Deputy Head: Students (3-6)
Transition
Being new to my role at Redlands, I am reminded how transition can provoke a range of emotions, even for us as adults. For some students, change can be daunting and anxiety provoking. It is important that we as the adults in their lives, provide them with the tools and strategies to support them through these times. The first thing I always check is that I am managing my own emotions, as children are very good at taking their cues from the adults in their lives. The next thing is to normalise their feelings, rather than brush them aside. A response could be “that must be hard for you, it’s normal to feel that way” rather than “don’t let it bother you”. This goes a long way towards validating and supporting a child who is feeling big emotions. It is also important to remember that sometimes, children just want to tell us what happened and would prefer we didn’t try to “fix it” for them. We can often rush to problem solving or acting on their behalf, when what is really needed is the support and guidance which allows them to work through the situation and develop a positive sense of self and independence. Over time this will enable them to become more confident in their own abilities to manage the ups and downs of life.
To work towards these supportive conversations, I find asking open ended questions a great tool. Instead of “How was school today?” which will most probably elicit a one- word response (“good”, “fine”), a question could be, “What was the best part of your school day today?”. Other open-ended questions could be, “How were your friends today?” (this one also works on fostering that all-important external perspective that children start to develop between the ages of 5 and 10).
Other great questions could be;
“What’s one problem you solved today?” (fostering problem solving skills and critical thinking)
“What great mistakes did you make?” and “what did you learn from them?” (supporting the idea that it is through mistakes that we grow)
My favourite book on change is Little Tree by Loren Long. It is a beautiful picture book which I have used with all age groups about the fear of change and the need to grow. You will find a great read-along version on YouTube.
I hope you have all had a wonderful start to the year at Redlands. It has certainly been a wonderful experience for me and I look forward to working with you all.
Twilight in the Garden
Our Twilight in the Garden event provides a wonderful opportunity for our new families to connect with our school community on the Fahl Garden on our Senior Campus. We are expecting this to be another sold out event for parents and carers so please purchase your tickets early here.
Kate Moore
Deputy Head: Students (3-6)
kamoore@redlands.nsw.edu.au