Social behaviours

At the College, we promote a range of pro-social behaviours that are designed to help improve the well-being of others. These include calling for volunteers, encouraging students to be upstanders, organising buddies for new students, and praising those who assist others. It is wonderful to now see students showing initiative to freely volunteer their own time to help out when they see a need, like in the canteen. Growing great people has always been our priority.  

An important part of promoting pro-social behaviour is empowering our students to help prevent the anti-social behaviours they may witness. In responding to negative behaviours and relationship deterioration, we engage in restorative practices building mindsets that focus on supporting students as they accept accountability for their actions, reflect on the impact they have on others, and take steps to repair relationships and build new pro-social skillsets.   

Restorative practices can take on a number of forms, however, all aim to repair harm and restore relationships through conflict resolution and by holding individuals and groups accountable. 

Restorative conversations have been widely implemented in the Middle Years. They allow the facilitator to demonstrate empathy, teach children how to resolve conflict, and most importantly allow for students to have voice and be heard. It is important that all parties have an opportunity to express their feelings about why the relationship experienced a breakdown, while still setting and re-establishing high expectations moving forward.

Increasingly, the majority of negative behaviours reported originate in the digital, online  space outside of school hours. The College has very firm measures in place to mitigate the risks associated with our students gaining access to inappropriate content and social media platforms while at school. It is vital that families also monitor the online behaviours at home and outside of school hours on personal devices to ensure children remain safe whilst online.

Statistically, adolescent children with social media accounts are more likely to experience self-esteem issues, anxiety, and suffer from depression. Teenage self-esteem issues, if left unchecked or unaddressed, also have the potential to develop into life-threatening problems, such as, drug/alcohol abuse, unsafe sexual behaviours, self-harm, bullying, and eating disorders. Whilst the College does utilise Facebook and Instagram as part of the communication package for families, the use of these platforms is solely to enhance parent engagement in College events. We recommend that students, especially in the Middle Years, do not engage in social media as a way of safeguarding them from potential risk.

The emotional development of Middle Years students is complex and will continue well into their adulthood. Our students are still learning to identify their emotions, to understand why they happen, and how to manage them appropriately. Social media can be harmful to young people because it encourages constant comparison, limits in-person communication, and ironically can lead to feelings of deep loneliness, despite children thinking they are ‘more connected’ with access to social media platforms.

If you need some resources regarding common social media platforms and the potential risks associated with each, please peruse the resources at  https://www.carlyryanfoundation.com/resources/fact-sheets.

Craig Cullen

Assistant Principal Middle Years