Here at Makybe Rise, we recognise that personal health is not just about building healthy bodies, but also about developing healthy minds. Our Pre-Primary to Year 2 students participate in a weekly, one-hour health lesson with one of our Health specialist teachers, where health related topics are explicitly taught and reviewed. Our Year 3 to Year 6 students take part in a rigorous health program implemented by their classroom teachers, which provide various opportunities for deep discussion and development of real-life connections made through relevant cross curricular links.
All students from Pre-Primary to Year 6 focus on the same overarching term concepts;
The focus for Term 1, is Wellness. Students focus on the importance of a building a strong healthy mind, through the development of their inter and intra personal skills. Students focus on building positive relationships, developing a positive self-concept and the power of goal setting and growth mindset- especially when faced with challenges. They also investigate the difference between conflict and bullying and how to overcome them. For students Year 3 and above, this includes appropriate digital citizenship.
During Term 2, students investigate the ways they can build and sustain healthy bodies in the Growth and Development unit. Students look at the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating when investigating nutrition and the impact that daily fitness, hygiene and mental wellness have on the body. Our Year 4 students also investigate the skeletal system, our Year 5 students explore the Respiratory System and participate in an introduction to puberty talk with our school nurse and our Year 6 students also look into the physical, emotional and relationship changes associated with Puberty.
The focus for Term 3 is Protective Behaviours. Research shows that by providing children with the strategies to identify and respond to unsafe situations will develop their confidence in speaking out. Protective Behaviours focuses on two main themes. “We all have the right to feel safe at all time” and “We can talk with someone about anything, no matter what it is.” Students learn about ‘Early Warning Signs’ and developing a personal ‘Helping Hand Network’ of the five trusted adults they can approach, should they feel unsafe. They also investigate safe and unsafe secrets, the safety continuum, personal space, the difference between public and private and the importance of persistence when seeking help. Our Year 4-6 students further develop their skills by practicing how to appropriately respond to peer pressure.
In Term 4, the emphasis is on Safety and Decision Making. Students look into ways they can ensure their personal safety in a variety of contexts including; the playground, around water, as a pedestrian or a passenger when on the road. They also investigate safety issues associated with medicines or drugs, the importance of sun safety and age appropriate First Aid processes. Students from Year 3 to 6 also focus on Cyber Security and the importance of reducing their digital footprint.
As part of the Health program, we welcome community partnerships. This includes our yearly visit from the Life Education van to consolidate our students’ understandings of a variety of age appropriate, health related topics and our visit from our school nurse, for upper school puberty talks. We also welcome Paul Litherland from Surf Online Safe for his annual cyber security workshops and Andrea Musulin for her staff and community Protective Behaviours presentations. Our exploration of Nutrition is consolidated with our annual whole school celebration of fruit and vegetables in ‘The Big Crunch’ and fitness with the PE departments Jump Rope for Heart or Fun Run.