‘Resilience isn’t a single skill. It’s a variety of skills and coping mechanisms. To bounce back from bumps in the road as well as failures, you should focus on emphasizing the positive.’ Jean Chatzky
Just as Alison Jenkins was about to set off to Victoria on her long service leave trip with her husband Craig to celebrate a birthday milestone, they received the news of the sudden passing of Craig’s mother. As a school community we send our heartfelt condolences to Craig and Alison, and hope they find strength and comfort in the company of family and those they love at this difficult time.
As the busyness of the term takes hold of us all, I can’t help but acknowledge the feeling of thankfulness and appreciation for the positive things in my life, our school and wider community, which contributes to my happiness and sense of well-being. The ability to focus on what we have and express gratitude for it, even in challenging situations, is a gift.
Knowing that gratitude is an appreciative mindset or perspective that combats a sense of entitlement and allows people to thrive and develop positive relationships, highlights the importance of our roles as parents and educators in fostering gratitude in our children.
As parents and educators our attitudes and actions play a significant role in shaping children’s values. Practicing gratitude can be a great way to instil a positive and appreciative mindset. Everyday actions such as teaching your children to appreciate nature and places that surround them; volunteering and helping others; celebrating different cultures and traditions; encouraging acts of kindness; having family gratitude jars; or gratitude journals, all instil gratitude.
By instilling gratitude in children, we not only help them lead happier and more fulfilling lives but also contribute to building a more compassionate, empathetic, and harmonious world, which is critical for our future.
I’m looking forward to the school development day this Monday 6 November where students stay home, and staff will be offsite at the Boola Bardip museum in Perth engaging in professional learning to increase our confidence and broaden knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal history and culture. This will support us to further embed Aboriginal perspectives into our teaching and learning across the curriculum at CBPS.
There are so many things to look forward to over the coming weeks.
Be Safe Be Kind Be Fair
