benefit from additional support. Through further discussion, we hope to move to house-based leadership activities that create a pathway for our students to flow into leadership opportunities that exist in the Middle and Senior College.

Our students and teaching staff have been involved in the process from the start, and it has been wonderful to see agency and teamwork in action. We thank Mr Paul Brace, Head of Outdoor Education, for planning and coordinating this experience and the many staff that will attend the program that allow the students to be involved in such a rich learning opportunity. 

College Disco

Last Friday the College gym was awash with neon and fluro in many shapes and sizes as Years 4-9 students danced and grooved as the College disco took place. DJ Candi led the students through an energetic experience and a fantastic time was had by all. Thank you to the many staff that attended and also to the Middle and Senior leaders that supported the disco, in the lead up to as well as on the night.

Take care and God Bless

Mr Damian Davis, Head of Staff and Students P-5