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Opportunities for Optimism

The View - Mar 19, 2021

I love spending time in my garden. I’m not a highly skilled gardener, so in the words of my husband, I offer new plants as living sacrifices to the sun God. It’s a beautiful miracle when my new plants grow roots and thrive. Recently I planted seeds in carefully prepared mounds of rich soil and faithfully watered them in. Each day as I expectantly watered, I examined the soil carefully for the first signs of fresh green shoots. Hopeful, expectant, optimistic. 

Research tells us that optimistic children and young people achieve greater success, are more confident and resilient, are happier and healthier, and engage less in risk taking behaviours. But you are either born optimistic or pessimistic, right?
 
Martin Seligman writes about ‘learned optimism’. He proposes that just as helplessness can be learned, so can optimism. This is great news for parents and teachers as we can implement strategies to build an optimistic outlook in our children. Here are some ways to build optimism:

  • Share success stories. Look for examples of people who have beat the odds to succeed. Share examples from your own life of how you persevered through failure, used creativity or found a unique way to succeed. These stories show that anything is possible.
  • Affirm strengths. Every child needs to know their strengths in order to build their identity and self-esteem. Take the time to notice and call out the strengths that you observe in each child. Feeling capable helps build a sense of optimism.
  • Serve. A great side effect of helping others is a growing sense of optimism. Look for opportunities for your child to help others, care for the environment or make a difference in their family and community. Service projects have a profound impact.
  • Ban complaining. The things we focus on become our mindset. When we complain, our focus is negative. Encourage your child to reframe in order to see the positives. 

At Avondale School we work hard to be seed planters. We look for opportunities to sow into the lives of each student the seeds of optimism and we watch expectantly for our seeds to sprout. Optimistic teachers believe that each of their students can impact their world.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Mrs Deb Cooper
Principal

0249770200

© 2021 Avondale School

119 Avondale Rd, Cooranbong NSW 2265, Australia

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