OUR NEW REFLECTION ROOM: The MacKillop Way is our ‘way of being together’ as a community. We are like a big family – we give each other positive, caring and kind experiences every day. We learn to share, to get along with others, to ask questions, to stand up for ourselves, and when necessary be confident to ask for help. However, like any family, we are not perfect. Our children are still learning how to be their best self and do their best learning. We, the older and wiser members of our community, create the safe, supportive environment where our children can make unhelpful choices but then learn the skills they need to make more helpful choices in the future.
To assist this process of growth, we are introducing a Refection Room as another step in our behaviour process. At the beginning of the year, all classroom teachers develop clear, visible classroom expectations and consequences with their students. We also have many different strategies for celebrating each week in the classroom and at assembly, when our children make helpful choices. When a student continues to make unhelpful choices, we need to work with him or her to understand their thoughts, feelings and subsequent choices so that they are better equipped to make a more helpful choice in the future. This is the basis of the Reflection Room. If your child is asked to attend the Reflection Room, their teacher or Student Learning Assistant will take them to the Reflection Room at the beginning of second lunch. They will eat their lunch there and then participate in a reflection conversation and complete a worksheet (see photo) with Mr Duda or myself. This process follows the following steps:
- What unhelpful choice did you continue to make?
- How did it affect you / others?
- How can you fix it?
- How can you make a more helpful choice next time?
- What help do you need from your teacher/ parents?
If your child attends the Reflection Room, you will be notified by email and sent a scan of your child’s Reflection Sheet. We would appreciate you talking this through with your child and practicing at home to help them make more helpful choices next time. The whole experience is designed to be a positive opportunity for growth.
