Behaviour and Language
English competition
Books to cover
Forthcoming events

2 November 2001 No. 31

From Head of the Junior School

Congratulations are extended to the numerous boys who performed in Music Recitals on Tuesday evening. So many boys are working very hard with personal rehearsals and lessons, and it is great to see and hear the wonderful music that is being produced. Special thanks go to the instrumental staff that makes these recitals possible.

Year Four to Six boys are busy preparing for their special concert to be held once again at the Camberwell Civic Centre on Tuesday 13 November 2001. This is set to be another wonderful night of entertainment and I encourage every family to help make this activity even more special by providing a large audience. Every boy in Year Four to Six will be involved and this should be considered a compulsory activity. Tickets can be obtained through the Junior School Office.

Today Year Three returned from their overnight camp at 'Scotch at Cowes', with all reports suggesting that this has been another very successful camp. I look forward to hearing of the two days away and extend sincere thanks to Mr Walker, Mrs Cowley, Mr Murdoch, Mr Leith, Mr McKinlay and Mrs Robertson who ensured everything ran smoothly for the boys of Year Three.

There has been no theme running this week, due to extra rehearsals for our special concert. It has however, been pleasing to note that a number of boys have been observed practicing random acts of kindness to their fellow students throughout the week. Helping, sharing and caring for others are values we would hope every boy of the Junior School will possess and be prepared to share with others, in the same way some boys have demonstrated this week.

These random acts have inspired my thought for the week….

The more you give, the more you get
The more you do unselfishly
The more you live abundantly.
The more of everything you share,
The more you laugh, the less you fret.
The more you'll always have to spare.
The more you love, the more you'll find
That life is good and friends are kind.
For only what we give away,
Enriches us from day to day.

I trust all families enjoy the long weekend and return after the short break refreshed and ready for the second half of the final term.

Guy B Mason

Behaviour and Language

The negative effects of media violence and bad language on children's own behaviour and language has been well documented over decades of research. Concern has been expressed in the Junior School that some boys have been exposed to inappropriate media images and that these images are finding their way into the boys' play, writing and conversation.

It is stated in the Junior School Handbook that rough play and bad language are unacceptable, and staff deal with such incidents accordingly. Staff are also very conscious of the models, visual images and literature to which they expose the boys. They walk a very difficult line between finding material which interests, stimulates and engages the boys in a fast moving, visually exciting world, but which, at the same time, provides age appropriate and socially acceptable images.

Parents are asked to continue to set and enforce standards and to make explicit their expectations in terms of their son's behaviour, language and the way they relate to other people. Parents can play an active role in guiding and monitoring their son's movie, video and television viewing habits, as well as their choice of reading material. Programme classifications (eg, G, PGR, M, etc) and codes (re levels of violence, language, drug references, etc) provide guidelines to assist parents in deciding what may/may not be appropriate for their son to watch. Watching and discussing programmes (including the news) with young people provides a forum for discussing issues and helping to sort out what is/is not real and/or appropriate. Discussing the on and off field behaviour of sporting heroes and entertainers, etc is another way to explore and define our values system. There are many positive and affirming images and a wealth of print and visual media material available for young people, without pushing them into content areas for which they are unprepared, both socially and emotionally.

Young people need the modeling, support and guidance of 'significant others' (parents, teachers, ministers of religion, public figures, etc) to acquire a socially acceptable code of behaviour. Your support in assisting the school in this area is much appreciated.

Chris Robertson - Director of Junior Primary

Educational Support Services

English Competitions:

Our Year Four and Year Six boys showed that they could achieve at the national level when they competed recently in the NSW Primary Schools English Competition. Congratulations to the following boys.

Marcia Bacon - Director of Educational Support

Books to Cover

We have just purchased some more fantastic reading materials for Guided Reading. These resources need to be covered and stamped before they can be sent home to enjoy.

If you could assist with the covering of these materials it would be greatly appreciated.

Please see Larissa Raymond to either take books home to cover or if you can cover books any morning in the Reading Room.

Your support is greatly appreciated

Larissa Raymond - English Coordinator

Forthcoming Events

5 November Exeat

6 November Exeat - Melbourne Cup

9 November JSPA Year Four Cocktail Party - 7.00 pm - 1A Hambledon Rd, Hawthorn