In light of everything taking place around us, this fortnight has been a particularly exciting one for us at Pakenham Springs! The highlight has undoubtedly been the launch of The Resilience Project and all of our presentations. Martin Heppell has been our presenter and on Monday evening spoke to our staff about the importance of taking care of ourselves, promoting awareness of mental health and the virtues of embedding gratitude, empathy and mindfulness into our lives and our teaching programs.
The session was very well received and Martin’s message seemed to really strike a chord, just as it did in our student sessions on Tuesday. Students were captivated by Martin and his theatrics, but the message was loud and clear; if we can demonstrate gratitude for what we have, empathy and kindness towards those around us, and remain mindful at all times, then we will be happier individually and collectively. A message he suggested was particularly important in these challenging times.
On Thursday evening, it was the parent’s turn, a session which again appeared to be very well received, both by those who attended in person and those who tuned in from home.This session really focused in on how, as parents, we can develop resilient children and do so through promoting gratitude, empathy and mindfulness. There were some really practical ideas and strategies to do so and, if you haven’t had a chance to check out the website, I would strongly encourage you to do so over the term break: The Resilience Project website.
Now that the presentations have finished, the learning begins in the classroom. As part of The Resilience Project program, students and teachers have workbooks to support a program that explicitly teaches gratitude, empathy and mindfulness. There is a sequence of 30 lessons that will take place weekly as of Term Two, first thing on a Monday morning.