Pastoral Support Worker Update by Mrs Catriona Neilsen

On Tuesday of this week, I joined a number of people from around Australia and completed a seminar by Good Grief, on Supporting Students through Covid 19. It was well informed, and they provided some great tips of how we can support our students at this time.

These tips are:

• Role model a positive outlook.
• Shift our perspective to what we can do. E.g., We cannot visit Grandma at the moment, but we can write her a letter or create a card that we can send to her.
• Allow the students to share their story and be a part of the conversation.
• Involve children in decision making.
• Help with managing feelings including identifying healthy ways to diffuse overwhelming feelings.

I have been connecting with some students by joining them in their morning Zoom meeting. Others I have connected with through the Google Classroom. From the feedback that I have been receiving they have been enjoying the activities that I have been posting online.  If your child has not become a part of the Google Classroom and they would like to be here is the invitation link for your child to access the classroom:

https://classroom.google.com/c/MzcwNzgzMzA3MTkz?cjc=2hiwu4f or if you would just like to enter in the code it is 2hiwu4f.

If anyone needs to contact me whilst we are remote learning (for extra support or would like some Art and Craft or Mindful Activities) please send me an email: CatrionaN@catholiccare.dow.org.au  

The attached pictures are from one of the students who completed some suggested activities from the Google Classroom.