A LOCAL school has taken part in a resilience program to teach its students skills based on gratitude, kindness, empathy, mindfulness, equality, serving others and happiness.
Waikerie Lutheran Primary School has been involved with Growing with Gratitude (GWG) for multiple years, which has been designed for primary school children to learn positive habits and that gratitude is a skill that can be practiced.
Staff member Melissa Schmidt said this year, the student’s took part in an online classroom event – streamed live to 38 countries – hosted by GWG founder Ash Manuel.
“Ash Manuel gave an overview of what gratitude is, why it is important and how, like any skill, it can be developed and grown,” she said.
“Throughout the session, the students were invited to think about what they had to be grateful for in their own lives and added their thoughts to a gratitude wall on a post-it note.
“We also provided each student with a gratitude journal in their book pack, which are used in class each morning as part of wellbeing time.”
Ms Schmidt said participating in the program had a positive impact on the students.
“All of our classes took part in the online event and we’ve had reports from families saying that it had a flow-on effect at home,” she said.
“Some parents said the students have performed random acts of kindness at home, such as making their parents’ bed, offering to read with younger siblings and asking if they can help around the home without being asked.”
Ms Schmidt said displaying random acts of kindness is important “now more than ever”, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With the global pandemic, we have been living under a blanket of isolation with a lot of people feeling a real sense of disconnect from others,” she said
“This event was a great way for our students to connect with others not just within the Riverland or Australia, but globally, and for Ash Manuel to visit 38 different countries all at once.
“With the new norm and all of the stress from the last few months, any opportunity to take the time to think about all of the things we have to grateful for is definitely of value and important.”