From the Leader of Learning Wellbeing Year 8
Dear Year 8 Parents
RUOK? Day was on Thursday, 10th September and in preparation for the Day, Year 8 spent their Wellbeing Lesson learning about this very important day.
Students learnt throughout the Lesson that people do not always feel one hundred percent and they do feel alone. However God will always be there through people’s ups and downs. The following passage is from Isaiah Chapter 43: Verse 2;
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze”
It is important to be God’s people for others especially when they feel down or can not cope with life’s difficulties. It is important to really listen to our family and friends and support each other.
RUOK? Day is our national day of action each year when Australians are reminded that every day is the day to ask, “Are you OK?’’ The organisation began by Gavin Larkin in 2009 in honour of his Father.
One of the most popular activities in the Wellbeing Lesson was human bingo. It was designed for students to get to know each other in their Learning Groups so they could build friendships and expand their network of people to turn to when they needed someone to talk too.
Students watched a few RUOK? Day videos created by the organisation. Students learnt the RUOK? Steps to ask, which are as follows;
- Ask R U OK?
- Listen
- Encourage action
- Check in
Students in small groups discussed three different scenarios and what students should do to help these distressed students. The first scenario was that one of their friends, stressed about their exam results and feeling very low at lunchtime. The second scenario involved a younger student in the playground, looking very angry as he has just had an argument with one of his best friends. The last scenario was a student who is walking around the playground and sitting on a bench without anyone to talk to and looking very sad.
On page 18A of the Year 7 and 8 Learning Planner there is a list of Support Services which students can contact if they need to talk to someone apart from family, teachers or friends. These Support Services include Kids Help Line www.kidshelpline.com.au and Youth Beyond Blue www.youthbeyondblue.com and Headspace Mount Druitt www.headspace.org.au.
Throughout the lesson students learnt a great deal of life skills to maintain their healthy wellbeing. I encourage all parents to talk to their children about the purpose of R U OK? Day.
Until next time,
Melissa Blackwell
Leader of Learning Wellbeing - Year 8
Here are some screenshots of Miss Mamuk’s F8LG practising the 4 steps provided on the RUOK scenarios through video demonstration.
This is B4’s photos completing the Human Bingo activity. The activity was to help students get to know one another in their Learning Group.
