04 May 2018
On Monday 30 April, Fahan School welcomed staff and students back for the second term of 2018.
“The recent attendance of teachers Mrs Sophie Baxter and Mrs Alison Manson at the Positive Education Schools Association Conference has reaffirmed the significance of our Positive Education Program at Fahan. We are committed to continuing to build resilience and strengthen relationships within the School,” said Principal, Mr Tony Freeman.
The Conference featured a keynote address by Positive Education founder, Dr Martin Seligman, and other speakers included Beyond Blue CEO, Georgie Harman and comedian Ahn Do.
A highlight at the conference for Year 9 teacher, Mrs Manson, was the masterclass with Clinical Psychologist and author, Dr Andrew Fuller, in which he emphasized the importance of relationships between students and teachers. “I was heartened by how fortunate we are to have Fahan’s small-school advantage with close existing relationships between students and teachers upon which to build,” said Mrs Manson. “I also found the session with Dr Arne Rubinstein, of the Rites of Passage Institute, particularly valuable for its emphasis on building resilience and supporting people going through transitions.”
Year 4 teacher, Mrs Baxter, thought that Ahn Do’s heart-wrenching story of resilience was incredible and inspiring. “Resilience in both adults and children was a common theme throughout the conference – both the scientific understanding of it and the incredible importance it plays in all of our lives was a frequent topic for discussion. I also enjoyed the school-run workshop sessions I attended. They gave me plenty of ideas for the future of Positive Education at Fahan as well as affirming the existing teaching we are providing for our students,” said Mrs Baxter.
