“takes advantage of a natural window of opportunity during childhood, when the neural circuitry that allows us to pay attention, calm ourselves and attune to our own and other’s feelings takes shape”. Professor Richard Davidson
One of the areas we have been exploring in our focus on social and emotional wellbeing is mindfulness in schools and it benefits. Mindfulness provides children with the emotional and cognitive tools to help manage emotions and behaviours, reduce stress, sharpen concentration, and increase empathy and optimism.
While it’s been a buzz word over the past few years’, research has shown that mindful practice is an important tool that schools can use to help students navigate a complex world with increasing pressures.
At City Beach Primary School many teachers already use elements of mindful practice in the classrooms each day. Strategies such as brain breaks, yoga, mindful walking or calm breathing that enhance the learning environment and wellbeing of students, are embedded in daily routines. Research has shown that when mindfulness becomes a whole school approach it helps to create optimal learning conditions for children to flourish in their learning.
Our staff, as a community of confident, curious and creative learners will explore mindfulness @CBPS and where we can take it, at our School Development Day on Tuesday 2 March. For educators mindfulness cultivates the skills to manage stress and to build attention, focus, and resilience––empowering them to create safe, supportive spaces for students in the classroom, and beyond. We look forward to bringing our community along with us as we explore mindfulness, by running sessions for parents and interested community members over the year. In this way we can all benefit from the chance to focus and train our attention, develop empathy, perspective taking, kindness, positivity and appreciation.
Harmony Day and Sundowner | Friday 5 March
We value and celebrate diversity, cultural inclusion and difference at City Beach Primary School. Our unique connection with the Japanese School (JSP) in Perth provides us with opportunities to share experiences cross the year. Harmony Day with its key message of ‘Everybody Belongs’ aims to encourage inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural background, and celebrate core Australian values. It also highlights the multicultural fabric of our school and is a chance to celebrate our unique relationship with JSP. As the JSP school year comes to an end on Wednesday 9 March we have moved Harmony Day celebrations forward to be able to share in a picnic lunch at school on Friday 5 March. Everyone is encouraged to wear orange in some way and enjoy being together.
We also have our first Sundowner for the year that afternoon, Friday 5 March 4pm – 7pm, which is a great chance for all families, old and new to get together and enjoy waterslides, good company and great conversations. I’m looking forward to sharing in the fun of the day and afternoon – see you there!