Our approach to the personal, social, health and emotional (PSHE) education of our students is so important to us at JB. Its value has become even more pronounced given the effect that Covid-19 is having on the world.
The principles of positive psychology underpin our approach to PSHE teaching and this week we have focused on managing and coping with change. With our students, we have discussed how change affects our emotions, that it happens all the time and that it happens to everyone. We also engaged in thinking and talking with our students around the idea that change invokes comfortable and uncomfortable emotions.
We believe strongly in connecting learning to children’s real life experience and so we asked the students to reflect on changes in their lives right now, namely the recent MCO and school closure along with the upcoming end of school year and move to another year group or school.
Our students were asked to reflect upon our zones of regulation, the emotions that we feel as well as the tools we have to cope with change.
Our students are very familiar now with our range of character strengths and teachers encouraged students to think about which character strengths came more naturally to them and which did not but ultimately which would allow them to manage change effectively.
Teachers read the most beautiful and thoughtful story about emotions In my Heart by Jo Witek and the children amazed us in how they related to the story, reflected upon their reactions to change and articulated their own emotions.
Our approach to PSHE has continued to support our students' personal growth throughout this school year and I believe it has been incredibly important in providing them with the emotional tools to cope with the numerous challenges they have faced.
Best wishes
Alan McCarthy
Primary Principal