Principal's Report
Dear Gorokan Public School Community,
I am thrilled to share with you the latest edition of our school newsletter. I'm excited to share the many achievements, projects, and gatherings that have enhanced our dynamic learning environment in recent weeks.
Book Week 2023 "Read, Grow, Inspire"
This year's Book Week theme encapsulates the essence of what reading is all about – a journey that not only entertains but also enriches, a pathway to personal development that leaves an indelible mark on young hearts and minds. I would like to extend my gratitude to our dedicated students, parents, teachers, and staff members for their contribution towards making Book Week such a great success this year. The parade was a wonderful community event and the students looked amazing in their costumes.
Parent/Teacher Interviews
We're thrilled to share the feedback we received from approximately 90 respondents regarding our recent Parent/Teacher Interviews. Your insights are invaluable in helping us refine this important event.
- Positive Feedback - An impressive 95% of you expressed positivity about the information provided during the interviews. We're elated that the discussions resonated with your expectations and needs.
- Timing - According to the survey, 68% of participants found the timing of the interviews to be just right. We're actively considering this feedback to ensure that we strike the perfect balance for all involved.
- Choice of Times - An overwhelming 93% of respondents appreciated the range of times offered for the interviews. This tells us that our efforts to accommodate diverse schedules are heading in the right direction.
We're genuinely grateful for your candid input. Your voices are driving us forward to enhance this event further. Rest assured, your suggestions will be thoughtfully considered as we work to make the Parent/Teacher Interviews even more effective and accommodating in the future. Thank you for partnering with us on this journey of continuous improvement.
Father's Day Gift Stall
The annual P&C Father's Day Gift Stall will be held on Thursday August 31. The P&C has worked hard to source a great selection of gifts priced from $1.00 to $7.00. Each child can purchase 3-4 gifts. Simply send some cash in an envelope with your child's name and class marked on it. The class teacher will keep it safe until their turn at the stall. Don’t forget to keep canteen cash separate.
Father's Day Breakfast
The annual P&C Father’s Day Breakfast will be held on Friday September 1. Come along and start the day with a scrumptious breakfast outside the school hall, from 7:30am to 8:45am. We are looking forward to coming together to celebrate dads, pops, uncles, and all those special figures in our students' lives. It's going to be another wonderful community event.
Bullying - No Way!
In our relentless pursuit of creating a safe and nurturing learning environment, we proudly embrace the "Bullying - No Way!" initiative, empowering our students with the tools and knowledge they need to stand up against bullying and foster a culture of kindness and respect within our school. Last Friday, the school focused on anti-bullying strategies in every classroom across the school with the students participating in lessons and thoughtful discussions that explore the impact of bullying on individuals and the wider community, and equip our students with the knowledge, skills, and empathy needed to combat bullying.
Inclusive School Sport
Last week, four students from Gorokan Public School participated in The School Sport Unit Tenpin Bowling Competition for 2023 at Gosford City Bowl. This competition allows schools to enter one team of four bowlers in either the primary or secondary competition. Congratulations to the representatives from our school! It's a commendable achievement to have participated in the competition. Congratulations to Ayla C, Jack C and Amelia W.
P&C
A big thank you to the parents and carers who joined us for the P&C meeting last Tuesday. It was a successful gathering with a strong turnout. Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 17 October at 4:30pm in the school library. We look forward to another productive discussion on various topics including upcoming school events, fundraising initiatives, and information sharing. Everyone is welcome to attend and contribute. Your participation is invaluable!
Central Coast Public Schools' Showcase
Get ready to be amazed at the Central Coast Public Schools' Showcase! Held annually at the Laycock Street Community Theatre, this event highlights the talents of accomplished Kindergarten to Year 12 performers from across the Central Coast. Join us on August 24 2023, at 6:15pm, as we cheer for these extraordinary artists in a professional theatre setting. Good luck to all our recorder players – your passion and dedication inspire us! The students participating in this exciting event are Vienna D, Rozie D, Yasmin G, Tahnee Y, Isabella M, Adam N, Sophie C, Dakota M, Samantha D and Alina L.
Canteen Update
If your child is absent from school and you have placed a canteen order and would like a refund could you please notify the school to cancel the canteen order. This will save food waste and save you money.
Cancellations cut off is 9:00am for recess orders & 10:00am for lunch orders. Please phone 4392 4200 to make a cancellation.
Thank you for your support of our new canteen.
Together, we can make a difference. By continuing working collaboratively, pooling our strengths, and supporting one another, we have the power to create positive change in our school community and beyond.
Jesmond Zammit
Principal
School News
Attendance
School refusal can be a difficult and distressing time for both students and families. If you are experiencing school refusal with your child, we are here to help. Please contact your child’s class teacher to discuss any issues that may be impacting your child attending school.
A fabulous job Gorokan Public School!
Can we work together to get above 90% whole school attendance? Yes, we can!
Dates to Remember
- Thursday 24 August - Central Coast School's Showcase at 6:15pm
- Friday 25 August - Colour Run (Year 6 fundraiser) at 9:30am
- Tuesday 29 August - Kindergaretn Excursion to Hunter Valley Zoo at 9:15am
- Wednesday 30 August - Gorokan High School Transition Sports Day for Year 6 at 8:30am
- Thursday 31 August - Hearing Screening Retest K-2
- Thursday 31 August - Father's Day Stall
- Friday 1 September - Father's Day Breakfast at 7:30am
- Tuesday 5 September - Yarn Up 2:00pm - 3:00pm
- Thursday 7 September - Combined Choral Festival Rehearsal at 9:30am
- Friday 8 September - Online Opera House Event
- Friday 8 September - Zone Athletics Carnival at 8:00am
- Wednesday 13 September - Central Coast Public Speaking Competition at Gorokan Public School at 8:30am
Support Unit
Current Learning
We have celebrated some exciting events over the last two weeks and the Support Unit have enjoyed participating in the learning and fun!
Week 5 - National Science Week
In K-6S we integrated math and science and our students gained a holistic perspective on weight and its significance. Our class was encouraged to think critically, make connections between subjects, and develop a well rounded understanding of the topic.
Through our integrated lessons, our students achieved:
- Enhanced understanding of weight, mass and balance.
- Improved mathematical skills in measurement, comparison, and problem solving.
- Strengthened scientific inquiry and observation skills.
- Developed ability to apply learned concepts to real life situations.
We were immensely proud of our students for their active participation and enthusiasm throughout Science week. We believe that such interdisciplinary experiences provide them with a more comprehensive and enriching educational journey.
K-6L - Echidna’s Science Week experiments included Bouncy Eggs and Butter Slime. The students chose these experiments and had to research and adapt the instructions using some of the measuring techniques we have been learning about this term. It was a fun and messy week.
K-6H also integrated math and science to investigate capacity and volume. The most effective way for students to learn about volume and capacity is by taking part in practical investigations. Students learn that capacity tells us how much a container can hold, and explore this concept by comparing containers of different shapes and sizes. When investigating volume, students examine the space that is filled and the amount that the container is holding. They use mathematical vocabulary to describe the volume: full, nearly full, half full, nearly empty and empty.
Adding an element of scientific fun to their investigation’s our class were able to apply their understanding using slime that they made to describe more, less, full, half and empty. They measured their ingredients and mixed their slime, enjoying the sensory activity.
Book Parade
On Friday 18 August we celebrated Book Week with a book parade on the oval. The teachers in the Support Unit decided to embrace the wonderfully wacky Willy Wonker and the Chocolate Factory and it was wonderful to see so many students dress up in their favourite characters. Thank you to all the families and carers for supporting the students with their outfits and support on the day.
Eaglehawks K-6H
This term our class has started cooking with Mrs King in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden (SAKG). We have been learning the rules of the kitchen and participating in all areas of food preparation, cooking, cleaning, and more importantly eating our delicious creations. This fortnight we have made Banana bread and Strawberry Danish from scratch learning how to measure the ingredients and adding them in at the right steps. Everyone was able to have a go at cracking and mixing eggs with some of our students impressing Mrs King with their skills. After cooking each week, we take a walk through our kitchen garden and check out the growth on our fresh vegetables and feed the chickens. The students have really enjoyed exploring where our food comes from and how to be sustainable.
Over the last couple of weeks, the students have become interested in learning the Darkinjung language and bringing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture into our classroom. The students have been practicing counting in Darkinjung during our daily math warm-up’s and we have started our Indigenous Astronomy and Solar System unit for science.The students have been very excited to learn the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective through dreamtime and creation stories of the sun and moon, while slowly turning our classroom into our very own solar system. So far we have learnt facts about earth, the sun and this week will be the moon, including the 8 phases of the moon and how it influences Earth. This science unit is an ideal way to link science with literacy in the classroom and provides opportunities for students to explore how the patterns in the sky relate to days, months and years and the cultural importance to Australia’s First nations people. Students' will learn how observation and models can be used to shape ideas through hands-on activities and student-planned investigations. Students also investigate the elements of our Solar System and Earth's position within it. Keep an eye out in the next newsletter for an update on the K-6H solar system classroom transformation!
Reminders
Punctuality
We want to emphasise the importance of being at school on time as there have been numerous incidents of some families routinely arriving at school after 9.00am.
Children who arrive late are greatly disadvantaged because they miss starting the day with their peers and the beginning of lessons. This means that they are often unsettled and confused about tasks. Their teacher will not always be able to re-explain work.
It is also very important that children establish good routines and habits in preparation for the rest of their lives. Punctuality is a life skill that they need to develop whilst they are young.
It is essential that you ensure that your child arrives at school on time to prevent disruption to your child’s own learning and that of others.
We will continue to focus on this area with children through class work and grade gatherings.
We are required to monitor children’s punctuality and attendance. On-going lateness (after the class register has been taken) is classified as an unauthorised absence and this is contrary to The Education Act.
Friday 25 August
We will celebrate the whole school Colour Run Year 6 Fundraiser. The Support Unit will run out at 10.00am so please come and join us to watch us go from white to bright! Don’t forget to send your student to school in a white t-shirt, and please pack a change of clothes and a towel to help get cleaned up afterwards.
Thursday 31 August - Father's Day Stall
Friday 1 September - Father's Day Breakfast
Term 4 (Monday 9 October 2023 - Friday 20 October) Special Swimming Scheme
Don’t forget to enrol your child in the Special Swimming School Scheme. Students from Year 2 up including the Support Unit who want to learn to swim (non swimmers to weak swimmers that cannot swim 25-50m) are encouraged to participate. Students will learn water safety and gain confidence in the water, while improving swimming skills. The program costs $55.00 per child. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s classroom teacher or the office for more information.
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Celebrations of Learning
This fortnight the focus is the TRUSTING ROAD!
- I am confident and strong
- I can work out what I need to do
- I don’t let bad feelings get me down
- I make decisions that help me feel strong and happy.
During Grade Gathering we have been practicing our school song and National Anthem. The students have been singing loud and proud. Our school song is below if students would like to practice at home or share with their families and carers.
Well done to all our Support Unit students for their excellent efforts and determination this fortnight. Congratulations to all our award winners::
Week 5
- Turtles - Lennon S and Max L
- Eaglehawks - Nakia T and Nicole P
- Echidna - Braxton F
- Frogs - Georgie Camenzouli
Week 6
- Turtles - Malaqui G and Charlotte D
- Eaglehawks - Atticus D and Tyson T
- Echidna - Jarvis D
- Frogs - Kane Hayward
Mrs Shauna Crook
Deputy Principal Support Unit and Wellbeing
Early Stage 1
Current Learning
We have had another busy fortnight of learning in Kindergarten. In English we have been learning to write a compound sentence i.e. a sentence with two ideas and a conjunction that joins the ideas together. We have been focusing on improving our fluency when reading and trying hard to learn our ‘heart’ words.
In maths we have been learning about shapes and patterns. We have also been continuing our number work and using hands on objects to add and subtract.
In drama we have been acting out scenes from the books “The Three Little Pigs” and “Wombat Stew”. It has been great to see the students’ confidence grow when taking on these roles in front of the class. All students have enjoyed participating in these lessons and love to pretend to be the characters in the books.
Reminders
Central Coast Public Speaking Competition
Next week (28 August), students will be asked to present a 1-2 minute speech to their class about their favourite animal.
The speech might include: What the animal looks like? Where the animal lives? What the animal eats? How it moves? The noises it makes? Why is it their favourite animal?
Students are asked to prepare the speech at home on palm cards (using words or pictures) to help them remember what to say. Please help your child write and learn their speech. The best two speeches from Kindergarten will be given an opportunity to present their speech at the next level of the public speaking competition.
Hunter Valley Zoo Excursion
On Tuesday 29 August, we are going on our excursion to the Hunter Valley Zoo. Payment is now closed and numbers have been finalised. Please make sure that your child is at school by 9:00am on Tuesday. Students need to have a hat, a packed lunch and a bottle of water in their bag (there are no canteen orders on this day). Please do NOT pack money as we will not have opportunities to shop. Students not attending will be placed in a Stage 1 class for the day.
Responsible Pet Program
Unfortunately “The Responsible Pet Program” has been cancelled and will not be able to go ahead.
School Colour Run
Kindergarten students will be participating in the Colour Run this Friday. On Friday, students will be asked to wear a plain white t-shirt to school so that it shows off all of the great colours. They will be provided with glasses to wear during the Colour Run to protect their eyes. Please pack a labelled change of clothes for your child in a plastic bag. Kindergarten will run around 10:20am.
Morning Drop Off
Please continue to drop your child at the front or back gate and say goodbye. We have noticed that there are more and more parents coming into the classrooms in the mornings which has been a bit unsettling for some students. It is important that we encourage our students to become more independent as we edge toward the end of Kindergarten. If you need to pass on a message or speak to the class teacher, please contact the school office to make an appointment or write your child’s teacher a quick note and they will be in touch with you at their earliest convenience.
Playground
This year Kindergarten has had a separate play time to the rest of the school. Kindergarten teachers have done this to ensure that our students are comfortable and happy in their school environment. By doing this, students have been able to come straight to class in the mornings avoiding the busy cola area and reducing anxiety. The separate playground has also given students the opportunity to make friendships with other students their own age, while playing in various areas of the playground with supervising Kindergarten teachers who know them well. This has been extremely successful and we will continue our separate playground through to next term. We will transition students to normal play times with the Stage 1 students toward the end of Term 4 so that they are familiar with the Year 1 routines.
Celebrations of Learning
Well done to all Kindergarten students for their amazing effort this fortnight. We would like to congratulate our class award winners:
- KB - Mason C, Daemon B, Jack D and Zarah G
- KC - Isabel L, Amber M, Wyatt G and Corey G
- KJ - Tama R, Levi L, Kyrah N and Zahra H
- KLF - Isla A and Alekisanita G
- KTF - Electra N, Sophie P, Koby C and Adriana D
Students receiving Open Road Awards:
- KB - Anahera W, Elvy D, Jace R and Octavia R
- KC - Xander C, Sebastian D, Hazel C and Kai P
- KJ - Jackson D and Axel M
- KLF - Kiara-Rose C and Koda D
- KTF - Amaliah D, Jasper S, Pallis M and Austin H
Congratulations to all of our award winners this fortnight.
Mrs Alicia Duke
Assistant Principal Early Stage 1
Stage 1
Welcome to Week 5. We had so much fun showcasing our wonderful Stage 1 classes during Education Week last week. Thank you to all the family members who came to watch our fabulous Year 1 and 2 students participate in our warm ups. We hope you enjoyed watching the learning that takes place in our classrooms.
Current Learning
Year 1 Learning
Year 1 has been learning about how we write information texts this term. We cannot wait to hear what the students have learnt during their speeches about their favourite Australian Native Animal. If you have not had a letter explaining the speeches, please contact the office. The students are currently showing off their phonics skills. All Year 1 students in NSW are undertaking the National Phonics Screener, which is a follow on from their Best Start Assessment that they did with their teacher before starting Kindergarten. The information from the screener will support the teacher's knowledge and help guide what happens next for your child’s learning. We are excited for the students to show us their knowledge and how much they have learnt about sounds that letters make.
Year 2 Learning
Year 2 have had a busy start to Term 3 with their learning. In writing Year 2 are learning narrative texts and have been coming up with some brilliant ideas to enhance the way they write. We are turning our classrooms into a wildlife sanctuary with all our amazing animal art that focuses on using different mediums. Take a look at some of our Wild Work!
Students will also start bringing home their Essential Assessment work booklets that are tailored to their individual learning needs. This is a great opportunity to support your child at home which will aid their learning. We are excited to see how each child progresses over the next half of the year.
Reminders
Colour Run
Thank you for the incredible efforts everyone is making to raise funds for the colour run. Keep up the great work! Our Colour Run will take place on Friday 25 August. Year 1 will run around 10:40am and Year 2 around 11:40am.
Public Speaking
Please support your children with their public speaking speeches. They will need to be completed by the end of Week 6 as we will begin the speeches at the start of Week 7.
Labelling
As the days are getting warmer, it is important that students are wearing their hats at break time and during outdoor sport activities. Please clearly label your child’s hat and remember that only bucket hats are allowed at school.
Attendance
If your child arrives at school and is lined up on time, they have an opportunity to win an ice block! Congratulations to all of our ice block winners from last term who have demonstrated that they are organised and committed learners!
Celebrations of Learning
Congratulations to all of the Book Week winners on their unique costumes.
- 1Y - Siannah
- 1L - Peyton
- 1P - Connor
- 1E - Valin
- 1/2M - Ayla
- 2S - Jacob
- 2B - Eildon
- 2J - Millie
Mrs Jo Lee
Assistant Principal Year One
Mr Mitchell Gibbs
Assistant Principal Aboriginal Education Year Two
Stage 2
Thank you to all families who were able to join us at school last Friday for the Book parade. The students had a wonderful time discussing their favourite books and participating in the whole school parade. Thank you for helping your child to dress up as their favourite character.
Current Learning
Central Coast Public Speaking Competition
This term Stage 2 students will be taking part in the Gorokan Public School Public Speaking Competition. The students have been planning their speech at school and will be rehearsing in preparation for the finals this week. The speeches tie in with the English unit being studied in each class.
Two students from Stage 2 will be selected to enter the Central Coast Public Speaking Competition later in the term.
Please support your child by allowing them time to practise their speech at home. The matrix below clearly outlines how students can improve the delivery of their speech.
Book Bank
Our new Book Bank books have arrived for this term! A massive thank you to Dymocks for their support in encouraging the students to read. Students were eager to read their selected books for this term and are looking forward to reading them and sharing them with others in the classroom. They were even more excited to be able to take home last term's book bank book to share with you at home.
Get Happier Project
We have continued our Get Happier Journey with an in-depth focus this fortnight on the TRUSTING road. In Grade Gathering we have discussed the importance of being safe, respectful learners, staying on open roads and making positive choices for not only ourselves, but for those around us. We have explored and discussed different scenarios students may find themselves in and strategies they can use to further support their social and emotional learning. Thank you for all of your support with reminding the students to be safe, respectful, successful learners.
Reminders
Important dates
- Friday 25 August - Whole School Colour Run Fundraiser
- Thursday 31 August - Father’s Day Stall
- Friday 1 September - Father’s Day Breakfast
- Friday 1 September - Zone Athletics Carnival
Celebrations of Learning
Congratulations to the following Week 2 and 3 award winners:
- 3S - Myles, Anabel H, Nixon, Byron N, Harrison B, Fletcher, Anabelle B and Kailee
- 3/4F - Tyler, Tahlia, Ethan, Maddison, Robert, Marley and Zane
- 3D - Haylen, Lailahni, Byron J, Scarlett, Lucas H, Rozie, Noah H and Mia
- 4O - Phoenix, Nevada, Jack, Shayanne, Lachlan, Maxon, Ola and Amelia
- 4/5M - Yasmin, Oliver, Eva and Kevin
- 4B - Kayden, Skylah, Aliyah Y, Trevor, Harseerat, Aleeyah, Beau and Hunter
Mrs Di Jeanpierre
Assistant Principal Stage 2
Stage 3
Current Learning
Wow! Week 6 already and this term is flying by! We have been extremely busy already this term with our Year 6 trip to Canberra. We have a very busy couple of weeks coming up and we look forward to your support and seeing you at our Colour Run!
Reminders
Year 6 Colour Run Fundraiser
Friday 25 August 2023 - Year 6 Colour Run fundraiser for the whole school. All students are asked to wear a white shirt and there is a sausage sizzle available on the day for the cost of $2.00 each. Raffle tickets will also be for sale via a link that has been sent out by email and can be purchased on the day. We thank you for supporting our Year 6 fundraiser as all funds raised go towards the Year 6 Farewell and the Year 6 gift to the school. The gift for this year is a brand new industrial toaster for the Breakfast Club with an upgrade to their facilities. Thank you so much for your support! Together we’ve raised almost $20,000. Year 5 will run around 12:40pm and Year 6 around 1pm.
Year 6 Sport Day
Wednesday 30 August 2023 - Gorokan High School (GHS) will be facilitating a ‘Year 6 Sport Day’ for all students who will be attending Gorokan High School in 2024 at Harry Moore Oval at Toukley. The day will be run by Gorokan High School's Year 10 aspiring leaders who will facilitate different sport stations for Year 6 students to participate in. Students need to be at school at 8:00am for an 8.15am departure.
School Uniform
All Stage 3 students are reminded they are to wear their correct school uniform everyday with correct school jumpers and school hats clearly labelled with their name and class.
Year 5 ZooSnooz
Year 5 ZooSnooz Overnight Excursion to Taronga Zoo - notes and more details will be coming out shortly!
Year 6 Farewell - Save the Date!
Our Year 6 Farewell 2023 will be on Monday 11 December 2023 with more details to come in Term 4! Please save this date to your calendars!
A quick reminder some Stage 3 students are arriving late to school and we encourage all our students to be on time and ready to learn each and every single day as every day counts and matters. All students who are late must be accompanied to the office by an adult to be signed in with a valid reason for being late. We thank you for your support with this.
Public Speaking Competition
Students will give their speeches in class this week. Two students from each class will then compete in the finals on Monday 28 August at 9:15am in the hall.
Celebrations of Learning
We had a wonderful time celebrating Book Week, with some wonderful costumes at our Book Week Parade!
Our Stage 3 award winners this fortnight are:
- 4/5M - Cody, Jasper, Hemi and Lily
- 5F - Jae-Li, Kafaloto, Tahlia, Teahlea and Emily
- 5H -Toby, Samantha, Leilani and Charlie C
- 5/6G - Caleb, Bodhi, Xacre and Havana
- 6P - Nevada, Cooper, Tyler and Chayce
- 6R - Miley, Jack Lachlan and Olivia
CONGRATULATIONS to all our Stage 3 award winners, we are very proud of you!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns please phone your child’s class teacher as your first point of contact. Wishing you all a wonderful fortnight! 🙂
Mrs Kate Day
Stage 3 Assistant Principal
Parenting Ideas
Preventing childhood bullying
Childhood bullying is an insidious behaviour that thrives on secrecy and adult acquiescence.
The recent efforts by a father in Ohio, USA to hold his child accountable for bullying is commendable, even if the technique he used is questionable.
Matt Cox insisted that his ten year daughter walk eight kilometres each way to school for three days after she was banned from the school bus for bullying.
He posted a film of her walking to school on social media, which has drawn over 15 million viewers. Cox’s actions have drawn mixed responses from parents and professionals alike.
Let’s look at the filming and posting of a disciplinary measure to social media first. It’s a firm belief of the Parenting Ideas team that discipline works best when it’s a private matter between parents and their children, and not something shared with others.
Keep discipline private
Many kids feel uncomfortable when even their close family are aware of the discipline they are experiencing. The posting of the film on social media borders on the realms of humiliation, which probably wasn’t this father’s intention. Imagine thirty years ago if Cox’s parents had filmed an act of discipline involving their son and screening it as a short in movie theatres across the country. There would have been a public outcry about this invasion of privacy. Now thanks to social media posting of private matters is the new normal, which often goes unquestioned.
Parents should be encouraging their children to think very carefully before they post anything on social media as once the genie is out of the bottle it can’t be put back. This video could well come back to haunt his daughter in the years to come.
Being accountable
It’s laudable that this father wants to hold his daughter accountable for her actions rather than dismiss the behaviour as minor, or ‘just one of those things that happen.’ Too often parents excuse their children’s poor behaviour, or simply don’t take it seriously enough.
This father backed the actions of the bus driver, which were presumably endorsed by the school. Parent inaction over children’s inappropriate behaviour is a common frustration for many teachers and principals so I suspect knowledge of this dad’s actions would have been greeted by high fives by most of the staff at the girl’s school.
Reflection is a pre-cursor to behaviour change so the fact that she walked to school gave her plenty of time to ponder on her actions. However this type of punishment doesn’t generally lead to a reduction in bullying in the long-term.
Restore relationships
Relationship restoration is a key strategy used by many Australian schools that’s proving successful in changing bullying behaviour. Increasingly, kids who bully are expected to face up to their victims in safe, teacher-lead meetings. They are required to recall their actions and account for their behaviour. They also hear first hand the impact that their behaviour has had on the person they bullied, which is usually very confronting. This restorative justice method promotes real accountability as kids are expected to make amends in some way for the hurt that they have brought to the other person.
Research shows that many children who bully generally don’t identify with the impact of bullying, so hearing first hand how their behaviour impacts on others is more likely to create some empathy, and hopefully, a decrease in bullying.
Like any behaviour change method, restorative justice doesn’t work all the time. It needs to be applied in a calm, respectful way and it requires the support of the families of all children involved. This restorative justice method is less about seeking vengeance (‘you’ll get your come uppance’) and more about seeking justice for the person who is bullied (“do you feel safe and also that you’ve been heard?”) and achieving behavioural change from the child who bullies.
Use the restorative approach at home
Parents can practise this restorative approach in their families by encouraging a child to make amends if they’ve upset or been nasty to a brother or sister. ‘You mess up relationships, you make up relationships’ is a fabulous way for kids to take ownership of their anti-social behaviours. Again to be effective this method needs to be carried out in a safe, calm manner at a time when children and teenagers are likely to listen.
Childhood bullying requires a zero tolerance approach from parents, teachers and coaches if it is to be stamped out. The approach taken needs to be respectful to everyone involved; aimed at achieving justice and maintaining personal safety rather than seeking vengeance and gaining pay back; and stay firmly in the private rather public domain.
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