It was such a delight to welcome back Years Prep to 2 and Years 5 to 6 girls and teachers to Barbreck this week!

The energy levels, laughs, stories and excitement of being amongst friends was palpable. Much of the girls’ first days were spent reacquainting themselves with their friends and returning items into the classroom. This process of putting things back where they belong assisted the girls to regain a sense of security within their classroom. Barbreck teachers also revised classroom routines and protocols, and the girls had opportunities to adjust to working and playing together again, all of which ensured the girls are transitioning back to School well.

The expertise of our Barbreck educators ensured the girls were wonderfully cared for upon their return. Our teachers appreciate the need to ease the girls back into classroom and daily routines, recognising that School routines can be quite different from those they have been following at home.

To support our students to positively adjust back into the School setting, our Barbreck educators will be focussing on five key strategies identified by Dr Emily Berger, an Educational and Developmental Psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Educational Psychology at the Faculty of Education at Monash University.

These strategies are:

• Show Confidence
  Our Barbreck educators will express confidence to their classes that while there may be challenges, returning to School is the right decision and important for everyone.
• Re-establish Routines
  Within our Barbreck classrooms our routines will be communicated to our students to ensure they know what they can expect in their school day and what is expected of them.
• Communicate with Parents
  Within Barbreck we will continue to communicate to parents regarding the return to School and routines within classrooms to ensure our girls are supported both at School and at home with accurate and timely advice.
  Anticipate Overwhelm
  Our Babreck educators are prepared that students may become overwhelmed with anxiety or overstimulated and inattentive at School. We will continually monitor students and have strategies in place to accommodate any students experiencing overwhelm difficulties.
• Build Breaks
  Barbreck educators will develop routines for students returning to School, within which opportunities for student breaks will be provided to assist in regulating any overwhelming feelings or other emotions the girls may be experiencing.