Peer support lessons for all

Pretty Beach Public School students participated in peer support lessons for the first time on Thursday, July 26.

The whole school now participates in peer support for 30 minutes on Thursday afternoons each week.

Two to three leaders facilitate a small group of seven to eight younger students.

Each teacher supervises two groups in their classroom.

"We are working on a module called Living Positively helping us explore the concept of optimism," said peer support coordinator Ms Michaela Bridgman.

The module runs for eight sessions.

"Our first session enabled children to get to know everyone in the group and agree on how they would work together and interact cooperatively with others.

"They also began to think about what it means to be optimistic."

The following week the students had the opportunity to share the things they enjoyed and talk about their favourite activity.

"This session enabled children to recognise what makes them happy," said the school's other peer support coordinator Mr Andy Podmore.

Newsletter, 26 Jul 2012

Deborah Callender, Pretty Beach Public School