Common Courtesies - doing it naturally

I was visiting 2M last Thursday afternoon and as I cast my eyes around the room for somewhere to sit, little Jack says 'Sit here, Ms Sands' and patted the empty desk next to him. He then raced over to the corner of the room with an 'I'll get you a chair'.

And later that day as I was leaving the office laden down with my brief case, lunch bag, hand bag and other myriad things I seem to collect to take home every day, young Amaya says 'Let me get the door for you'.

This is common courtesy at it's best, and I'm so proud it happens in our school not only every day but multiple times a day.

We do teach Common Courtesies. We have a list of ten we've all decided are the really important ones. It includes things like saying please, thank you, excuse me and good morning; things like knocking politely and waiting by a door for an invitation in; things like using people's names when you address them. Our list is displayed in every classroom and we usually send it home in the newsletter once a year asking parents to reinforce the same at home.

Common courtesies are taught as a routine in our school. We can't just assume that children will know how good manners make the world go round. So by teaching these few courtesies explicitly we can at the very least ensure they have some standard ways of behaving that help them draw people closer to them.

Our kids' manners are the first things noticed by every visitor to our school. People find it so surprising.

But what I love is that they don't just know the script, know the routine and just say it - they do it naturally. Caring for others and displaying common courtesy is common place at Peregian Springs. Thank you to all parents who help us reinforce this!

Ripples

Throw a stone into a pond and the ripples spin slowly out to the edges in almost continuous circles. The same thing happens when we make eye contact with someone passing by and say 'hello'.

This simple common courtesy forms an important part of our social learning at Peregian Springs State School. My hope is that all staff model it, all parents take the lead and that all children join in and make it part of their social habits - just like 'please' and 'thank you'.

As Principal I try to get out in the playground in the mornings or in the car park in the afternoon and take the time to acknowledge the presence of children, to say hello and have a chat about whatever comes up. I love how kids eyes light up when you notice them - even the older boys who look as if they wish the ground would swallow them (or me) when I pass them hold their heads a bit higher and walk more jauntily (if that's possible with some of them!) to class.

Some kids - most in fact - will walk alongside me chatting about their weekend, their hair, my hair, what they saw someone do in the car park, my dress, the colour of my toe nails, the fact that Dad has gone away to work, and what Mum did on the way to school - not much passes their scrutiny (and there's not much privacy either)!

And why is this important? It's because even a small acknowledgement can be all a child needs to influence their day; that one small ripple that flows over their sense of self can change their day in the classroom and change how they interact with every person they meet that day. For some children it might be their only positive acknowledgement of the morning. They may have been around people, but that doesn't mean anyone has shown any interest in them or has taken the time to slow down, look in their face and wish them a good day.

Taking this time with more than 800 children will be my challenge this year and I'd love every parent, family member, staff member and student to help. Let's all slow down and smile and acknowledge each other every day. Here's to a wonderful 2014.

A school song

Last week four Year 5 girls arrived from their classroom to share some writing - they had been challenged with the task of writing a school song or poem. I was so impressed with all of them - it was clear they knew our vision statement and school values; they managed to incorporate the school wide practices that ensure our school is a safe and enjoyable place for everyone; their verses were catchy; and they have captured our school ethos beautifully! I promised them I would put them in the newsletter - one a week for a few weeks, and I couldn't resist putting this one here. I love the bit about effort being higher than Mt Kilimanjaro!

My Golden School

Peregian, Peregian, our education starts here.
Peregian, Peregian, our bad habits disappear.
Our efforts are higher than Mt. Kilimanjaro,
and everyday we learn for today and for tomorrow.

Chorus 
Peregian Springs State School,
In you we learn how to play
With ground rules,
And amazing tools,
My Golden School,
You will always make my day.

Smiling faces are walking around,
Many teachers are pleased.
Peregian, Peregian,
You exceed the standards with ease.
Our efforts are higher than Mt. Kilimanjaro,
and everyday we learn for today and for tomorrow.

You are the newest,
the best in Peregian Springs.
I think you are amazing.
We all know that you are these things.
Our efforts are higher than Mt. Kilimanjaro,
and everyday we learn for today and for tomorrow.

Chorus x 2

Peregian, Peregian,
My Golden School,
Peregian, Peregian,
My Golden School,
Peregian Springs State School. 
(Faith)

I asked is there music? and they looked a little horrified and said 'We'll just read them'.

Well done, girls!

Cardboard cut outs or creative units of learning

Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

I read an interesting blog in the week by Seth Godin about why all Cadbury fruit and nut chocolate bars are identical - carbon cutouts of each other. Cadbury's employees follow a manual and a process which ensures they produce a perfect bar of chocolate every time - as a result, the Cadbury brand, the organisation and the chocolate they produce is known and trusted world-wide. This is good for the market (if you have shares in Cadbury), and it's good for the customer (as you are practically guaranteed a good bar of chocolate every time.)

This got me thinking about our classrooms. We are a big school now - we have many classes in each year level; for example, there are five Prep classes this year! There are many practices, procedures and routines that all our classes and teachers use and follow; this ensures our distinctive brand, our Peregian Spirit or the Peregian Way as we sometimes call it, is evident throughout our school. We are proud of our reputation for being a 'great school' and we know what we do is working for our children so we make sure we are doing it in every class and in each specialist area across the school.

There is a special blend of fruit and nuts (no pun intended) we expect to see in every room which guarantees a quality education. And in addition, every teacher and teacher aide sprinkles their own skills and knowledge and sense of creativity over the top that contributes to every child's experience of school - they all do it differently and it means that from year to year children experience something unique, all backed by our unique brand evident in every class, our Peregian Spirit.

Schools are a human endeavour, not a factory. Our classrooms will not all be the same; teachers are not all doing the same thing or doing things in the same way; we are not producing hundreds of little chocolate bars, all perfect and all the same. There will be similarities between rooms and parents will recognise these. And there will be differences to rejoice in.

(And in case you are interested, the chocolate in the picture is my favourite - a bar of Guittard - all individually crafted, ensuring a unique tasting experience, and one is rarely identical to another).