Head of Junior School
The Joys and Challenges of Parenting
Earlier this week, I attended two sessions led by Dr Judith Locke; one for teachers and one for parents. At both sessions, Dr Locke shared her considerable knowledge and research into over-parenting and the causes and impacts on students, families and schools. It was wonderful to see Redlands Hall full of Early Childhood and Junior School families on Tuesday night, which was mirrored in terms of attendance on Monday evening by Secondary School families.
I am sometimes asked if being a teacher (my wife is one too) makes parenting easier. Let me assure you it does not. Parenting can and should be one of the most privileged and fulfilling roles many people play but is certainly not easy. With no ‘one size fits all’ manual, I found it really helpful to hear Dr Locke validate this and share her sense that, for a number of reasons, this is a tough time in history to be a parent. She also identified five key skills that she believes all children need to learn: resilience, self-regulation, resourcefulness, respect and responsibility, the final two coincidentally being part of our Redlands School Values. Dr Locke firmly believed that developing these traits in young people was far more important that academic matters as our children grow to learn about life and how to conduct themselves in the world around them. I have noted before that through positive partnerships, these values need to be shared at school and home, something that I have often found to be the case at Redlands.
Another point of interest for those present but also for those who were not able to make this session was Dr Locke’s research on parents who often try to ‘save’ their children from possible challenges. One of the examples she gave was of parents who try to influence either class placements or sports team selections, even though parents never have the full awareness of every student and their needs and capabilities, which teachers or coaches would do. Her article, Class Placements: The Case Against Allowing Children to Choose their Class is one that might prompt some reflection and it certainly resonated with situations that both teachers and I have faced, where in essence our professional judgment and trust is questioned.
Every parent and teacher I have spoken with since the sessions found Dr Locke’s presentation to be both pragmatic and realistic and I am already looking forward to her returning to work with Redlands staff next term. More importantly, I have also reflected further on my own role as a father.
Parent Seminar: Positive Behaviour Support for Learning
Continuing our parent seminar series, next Tuesday 5 March, our Dean of Teaching and Learning, Mr Nigel Coutts, and our Dean of Students, Mrs Samantha Kourakis, will be presenting an information session for parents and carers about our contemporary and innovative teaching and learning pedagogy, as well as how we support student wellbeing at Redlands. The presentation will take place in the Junior School’s Arnold Library beginning at 8.30am with tea and coffee available from 8.00am.
Welcome Parent Cocktail Evening
Despite the inclement weather, my wife and I enjoyed a wonderful evening last Friday joining just over 500 others in our Redlands community at the Welcome Cocktail evening. Robert Dunnet Hall was elegantly dressed as the Plan B venue and I acknowledge and thank all of the parent volunteers who helped to organise, set up and pack away a wonderful social occasion for parents and staff.
Particular appreciation is extended to Junior School parent, Anna Maria Stillone, who oversaw the event, ably assisted by Jean Martin and our Redlands Events Manager, Melanie Hendra.
Our RPFA President, Michelle Tea, spoke warmly and engagingly about the strong community at Redlands in her remarks, and this was certainly something that could be felt on the night.
Thank you to everyone who was able to make this first event which was a great start to the year and look out for other upcoming events such as the Inaugural Redlands Sports Luncheon, which is advertised in more detail below.
Redlands Inaugural Sports Luncheon
The Redlands Inaugural Sports Luncheon, celebrating 120 years of Redlands Sport, will be held towards the end of this term on Friday 5 April between 12.00 – 4.00pm at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli.
This Luncheon is open to all Redlands parents and alumni and provides a great opportunity to celebrate the integral value of sport to the Redlands community and its students of the past, present and future. We are delighted to announce our guest speakers, all past Redlands students, who will share their very inspiring journey during this luncheon:
- Karyn Gojnich (née Davis), Class of 1978 (Olympic Sailor, Redlander and former Redlands parent)
- Janusz Hooker, Class of 1987 (Olympic Rower)
- Lachlan Mackay, Class of 2000 (Rugby: Australian Wallaby)
- Holly Crawford, Class of 2001 (Olympic Snowboarder)
Tickets are $130 per person and include a gourmet two course meal and beverages. Limited spaces are available and bookings can be made here. I hope to see many of you there as we recognise this milestone in the history of Redlands Sport.
Junior School Parent Group
This morning saw our first Junior School Parent Group meeting and it was delightful to welcome and meet this group of volunteers who will contribute to our strong sense of connectedness as a School community this year. We are always fortunate to have parents volunteer for these important roles and I look forward to supporting and working alongside them this year.
Student Representative Council
Our peer-elected Student Representative Council (SRC) met for the first time last week and with the group represented by a girl and boy from each Junior School class, there was a real sense of school student voice in the room. These meetings are chaired by our School Captains, Aneke Golowenko and Krishna Gupta, gently guided by Yr 6 teacher, Ms Cosolito. In their first meeting, the students enjoyed a rich discussion on ‘Positive Behaviours for Play’, which they believe will help to guide our students at recess and lunchtime.
SRC members will ask their classmates for feedback and bring this feedback to our next meeting in order to revise our ‘Positive Behaviours for Play.’
Clean Up Australia Day
All Redlands students and their families are again encouraged to participate in Clean Up Australia Day, an activity to help make a positive contribution in our local community. This year, we are changing location and will be focusing our energy on cleaning up Spit West Reserve. Many Redlands students have spent time in this area for various sports including training sessions in the park and rowing on the harbour. This is our chance to make a positive difference. We will be fanning out from the Redlands Rowing sheds and seeing if we can remove as much rubbish as possible from the park and the harbour foreshore.
Date: Sunday 3 March
Arrive: 1.00pm for a short briefing
Clean up: 1.15pm – 2.30pm
Afternoon tea: 2.30pm, BYO snacks to share
Information for Events and Excursions
Following some recent parent feedback, I am writing to provide parents with some guidance when seeking information on events and excursions where parent permission has been requested. As parents, when you are in Redlands Pulse granting permission, there is always a letter of information within the permission box of information that can be downloaded for your reference. Wherever possible, we will seek to add these letters to the relevant sections of Redlands Pulse too, eg. a Year excursion permission request would also have the letter in the Yr 4 section of Redlands Pulse.
Year 5 Parents and Students
While next Wednesday’s Secondary School Information Session is primarily aimed at Yr 5 parents and students for Yr 7 2021, any Yr 6 parents and students who did not attend the same evening last year for Yr 7 2020 are warmly invited to attend. Please email the Registrar if you would like to do so.
There will be a Yr 6 into 7 Transition Session for Yr 6 parents and students in Term 2 on Monday 13 May at 6.00pm.
Easter Working Bee
Mr Ari Guha
Head of Junior School
aguha@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022