Outside the Box Monday 6th July 2020 Great Minds Don’t Think Alike
Wellbeing Tasks Use one of your strengths to do something positive
A newsletter helping the Box Hill School community stay together, stay informed and stay happy.
Bridging the gap As the final Pastoral Newsletter before the summer break, and with the hope that we as a society can return to some semblance of ‘normality’ in September, this edition is very much centred on the idea of ‘bridging the gap’.
In the last edition, we discussed the idea of dispassionately accepting the inevitability of change and learning to adapt quickly to it. As we head into an extended summer break and thus another point of transition, this message hits home again. For some, this newsletter will arrive after they have completed their time with us; this summer will be their last few weeks as an enrolled, official student at Box Hill School (and we wish them well for their futures!). For others, this summer will be the last before four years of important public examinations. Everyone in the community is facing change; but with a positive mindset this need not be anything other than an exciting adventure into the new.
today Discover your creative side – draw a thank you card for someone Write down three things you are grateful for Find a positive response to something you are worried about
To bridge a gap, one must know what is to come. As uncertainty is an ever-present in the current climate, the key is to be adaptable. As the American writer and futurist Alvin Toffler wrote; ““The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
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Wellbeing The last edition of this august publication was perhaps a little philosophical for many readers; this time we would like to take a more practical approach.
Things to remember: - Social distancing rules are
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there for a reason. Follow them and do not be surprised if teachers lack a sense of humour about these rules. Some students may be wearing masks – this is fine. Do not react. All usual school rules apply – respect others.
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Many successful people follow what is often referred to as the 80:20 rule. Follow a structured, well-planned schedule 80% of the time and then allow yourself 20% of your time to be a little more ‘free’. In practice, this might translate as “have weekends off”. Hardly a novel insight! However, planning a programme of events will give you more freedom, not less. Plan, in advance, your activities in each column for the week ahead and try to complete them in the morning so as to start the day well. This will build momentum and improve
Connect Phone a friend
Be Active Joe Wicks
Learn Practise a new skill
Ask a family member about their hopes and dreams
Do as many press-ups as you can. Wait a bit. Do some more Go for a long walk
Read a book
Go for a run. You do not have to run the whole way – walk/run for at least 20 minutes Lift weights! Resistance training has a host of benefits for everyone
Listen to a podcast – I am a big fan of the “Making Sense” podcast
Speak to a neighbour
Listen – make an effort to have a conversation where you listen more than you talk. Go out of your way to get in touch with someone you normally wouldn’t
Watch a documentary
Go to Crash Course on Youtube – informative videos about almost everything!
Give Freely donate time to someone else Research a charity and donate what you can afford
Pay Attention Guided meditation
Allow someone else to use a treasured possession Offer help to a neighbour (sensibly of course)
Sit outside
Offer help to a stranger (sensibly of course)
Take time for yourself – focus on your breathing and the present moment
Practise mindful eating
Consciously consider 5 reasons to be grateful
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Mental Health In the immortal words of Alice Cooper, “school’s out for summer”. However, it is vital that you remember that, to paraphrase another great thinker, Albus Dumbledore, help will always be given at Box Hill, dear Reader, for those who ask for it. Please, please, do not hesitate to get in touch with the Pastoral team over the summer break should you need support. The below website (for the charity Mind) is a fantastic resource for children and adults alike. Have a look! https://www.mind.org.uk/ As ever, there are lots of organisations out there to provide support. Have a look at the websites to the left. Think of it this way; if you were ill, you would get help from a medical professional; so why would you not seek help for issues with your mental health?
Mindfulness We all spend a huge portion of our waking lives lost in thought. We fixate on memories (that may not even be accurate recollections of the actual events!), we obsess over perceived slights, we develop anxieties about the future and worry about events that almost certainly will never come to pass. Mindfulness meditation is, quite simply, the practice of becoming more able to root oneself in the present moment, developing an ability to centre one’s attention on now rather than then or when. Although many people are concerned that meditation is at root a religious endeavour, there are many secular mindfulness meditation practices that do not require adherence to any particular faith or belief system. Modern mindfulness meditation focuses on the practice of deliberately spending more time paying attention to the present moment rather than being lost in thought. Easy to describe but difficult to master, it nonetheless offers significant advantages to those who practise it regularly. Smartphone apps are an increasingly popular and effective way to access live and recorded guided mindfulness meditation sessions. In addition to those on the left, apps such as Centr and Waking Up provide support for beginner and experienced practitioners alike.
Water Safety As summer is upon is (hopefully?!) it is worth putting in a reminder from the Royal Life Saving Society UK about the potential perils of open water leisure activities. Pools, rivers, lakes and the sea can be brilliant fun but please pay attention to signs and take care.
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e-safety As summer approaches, eight weeks of somewhat-curtailed freedom stretches ahead of young people like a sea of expected boredom. Many will spend a huge amount of time on digital devices, computers or gaming consoles. This, in itself, is not a problem. However, like with most things, moderation is key. In addition, having open, trusting and non-judgmental conversations with young people is vital when dealing with issues around e-safety. It is worth discussing these SMART rules with your child.
The NSPCC has an excellent website and bank of resources to help parents – bookmark this page! https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/ Useful Links www.internetmatters.org – A onestop shop for all things “e-safety”, aimed at parents. Bookmark this website! www.childnet.com – Hugely useful and engaging website aimed more at young people themselves. www.ceop.police.uk – A Government-funded, Police website focused more on illegal online behaviours such as cyber-bullying and grooming.
Gaming and Livestreaming Game streaming and e-sports are one of the fastest-growing areas of the online world in recent years. Although like almost everything else when used correctly online gaming can be rewarding, it is not devoid of risk. Bullying, trolling, scams, in-game purchases and unscrupulous strangers are all issues that can arise in any community but are particularly prevalent as a result of the relative anonymity of the Internet and vulnerability of some its users. Knowledge is power though; help your children become more alert to the potential dangers and empower them to be able to stay safe online. Read the below link for more information: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/online-games/
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Counselling Students are incredibly fortunate at Box Hill School to have access to a wonderful counsellor, Cathy Coombs. During these challenging times, Cathy is available for one-to-one remote counselling for students so please get in touch if you would like to speak to her. She is also offering small group counselling sessions to students so if either of these options appeals, email (cathy.coombs@boxhillschool.com) who can book you in. In addition, on Wednesday afternoons at 2.30pm Cathy will run a drop in ‘hot chocolate and chat’ session for years 7, 8 and 9. Please email her if you would like to attend.
Contacts Sue Salmon, Deputy Head Pastoral
susan.salmon@boxhillschool.com
James Trinder, Assistant Head Pastoral james.trinder@boxhillschool.com
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Lateral Thinking Quiz i) ii) iii)
How many kings have been crowned in England since 1066? Cryptic crossword clue; “Blue and white African flower (4). The 60th and 62nd Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom had the same mother and father but were not brothers. How does one account for this?
Pictures
Where were these pictures taken around the School?
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Advice for parents during coronavirus
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Answers (from the previous edition) i) ii)
iii)
How far can a dog walk into a forest? Halfway A completely black dog was strolling down the road during a total blackout affecting the entire county. Not a single streetlight had been on for hours. As the dog crosses the centre of the road a Ford Anglia with two broken headlights speeds towards it but manages to swerve out of the way just in time. How could the driver see the dog to swerve in time? It was daytime. I have keys but no locks. Space, but no rooms. You can enter, but you cannot leave. What am I? A computer keyboard.
Easter Island Head outside Winthrop-Young Building
Dalewood Back Lawn
Old Cottage
Dalewood Front Entrance
Competitions Competition winners will be announced in the next the edition. Look out for our Summer holiday challenges which will be sent soon including the Headmaster’s very own fitness video!