Dear Lions,
Thank you to Lions for the opportunity to attend and partner with this program. It was a valuable and worthwhile experience with practical application possible back into our Annesley context.
On Friday 20th September, I had the privilege of attending the Lions Quest Skills for Growing and Skills for Adolescence Workshop. It is fantastic that Lions Quest desire all young people to achieve their potential, and recognise that potential is defined by more than academic achievement – their social and emotional learning is a critical element of their education. Providing workshops and resources like this is necessary and honourable – keep it up!
The workshop was promoted with this in mind: Building the personal and social capability of students; Enhancing supportive learning environments; Strengthening parent and community partnerships. The workshop asked the question of educators, support staff, and others involved in the well-being of children, “How can a school community best support the social and emotional development of respectful, responsible and resilient learners?”
Several objectives for this workshop were outlined in regard to the Lions Quest:
- Learn how to establish and sustain a relationship-centred learning community;
- Promote a school-home-community approach to social, emotional, and academic learning;
- Implement effectively according to evidence-based guidelines and practices;
- Teach social, emotional, and academic skills using the Lions Quest lesson design and supporting instructional strategies.
The course structure and facilitation was comprehensive, and yet for a one day course, it was made accessible through an intentional focus on the key aspects of the objectives. The host and facilitator were very welcoming, inclusive and engaging which made the whole experience more enjoyable, enabling participants to come away better equipped and owning the material presented.
The workshop covered Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Competencies: Self-awareness; Social awareness; Responsible decision-making; Self-management; Relationship skills. The participants were given the opportunity to network with other professionals and discuss the nature and complexity of these competencies. This approach was very helpful as it created conversation and deeper learning, rather than just taking in information from an isolated viewpoint.
The workshop also identified the four phases of the Lions Quest Lesson Design: Phase One – Discovering; Phase Two – Connecting; Phase Three – Practising; and Phase Four – Applying. Participants were grouped and given the opportunity to action these phases using the Five Key Teaching Strategies: 1. Open-ended questions; 2. Respectful questioning; 3. Leading discussions; 4. Guided practise; and 5. Reflection.
Participants were provided with a comprehensive resource pack to enable the transfer of the material and strategies back into the local learning context.
Thank you again for your support and allowing Annesley to participate in the Lions Quest Skills for Growing and Skills for Adolescence Workshop.
Peter
Annesley Junior School
