Monthly Archives: April 2018

Courage

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Courage means being brave and doing what you think is right, even if you feel scared. 

People who are courageous do not shrink away from threat, challenge, difficulty or pain. They speak up for what is right even if there is opposition. They are positive bystanders and act on their convictions.

Key Concepts

There are three types of courage (an individual may possess one of these or a combination):

  • Physical bravery (e.g., ANZACS, firefighters, police officers, soldiers)
  • Psychological bravery (e.g., facing painful aspects of oneself)
  • Moral bravery (e.g., speaking up for what’s right, even if it’s an unfavourable opinion to a group)

In “The Lorax”, the Lorax is worried about the environment, he shows moral bravery by standing up for and speaking for the trees against the Once-Ler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa82mcXO9AQ

ANZAC day is another reminder of how brave and courageous our soldiers were by fighting for what they believed in.

When have you showed courage? Was it physical, psychological or moral courage?

Love of Learning

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Love of learning is used to describe people who have an insatiable appetite to learn. It describes the way in which a person engages new information and skills. Love of learning is a strength that we teachers would like to see in their students. It has important motivational consequences because it helps people persist through challenges, setbacks and constructive feedback.

The main character in The Boy Who Loved Words by Ronni Schotter loves learning new words.

Do you have a subject (or two) that you love learning about at every opportunity?

 

 

Gratitude

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I have been privileged to have attended the PESA (Positive Education Schools Association) conference over the last two days. I’ve also felt a sense of gratitude that Barwon Heads PS has generously supported my attendance. This shows the extent to which Positive Education is valued at our school.

Next week will be the first week of Term 2 and the character strength that we will be focussing on is gratitude. Gratitude is a value that has been emphasised at PESA. Kerry Howells talked about appreciation as the most effective state to be in to learn (ie to have strong cognitive functioning). Ahn Do spoke about his family’s attitude of gratitude to overcome adversity and Paddy Dangerfield spoke of the power of a team player acknowledging the impact that playing alongside him had on their game.

Practicing gratitude can reduce stress and leads to higher levels of hope and optimism. Being more grateful can also lead to increased levels of well-being (Emmons & Crumpler, 2000) and is also a powerful tool for strengthening interpersonal relationships. People who express their gratitude tend to be more willing to forgive others and less narcissistic (DeShea, 2003; Farwell & Wohlwend-Lloyd, 1998).

There are all sorts of ways to practice gratitude throughout your day. Thinking of three good things that happened during your day is a simple intervention that can flip your emotions and boost your wellbeing.

 

What are you grateful for?