Forgive the acronym, PBS stands for “Pause, Breathe, Smile” and as I have indicated in a previous blog, I accompanied four of our teachers to a training day in term 1. Following the training it is our intention to introduce important lessons and practices from the course to our daily practice. It is hoped that our students will feel greater sense of wellbeing as a result which in turn will strengthen relationships and promote a safe, kind and courteous learning environment.

We have already successfully introduced mindfulness classes during DEEP which students have enjoyed and indicated that they had felt calmer and more focused which has improved their learning. Teachers have also offered calming techniques during lunch time last year during exams when students were feeling anxious, again with very positive results.

We feel that students (and staff) increasingly need to be taught tools which will enable them to cope within a complex, digital and “noisy” world. The increasing number of reported cases of anxiety and depression have been widely reported and are linked to our wired existence where we find it difficult to switch off and live in the moment. PBS or mindfulness techniques have been proven to have a positive impact on our ability to cope and indeed flourish. Relationships improve, thinking becomes clearer, concentration sharper and generally feelings of being in control of our lives strengthened. By focusing on the present moment mindfulness is able to enhance awareness and enrich the human experience

Mindfulness is not linked to any religion, it is not meditation and so students and parents should not feel threatened by the practices. Indeed I was first informed of the idea at a conference which showed the science behind the practice and I enjoyed a very interesting discussion with the head of Catholic schools in Tasmania who had been running a similar course for several years.  I am aware that Baverstock Oaks School has already started to implement PBS practices into its daily classroom practice and also report very positive results.

However should anyone have any concerns I welcome open and constructive communication about this practice and should you wish to research the PBS programme please visit:

https://mindfulnesseducation.nz/pbs-the-new-zealand-curriculum/

Examples of our plan include:

• offering students a chance to access the full course on a voluntary basis during DEEP;
• training our teachers to lead a “ready to learn” type of activity before and after class;
• providing students with mindfulness activities during Learning Adviser Time;
• holding special exam time sessions;
• continuing to offer “active” mindfulness opportunities by exploring nature on trips outside the classroom

We firmly believe that PBS will help to equip our students to meet their personal challenges and opportunities of the future, and thank you in advance for your support as we roll out the plan.

Growing greatness – Kia mana ake

In my last blog I mentioned that our end of term assembly included promotions of Safe Schools Week and the World Vision 40 Hour Famine. To place these initiatives in context I wish to explain why they are important events in our calendar.

Safe Schools Week coincides with the widely publicised Anti-Bullying Week. Schools and workplaces are encouraged to make this a focus in week 3 of term 2 and which culminates in Pink Shirt Day. We have chosen to use the phrase of Safe Schools Week as this encourages us to focus on what positive actions we can make to promote a kind and caring community where people feel included, safe and valued. I am pleased that staff and students have thought up various activities within their Whanau which will remind us of how we can all make a difference.

The idea of making a difference will be reinforced by encouraging students to get involved with raising money for the World Vision 40 Hour Famine. This year funds raised will go to the refugee crisis in South Sudan and the awareness of this humanitarian crisis helps our students to become global citizens and see how they can make a significant change to other people’s lives. Again I am so proud of the many students who have signed up to sacrifice something for a short while to help others.

Both initiatives will help develop the sense of community we enjoy at MHJC and grow the notion of think global and act local.

Growing greatness – Kia mana ake!

The school assembly at the end of term 1 acknowledged our champions and made a special focus of the important day of remembrance on April 25.

I asked our teachers to encourage students to enter various writing competitions related to ANZAC Day and am pleased that two students, Nikhilesh Prasad and Fauzaan Muhammed were selected to speak at ANZAC services at the Auckland Museum. Yet again our students have shown that when given the opportunity to grow their greatness they rise to the occasion.

The assembly focused on the meaning of ANZAC Day – the need to remember those who gave their lives for peace and then what we as a school can do to give meaning to such sacrifice. We can all make a difference was the theme and promotions of the World Vision 40 hour Famine Charity and Safe Schools Week illustrated how our students can take action to strengthen our commitment to develop a caring and kind community where people feel safe and valued.

The school orchestra played the appropriately chosen theme from the movie “Chariots of Fire” and we also chose to end the assembly with a minute silence, poem for peace and National Anthem. One of our strategic goals is to develop a sense of nationhood within our student body and I trust the assembly helps us to achieve this goal.

I look forward to the ANZAC Parade at Stockade Hill this morning accompanied by the Executive Council who will represent the school and lay a wreath at the cenotaph.

Growing greatness – kia mana ake!