By Callum Ludwig
The first days of school for 2023 are upon us and for many students, it can be a hard time to readjust and prepare for the year ahead.
Helping kids to notice, understand and look after their mental health is really important during this time and will go a long way in having a great school year.
Wandin North Primary School Principal Paul Bailey said it is crucial to support students’ mental health and well-being in 2023.
“Children who are happy and healthy mentally, socially and physically are more likely achieve success and have the ability, energy and motivation to step out of their comfort zone, take calculated risks and establish and maintain relationships with trusted adults and peers,” he said.
“For children who are starting Prep, they will be filled with a lot of excitement and nervous energy. We encourage our new families to come to our school grounds throughout the holidays and play on the playground, go to the front of their classroom, remind themselves where the toilets are etc. This is a great way for the students and families to visualise the environment at home when discussing starting school for the first time.”
The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program has three top tips for a stress-free transition to school: Plan new routines in advance, help build positive relationships and to encourage honest and open communication.
Adjusting from the freedom of holiday routines can be hard for kids and this can be eased by adjusting bedtime schedules the week before school returns, prepping lunches or snacks the night before, avoiding too many after-school activities to allow time to relax and encouraging kids to take ownership of their routines.
Mr Bailey said in the beginning weeks of school, whether the students are in Prep or Grade 6, the students will be tired due to the cognitive load school brings.
“It takes time for children to get back to being school fit after six weeks off,” he said.
“At Wandin North, we have a number of predictable routines and we encourage our families to do the same at home to help with getting children up out of bed and ready for school in the morning and that will provide the best opportunity for the child to wind down and have a good night sleep to recharge.”
Positive relationships with other students heading into school can ease social pressure on kids, especially preps or children moving schools. Organising play dates or time for kids to catch up before the holidays and roleplaying problem-solving scenarios are great ways to prepare kids to build friendships and resolve conflicts.
Mr Bailey said he also believes staff taking the time to form positive relationships with all students is so important.
“We want our children to form a strong sense of belonging and connectedness. When children have a number of trusted adults who take an interest in who they are as a person, they feel safe and more likely to share to talk,” he said.
“At Wandin North, we practice gratitude and take the time each week for students to share what they are grateful for. At the beginning of each year when setting up shared norms and expectations, our teachers discuss the different ways we can share our emotions whether that be verballing in group discussion, one on one discussion or in written form.”
Finally, having positive conversations with kids about what their worries or concerns are about school can help parents target what is causing their child stress. A casual conversation on a walk or in the car, remaining positive about going back to school, is a good way to avoid children feeling intimidated and encourage them to talk openly about school.
Mr Bailey said Wandin North Primary School works hard to build strong connections between home and school to gain a greater understanding of the whole child.
“We are then able to effectively align with the student’s motivators and put preventative strategies in place when emotional and behavioural triggers may present themselves. At Wandin North Primary School use positive psychology and empower students to tackle challenges with a growth mindset, whether they be social, emotional or academic,” he said.
“We pride ourselves on creating calm and orderly learning environments that are predictable and safe for students. In 2023, we are starting our relationship with The Resilience Project. We believe this adds another layer to our process at Wandin North.”
The Resilience Project was founded by former primary school teacher Hugh Van Cuylenburg, sharing his experiences volunteering to teach kids in northern India, where he was inspired by their positivity and gratitude despite the underprivileged community they lived in.
