From the Assistant Principal Students

Mobile phones and other devices are dominating our time. We have become reliant on our devices for many aspects of our day to day living. Many devices track your daily usage and send notification about the time you are on your phone. What is an good amount of time to be on your device? 

Before phones and computers television was a concern because of the amount of tine spent watching shows. It was suggested that more than 1 hour a day is a distraction from life and learning. I would suggest that more than 1 hour a day on non-learning activities is becoming excessive. 

I put this checklist in the newsletter last year to help identify if your phone usage is a problem. Have a look at it again and see where you are identified in the checklist.

9 WAYS TO KNOW YOUR SMART-PHONE IS A PROBLEM. 

1.  Is your smart-phone always within reaching distance? 
2.  Is checking your smart phone the first thing in the morning and last thing you do at night? 
3.  Do you check your smart phone when you are in a face-to-face conversation with someone? 
4.  Do you use your smart phone when watching TV or eating meals? 
5.  Do you panic when you realise the battery is running low and you don’t have a charger on you? 
6.  Do you start sweating when you think you left your smart phone at home? 
7.  Do you reply to texts or social media while driving and stopped at red lights? 
8.  Do you lose time while on your smart phone? 
9.  Do you obsessively check for emails, texts, social media posts etc? 

If you answered yes to 5 or more of these questions you may have a problem with your connection to your smart phone. 

STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR SMART PHONE USE. 

Reconnect to the real world for more time and freedom Smart phones are designed to be addictive. Breaking the habit/addiction is difficult and will take time. Reflect on what your time is worth and what is important to you. Refer back to each of these steps regularly. 

1.  Place a reminder on your lock screen. Something that will remind you to consider whether you really want to disappear into your phone. 
2.  Download a screen-time tracking app. This will help you monitor how much time you waste on your phone and what apps are your weakness. Use the app to block or limit your time on apps that you feel are wasting your time. 
3.  Consider deleting social media from your phone. If you only look at it on a computer at home you will be more aware of when you are engaged. 
4.  Put your phone away at least two hours before you go to bed and don’t touch it for at least 1 hour after you wake in the morning. 
5.  Consider deleting all Health apps like step counters from your phone (unless they were recommended by a doctor). Research shows that they do not work. 
6.  Turn off all notifications for all apps. Beeps and bells just distract you from the ‘real’ world. They are also one of the ways the designers use to get you addicted. 
7.  Don’t have your phone in your bedroom (ever). It will interrupt your sleep patterns.
8.  Buy an ‘old-school’ flip phone with no internet access. Set times/days when you will use it exclusively (on weekends and/or evenings). Then put your smart phone away and be set free. 
9.  Get ready for lots more spare time. You might have to start a new hobby or catch up with friends (in person)!

AUDIENCE

When we talk about bullying, we always think of the bully and the victim and not the people that are making things worse. 

Audience are the people who get involved in problems not to help but to look on. They are the people that yell “fight, fight:” to spur on a problem or get online and like or comment on a drama between others. They are the people who tell others about what others are doing just to upset them. 

Many situations of bullying are made worse because people stick their noses into other people’s business and try to upset the people having a problem. 

At St Andrews we do not tolerate bullying of any form and that includes Audience. Students need to report bullying or harassment to a teacher and let the school help the students find a solution to their problem. 

WHAT’S IN THE PLANNER

What’s the difference between a fixed and growth mindset? 

Fixed mindsets are about proving, they only look at performance not effort, you feel that there is nothing you can do to change your ability. 

Hard work and effort = lack of ability

Growth mindsets rely on efforts being made and you trying different things and learning.  

Hard work and effort = achievement 

As learners we need to learn to Prioritise. Making a list of MUSTS and OPTIONS helps us prioritise what needs to happen in our life. Must might be school work or family obligations; option might be social media and TV.

Getting balance in your life is important to your overall wellbeing. Four things that help with this are healthy eating, daily exercise, adequate sleep and having a positive attitude. Have a look at ways you can develop these areas in your planner.

The key character strength for people to focus on is SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE to others and PERSPECTIVE. 

In the planner each week there is a section on “What went well this week” and “How I feel this week”. I encourage students and families to fill these out every week and discuss the results of these together. 

God bless

Nick Thrum

Assistant Principal- Students