From the Principal
Deepening and promoting a positive and supportive culture of wellbeing is one of our key strategic drivers, and I am proud of how we nurture the social and emotional growth of our students at Redlands.
Earlier this year we published our Redlands Student Wellbeing Framework, which outlines our social and emotional learning outcomes for each stage of a student’s development at Redlands (from Preschool through to Yr 12). This framework focuses on the development of five key areas of social and emotional learning: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills and Responsible Decision Making.
This week it has been wonderful to see these skills on display in our Preparatory and Junior School Wellbeing Days, as students participated in a wide range of activities focusing on their wellbeing including dancing, team building games, “kindness challenges” and silent reading. Wellbeing was also a focus of our special Yr 6 Chapel yesterday where students had the opportunity to reflect on their transition from the Junior School to the Secondary School.
At Redlands, we also know the importance of supporting our staff’s wellbeing as it is when they are “at their best”, that they can “be the best” for the students under their care. Last year we brought in renowned researcher and presenter, Dr Adam Fraser, to speak to our staff on how to best look after our own wellbeing, and I recently heard him speak at a conference I attended in the last holidays.
Dr Fraser spoke of the importance of finding regular bursts of recovery daily, weekly and monthly to ensure we remain “at our best”. Daily activities should move us to a deep state of calm (even if just for 5 to 10 minutes) such as meditation or mindfulness. For me, it is reading fiction and even when things are busy, finding a few minutes to read a book every evening.
Dr Fraser also spoke of the importance of having regular activities over the course of the week that energise us such as a connecting with others, engaging in a hobby or getting out into nature. For me, I regularly take my dog, Leo, for a run (or more appropriately, he takes me for a run).
However, I have also come to realise in recent years that directly connecting with students in the classroom through teaching my English class was also positively energising me. This year, I have missed that “battery” as I have been unable to teach a class; however, this summer season I have found a way to replace it by coaching a basketball team in the Secondary School. I am thoroughly enjoying our two morning trainings and Saturday games and feel recharged through the day and the week. (I am not sure if the players on the 17As feel as “recharged” with our 6:45am trainings.) While I will still get around to support other sports on Saturdays before or after my games, I know getting back to coaching basketball is helping me to be “at my best”.
Mr Sean Corcoran
Photo Caption: On Tuesday, our Junior and Prep School students were immersed in an uplifting day of wellbeing activities, while also raising funds for Bear Cottage.