Last week I attended the North Shore Principals Summit Day where we were inspired by the keynote speaker, Thomas Hoerr, PhD. Hoerr is currently Scholar Residence at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and teaches in the Educational Leadership program, prior to this he was the principal for 34 years at New City School in St. Louis, Missouri, and is now the Emeritus Head of School. Amongst his achievements, Hoerr has written five books – most recently, The Formative Five (2016).

Hoerr talked about grit and inner motivation and the importance of these skills for our children growing up in a fast-evolving world where constant change and adaptation is the norm. There were a few 'gems' that I thought could be of interest and certainly something we will be inquiring into as we continue to build our learning culture. 

We know that grit and inner motivation are building blocks to success and yet we sometimes struggle with how to instill these qualities on children - try explaining grit to a 5-year-old! Hoerr suggests that we focus on fostering a healthy and authentic pride - the deep personal satisfaction of hitting a valued goal - which can encourage the kind of self-discipline and hard work it takes to stay motivated, overcome challenges and achieve.

Last year German researchers found that students who reported feeling positive emotions such as pride and enjoyment in their work had significantly better achievement over time than students who had the same level of ability but fewer positive emotions.

Pride acts as a measure of achievement. Pride makes you value long-term goals more than present ones and builds self-control and grit from the bottom up.

Parents play a critical role in building their child’s sense of pride. Our brains don’t come hard-wired to know what to take pride in, such as test results or sports, so children initially look to parents and then to teachers and peers to find out what’s valued by those around them and therefore what goals are worthwhile to pursue.

Children are engaged in areas where they feel confident and proud, it creates a ripple effect, giving them the motivation and encouragement to take on new challenges in other areas of their lives.

To teach children how to use pride as a motivational tool, point it out: Did you notice how you felt when you finished your reading book, scored well on a test, built that model plane or sang that song? If they’re feeling a lack of pride over their performance, talk through the actions they can take to avoid feeling that way in the future. To stay intrinsically motivated, children must feel as if they’re improving toward a goal, so point out the pride they should feel in the small successes along the way.

A final thought is that, according to Hoerr,  when we withhold genuine praise or downplay pride, we deprive children of a powerful source of motivation that can help them persevere in the face of challenges today — and throughout their lives. 

Hoerr left us with a lot to think about! If you would like to read more of Thomas Hoerr articles and publications click here -  http://thomasrhoerr.com/

Parent Information Evening 

Thank you to all those who attended the information evening last week where we shared the Stanley Bay Curriculum. It was great to have such an engaged audience! If you were unable to attend John Waller has written an article titled 'Parent Forum on the Curriculum' in this news bulletin to provide you with a summary. 

If you have any suggestions about the content of future information evenings please let us know. 

Measles Information 

As you will be aware from the media since March 2019, the number of confirmed cases of Measles has continued to grow, currently impacting multiple regions. 

The Ministry of Education is working closely with District Health Boards to ensure relevant and up-to-date information provided to schools. Please be assured that we are being vigilant and have systems in place should we have students with confirmed measles. 

If you are concerned about measles call Healthline on 0800 611 116 or call your GP. 

Open Day - Tuesday 24 September

On Tuesday 24 September you are invited to come along and share in our learning. The day is an opportunity for your child to share the outcome of their inquiry into the arts.  It promises to be a fun and colorful event where I am sure we will uncover many hidden talents! 

More information on specific timings and content will be included in your child's class email and the next bulletin. 

Playground - Open for Action!

Last Thursday, we couldn't hold them back any longer and the children were let loose on the new playground. An enthusiastic trio of Leo, Kitty, and Stella from Room 1 had the first play of the day. After nearly three weeks of no playing field (due to groundwater) and no playground it was certainly fantastic to see all the children enjoying the space.  

The area surrounding the playground is yet to be reinstated but we hope this will be completed (weather permitting) this week, at the same time we will be working on the dips in the soccer goals. Please be aware that this area will remain fenced off until the grass is established.  

Don't forget that this Friday (6 September) at 2.15, the Board of Trustees will be hosting a grand opening of the new playground. We hope to see you there. 

Finally, if you are about on Saturday 7 September (12.30 - 3pm) don't forget to pop along to the Peninsula Art Festival at the Lake House Arts Centre in Takapuna and join in the community celebration. The exhibition runs until 21 September. 

Nga mihi 

Lucy Naylor
Principal / Tumuaki