Principal’s Message
By Mrs Kath Boyd
“I am different but not less.” (Temple Grandin) The world is an amazing place, full of diverse environments, experiences and, of course, people. While it's natural for children to notice differences in others, such as languages, cultural backgrounds and physical appearances, Reddam Educators endeavour to foster an appreciation of and respect for these differences within each child. At the ELS, we promote diversity and acceptance in children from an early age, by: • Incorporating our five Core Values into our educational programs – Kind Words, Warm Hearts, Gentle Hands, Good Manners and Respect. • Modelling behaviours and attitudes we want children to develop - including empathy, respect, acceptance, understanding, and collaboration. • Demonstrating how we respect differences (by reading a range of books and singing a variety of songs) and develop positive relationships with people who are different. • Acknowledging that every family is unique and we all have a place where we belong. We work alongside our families to incorporate their heritage and culture to further embrace our diverse school community. • Intervening in the case of prejudicial comments and explaining that name-calling of any kind is not acceptable. “There are biases in the world, we have the obligation to stop stereotypes and prejudices through thoughtful and meaningful interactions with the children and their families.” (Grace – 3R Core Teacher) •
Teaching children to think critically, especially when it comes to prejudice and stereotyping.
• Encouraging children to interact and become friends with people with diverse and multicultural backgrounds, and various abilities. •
Celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Last weekend I attended my youngest son’s Passing Out Parade. Luka has been an enthusiastic member of the St Aloysius’ College Cadet Corp since Year 7, and a powerful quote from Lieutenant General David Morrison (retired Chief of Army & 2016 Australian of the Year) appeared on the front of the parade program: “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept.” We all have the power to take personal responsibility for the way we treat others. More importantly, we all have the power to stand up to inappropriate behaviour when we witness it being inflicted on another person. The staff and I reflected on this phrase, and agree that we are passionate about maintaining high standards to create an environment where people feel included in our ELS. With inclusivity comes individual confidence and a sense of belonging. “Our school welcomes and embraces all children from diverse backgrounds and cultures, with differing learning styles and with additional needs.” (Reddam ELS Lindfield Philosophy).
Pictured above: 2R children were thrilled to explore a Melodica in a Music session with Andy.