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MONTE MATTERS25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

2017 DESIGN SHOWCASE EVENING

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FROM THE PRINCIPAL 3

FROM THE HIGHER EDUCATION AND CAREERS OFFICE 4

FROM THE REGISTRAR 5

ENGLISH RESEARCH PROJECT 6

SR LECIA’S THOUGHTS 8

FROM THE PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT 9

DEBATING REPORT 10

SPORTS REPORT 12

MONTE NOTICES 16

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FROM THE PRINCIPAL

We have the privilege of knowing one another.

We have the responsibility to understand one another.

We have the duty to respect one another.

Dear Parents and Friends of Monte,

At the heart of a Mercy education is the resolute belief in the dignity, respect and wellbeing of every human being through meaningful connections and purposeful conversation.

To allow ourselves to be in conversation, is to truly understand one another. Every day at Monte, the individual development and wellbeing of your daughter is paramount to us. One of the most fundamental aspects of a student’s wellbeing is a keen sense of ‘the other’. For this reason, our pastoral care and diverse co-curricular and enrichment programs foster an important sense of place, belonging and connection for all girls.

This week in Chapel our Year 11 girls celebrated the United Nations World Humanitarian Day, a global celebration of people helping people. To be humanitarian is to have that meaningful conversation, and to be understanding and present for one another. When the dignity of each person is at the centre of each conversation, the journey to understanding begins in truth.

We believe in preparing our girls to be the best possible person they can be. To step forward and to connect. To ignite new friendships and strengthen existing ones, regardless of year group or peer group. Today, our young generation of listeners, conversationalists, debaters and negotiators will be our humanitarians of tomorrow.

NICOLE CHRISTENSEN

There is no better time to be a young woman than right now. Our girls are proudly creating, innovating and contributing as they prepare themselves to be the new generation of changemakers for the betterment of others.

This week we celebrated the creative talents and artistic expression of our students during our Design Showcase. Their innovative, sustainable and ethical approach to beauty and design reflected their commitment to be responsible stewards of our world.

At the Design Showcase Evening we heard from Academy award winning Set Decorator and Art Director, Beverley Dunn who shared her inspiration and passion for the creative arts. We sincerely thank Beverley, along with a plethora of talented designers who have so generously given the gift of conversation and mentorship to our emerging Monte designers this week.

I leave you with the eloquent words of Sr Maureen McGuirk RSM AM, former College Principal and advocate of the arts; “Culture nurtures our understanding, our emotions, our sensitivity, our perceptions and our humanity.”

I look forward to celebrating the diversity and spirit of our girls during Monte’s Spirit Week next week.

God Bless.

Mrs Nicole Christensen Principal

Our girls are proudly creating, innovating and contributing as they prepare themselves to be the new generation of changemakers for the betterment of others.

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FROM THE HIGHER EDUCATION AND CAREERS OFFICE

Year 12 have returned from their Trial and Mock Examinations and are now focussed on registering with

higher education admissions centres and choosing their tertiary education providers. The students have received regular written advice on how to complete these next steps alongside internal and external due dates for completed applications. As previously advised in writing to families by the College, it is essential that any application that requires our direct involvement is submitted to us this week. This includes Educational Access Scheme applications for UAC, QTAC, VTAC etc., UAC Schools Recommendation Scheme applications, UNSW Co-op Scholarship applications, other specialist scholarship applications etc. Please do get in contact if you have any questions about your Year 12 daughter’s transition from Monte into her post-school life.

Early this term, Year 11 students heard from Macquarie University and last week had the opportunity to meet with the University of Technology Sydney. Their last HECS Session focussed on what the tertiary education sector looks like

Ms Sally O’Keeffe Higher Education and Careers Advisor

in Australia and the roles played by public vocational and private higher education providers and the universities. The students also learned about post-school traineeships and apprenticeships as an alternative pathway to a myriad of careers. During Semester Two, the girls will also continue to hear from Monte Alumni working in many occupations and fields and we are grateful to their continued commitment to helping our current students. As we head towards the end of Term 3, it will be important for Year 11 students to discuss with me any further course changes they wish to make to their senior study loads and I encourage them to make appointments as soon as possible.

Year 10 Work Experience takes place in Term 4 and I thank the students’ parents for their hard work in sourcing a placement and following up the relevant paperwork. As the last placements are finalised, I remind the girls that they will receive a draft placement information sheet this term that will need checking with their hosts and that if any placement information changes they should alert me immediately. The Year 10 students will also be briefed this term on their Term 4 Showcase Portfolio Interview Program. There will be a separate invitation to the College community to volunteer for this signature annual Year 10 activity, so please do look out for it.

If you would like my assistance for your daughter, please get in touch at sokeeffe@monte.nsw.edu.au and/or 9409 6219.

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FROM THE REGISTRAR

The Blue & Blue Scholarship is awarded to a current student completing Year 10, providing a half scholarship for study

in Years 11 and 12 at the College.

The Scholarship is awarded to a student who exemplifies the school motto: Religio, Scientia and Cultus and is awarded based on the following criteria:

• Academic achievement as evidenced by consistently strong performance in school subjects in Years 7-1

• A high level of participation across a range of co-curricular activities in Years 7-10

• Contribution to College life through involvement in liturgical, social justice and service activities.

A committee consisting of, but not limited to, the Director of Mission, Director of Senior School, Deputy Principal Curriculum and Head of Year 10 will shortlist and interview the applicants before providing a recommendation to the Principal. The winner of the Scholarship is announced at the Senior School Liturgy & Awards ceremony in November.

Application forms will be available on Monte Connect and the Monte website. Completed applications must be left in the 2017 Blue & Blue Scholarship Applications Box located in the College Reception by 3:20pm on Wednesday 20th September 2017.

Applications open 28 August.Only current Year 10 Monte students are eligible to apply for the 2017 Blue & Blue Scholarship.

Application Form and Directions for Applicants will be available on the Year 10 Pastoral page, Monte Connect and the Monte Website on Monday 28 August.

All completed applications must be left in the 2017 Blue & Blue Scholarship Applications Box located in the College Reception.

Applications close Wednesday 20th September 2017 at 3:20pm

For more information, please email registrar@monte.nsw.edu.au

BLUE & BLUE SCHOLARSHIP

JEN FONG AND MADISON UELAND. 2017-2018 BLUE & BLUE SCHOLARS

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STAFF RESEARCH PROJECT

REPLACING THE ‘I’ WITH ‘WE’ IN CREATIVITY

Reflections on an action research project.‘Creativity always takes place in a community’, according to educational theorist, V. P. Glăveanu. If we think about our own educational context as members of the Monte community, Glăveanu’s words hold a special resonance. This is because they encapsulate not only our imperative as innovative educators of the 21st century, but also our mission as lifelong learners following in the Mercy tradition.

Mr Tim Curry English Teacher

Indeed, this is reflected in the life and teachings of Catherine McAuley and her pursuit of excellence in the education of young women. ‘No work of charity’, she reminds us, ‘can be more productive of good to society than the careful instruction of women.’ The imperative to pursue new, dynamic and creative approaches to the education of the young women in our care is further enshrined in the College’s strategic vision and goals.

Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College’s strategic vision is that we will continue to be ‘a holistic, innovative and diverse learning community’ where we shall exhibit ‘the best contemporary pedagogical practice’ as we ‘(lead) innovation in teaching and learning’ in order ‘to enhance and personalise student learning.’ In pursuit of this goal of leading 21st century learning, teaching and learning for creativity will be integral to a Monte Education.

As a result, I decided to investigate the following question for my ISSTA Experienced Teacher Action Research Project: What happens to student’s creativity in a Year 11 Standard English classroom when I model and scaffold creativity through the use of creativity rubrics and tools?

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By dedicating a Friday lesson each week with my Year 11 Standard English to embracing the many joys and challenges of creativity, I believe that I can attest to the powerful role that we as educators play in empowering our students by enhancing and shifting their perceptions of their own creativity. According to Carly Lassig, the teacher plays an integral part in providing ‘affective support through accepting, valuing, encouraging, and recognising creativity; having high expectations of students’ creative capacity; and encouraging intrinsic motivation for creativity by incorporating student’s passions into their learning.’ (Lassig, 2012)

My Year 11 students clearly valued the opportunities our Friday lessons afforded them to reflect explicitly on the nature of creativity. In a recent exit interview, my girls candidly shared with me their thoughts and insights on our creativity lessons. Many students now seemed to have a deeper understanding of what creativity means to them and that creative ‘writing really depends on your skills base’. Another student now recognised that ‘creativity is not your first idea, it is not always about improvising, as you have to put a bit more time and thought into it.’ Other girls now appreciated that creativity often involves being flexible with your thinking by being ‘able to

adapt things and take different ideas’ from different sources. One girl in our class aptly coined the phrase that ‘creativity is pilates for the brain.’

In a recent article entitled ‘Paradigms in the study of creativity,’ V.P. Glăveanu identifies what he believes to be three distinct ‘paradigms’ of creativity – firstly, the ‘He-paradigm’ of the highest levels of creativity, secondly, the ‘I-paradigm’ of individual and personal acts of creativity and finally, the ‘We-paradigm’, where creativity is explored within the context of a community. If we are to be innovative and creative educators of young women in the Mercy tradition of the 21st century, then we must move beyond celebrating the ‘I’ in creativity and the need to challenge our society’s ‘he’ paradigm with an affirmation of the ‘she’. Instead we must embrace a genuine ‘we-paradigm’ where creativity continues to be a habit of mind that is fostered and nurtured within our classrooms throughout the Monte community.

References:1. Glăveanu, V. P. (2010). Paradigms in the study of creativity: Introducing

the perspective of cultural psychology. New Ideas in Psychology, 28(1), 79–93.

2. Lassig, C. J. (2012). Creating Creative Classrooms. The Australian Educational Leader, 34(2), 8–13.

STAFF RESEARCH PROJECT

PAGE / 8MONTE MATTERS 25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

SR LECIA’S THOUGHTS

THIS IS MY BODYDear Readers

I casually remarked to a friend yesterday, that I really had no idea what I would write for Monte Matters this week. Her instant, insistent reply was “Communion”. I wondered if I could do it justice, until I recalled the heart warming words of our Parish Priest to the children so beautifully dressed for their First Holy Communion (Eucharist) on Saturday.

Neither the Catechism of the Catholic Church nor the Theological Writings of St. Thomas Aquinas offered anything more significant than what Father John shared so simply with the children: why we cannot see the Body of Jesus, and what Communion does for us. “After you receive Holy Communion,” he said, “Welcome Jesus into your hearts. Tell Him you love Him. Thank Him for all His gifts. Ask for what you need. Talk to Him about your Mums and Dads, friends, teachers, and your priests Father Dan and me.”

I believe we miss a great opportunity for grace, when we curtail our prayer time after Communion. It must also disappoint Our Lord, who comes from heaven to earth to keep this spiritual tryst of intimate encounter with us.

St. Thomas Aquinas (1227-1274) wrote the Eucharistic hymn called “Adoro Te”. It was re-translated by the English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889). Still in its original Gregorian mode, this hymn is a perfect expression of adoration and thanksgiving after Communion. It begins:

“Godhead, here in hiding, whom I do adore,

Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more.

See, Lord, at Thy service, low lies here a heart

Lost, all lost in wonder at the God Thou art.

Seeing, touching, tasting, are in Thee deceived;

How says trusty hearing? That shall be believed:

What God’s Son has told me, take for truth I do;

Truth itself speaks truly or there’s nothing true. ”....

“This is My Body” is the most powerful sentence ever written. These are the creative words of Jesus, who is God, of one substance with the Father. Only God could make it possible for Jesus to be wholly present in a Communion wafer, just as it was only God who could make Jesus incarnate. Neither in the human Jesus nor in the Eucharistic Jesus, do we see His real substance. That is a mystery of such magnitude that we can know Him now only through faith.

We should thank God that He rarely gives us special graces of loving feelings during the Eucharist, because the essence of our love is not a feeling, but a willing choice. All Christians must live through a ‘dark night of the soul’ before seeing Jesus as He really is.

The Eucharist has several titles, the most comprehensive being ‘the source and summit of Christian life’. Let us ponder anew Jesus’ incredible teaching in John 6: 35-58. His later words ‘This is My Body’ have made it reality for us.

Until next week, best wishes from Sr Lecia RSM

Sister Lecia Coombe RSM

PAGE / 9MONTE MATTERS 25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

FROM THE PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT

SENIOR STAGE BAND WIN AGAIN!For the third year in a row the Senior Stage Band have won the Open Big Band section of the Ryde Eisteddfod. Congratulations girls!

Congratulations also to Astrid Henderson who was recently awarded Honours in her Double Bass exam.

Ms Catherine Walmsley Leader of Instrumental Music

SENIOR STAGE BAND

PLEASE NOTE:Music notes are due now.

PAGE / 10MONTE MATTERS 25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

DEBATING REPORT

Last Friday saw Monte travel to St Pius X College for round 5 of the SDN Debating competition. The topic area last

week was ‘Media.’ This is always an enjoyable round due to the highly relevant nature of the topics all teams encounter. I am very excited to report that all Monte teams won! This is an amazing achievement and is fantastic given that finals rounds are just around the corner.

In the Archdale competition this week, five Monte teams travelled to Wenona to debate in the quarter finals of the competition. This was the first knock out round of the competition and the topic area revolved around the environment which is always a particularly challenging topic area.

Our 7B team debated St Vincent’s College on the topic ‘That we should ban tourists from conservation areas’. Our 7A’s debated against Abbotsleigh on the same topic. The 8B team also faced a strong Abbotsleigh team and were unfortunately knocked out on the same topic. Although our Year 7 teams did not get through this round, they are to be highly commended for achieving so much in their first debating season. We cannot wait to see what the rest of their debating career has in store for them.

Year 9 debated Wenona on the topic ‘That the government should fund graphic and confronting advertisements to discourage the consumption of meat.’ This is a very challenging topic and the girls rose to occasion. Although they were unsuccessful on the night they have had an amazing season.

The Seniors negated the topic ‘That environmental policy should be decided by scientists instead of elected representatives’ against a strong Tara side. Our seniors were successful and will now debate in the semi-finals next week.

Primary Years 7 & 8 Juniors Years 9 & 10 Seniors

That we should ban all violence in TV shows that are aimed at children

That the media should stop reporting on the private lives of celebrities

That the media should not be allowed to pay for stories

That the government should ‘fact check’ all online articles before they are published

That we should ban politicians from using social media

In Public Speaking NewsCongratulations to Bridget Cunningham (Year 8) and Scarlett Wadham (Year 7) who competed in the Northern Sydney Regional Final of the Legacy Junior Public Speaking competition. They were two of the top 11 students in the Northern Sydney Region in this competition involving both government and non-government schools. Congratulations to Bridget on being named as a finalist and proceeding through to the State semi-finals next month.

The competition involved a five minute prepared speech in which Bridget spoke about misleading advertising used by charities, with Scarlett speaking about the media and terrorism. The second component was a two minute impromptu speech on ‘The Bright Side’. Bridget discussed changes occurring in sport to improve equality for women with Scarlett discussing Malala Yousafzai who stood up for a better world in spite of personal costs involved.

#speaklikeagirl

Georgia Cooper Debating Captain

Debater of the Week: Adelaide Hayes (Year 10) has made the Archdale Representative Firsts team. This team will be one of three Archdale teams to compete against GPS, CAS and CHS schools in the upcoming Schools Cup. Adelaide is the only Year 10 to be selected on the firsts and one of only three Year 10 students to make the squad of 13.

BRIDGET CUNNINGHAM (YEAR 8) SCARLETT WADHAM (YEAR 7)

PAGE / 11MONTE MATTERS 25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

SPORTS REPORT

PAGE / 12MONTE MATTERS 25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

SPORTS REPORT

Congratulations• Gracie Lee (Year 10) who represented NSW in the School

Sport Australia National Basketball Championships in Canberra from 11 to 18 August. The NSW team won gold.

• To the Monte Touch players who played a Viva 7’s demonstration game at the Bledisloe Cup match last Saturday evening.

• To the Monte Athletics team who won the CGSSSA Athletics Championships. Monte also placed a credible fifth place at the IGSSA Athletics Championships.

• To all girls who competed at the State Snowsports Championships.

• To the eight Netball teams who have progressed directly to grand finals at Norths.

Good Luck• To the Monte Junior Representative Soccer team who will

play the semi-finals of the CCC Soccer Knockout on 29 and 30 August.

• To the Monte Hockey representative teams who will be competing at the CGSSSA Hockey Championships on Friday 25 August.

• To the 13 Monte Netball teams completing in preliminary finals at Norths.

• To Monte Dancers competing at the Ryde Eisteddfod on Saturday 25 August.

Last week I was fortunate to compete in the NSW All Schools National Basketball Tournament. With great NSW pride and a great coach, we were lucky enough to beat Queensland in the grand final with a score of 70 to 60. Being the only year 10 in a team filled with Year 11 and 12’s, this was very challenging. As I was playing with girls much older, it pushed me to play harder. Overall, this was a great experience to represent my school at such a high level. I am truly grateful.

Gracie Lee (Year 10)

Mr Michael Vandervelde Sport Program Manager

Upcoming Term 3 Events

Event Date Time Venue

CGSSSA Hockey 26 August 8:00am-4:00pm Moorebank

CCC Soccer Knock Out 29 August 10:30am-1:00pm Valentine Park

Dance and Aerobics Recital 31 August 6:00pm-8:00pm ACC

NSW All Schools Basketball Champion School Tournament 11 September 8:00am-6:00pm Gosford

CGSSSA Dance 13 September 8:00am-3:30pm McQuoin

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SPORTS REPORT

Summer Season SportGrading as per the Grading Calendar.

If you have missed registration and still wish to be considered you must contact the relevant staff in the Sports Office. All information is on the relevant MonteConnect page.

AthleticsTraining continues until the end of Term 3 on Monday and Thursday afternoons from 4:00pm until 6:00pm at ES Marks for Track and Shot, with throws training ( Javelin and Discus) moving to Forsyth Park, Neutral Bay. Contact Mr Rowan with any queries.

SwimmingMonte offers swimming for fitness and/or for competition all year. The Swim page on MonteConnect contains relevant information. Contact Mr Jon Bell jbell@monte.nsw.edu.au with any queries.

HockeyRound 6 of IGSSA Hockey is on Saturday 26 August. The draw is available on the IGSSA mobile screen. Contact Mrs Morgan with any issues.

North Shore FootballThe Gala Day was held on Sunday 20 August. It was a great day with some really good team results. There will be a full wrap up of the season next week.

The final training will be on 25 August for Monte 1, 2, 4, and 5 only.

Monte 1, 2, 4, 5 are scheduled games on Sunday 27 August.

The draw has been emailed to all players and parents.

As always check the draw on the NSFA web site. Any issues or unavailability please contact Mr Vandervelde.

MONTE 1 SOCCER TEAM

PAGE / 14MONTE MATTERS 25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

SPORTS REPORT

DanceMonte dancers are performing at the Ryde Eisteddfod on 26 August at Ryde Secondary College.

• Jazz A & Jazz B: 1:30pm

• Contemporary: 3:00pm

• Musical Theatre & Hip Hop: 4:25pm.

Each dance group will be given specific information re costume, hair & make up by individual teachers. Dancers must arrive 45 minutes prior to performance time.

Future important dates:Monte Aerobics & Dance Recital Evening: Thursday 31 August 6:00pm-8:30pm in ACC Theatre.

Hills Dance Spectacular: Sunday 10 September at Pacific Hills Christian School, Dural. Times to be advised.

CGSSSA Dance Day: Wednesday 13 September in McQuoin Hall 8:00am-3:00pm.

Monte Sports Award Dinner: Wednesday15th November in McQuoin Hall 6:00pm-10:00pm.

Dance & Aerobics Recital NightThis will be held on Thursday 31 August in the ACC. Displays commence at 6:00pm. This showcase is for parents and friends.

The evening will feature the Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop and Musical Theatre dance groups as well as some solos and duo and trio performances. The Aerobics competitors who have qualified to represent Monte at the Aeroschools National Championships in Bendigo later this term will also perform. It is a great opportunity to have a dress rehearsal prior to the Aeroschools Nationals and CGSSSA Dance competitions.

NetballA great day of semi-finals at Norths. Thank you to all players for giving their best. There is a big weekend of Netball coming up on Friday and Saturday 25/26 August. 13 Monte teams take to the court in preliminary finals hoping to make it to grand finals.

I understand everyone gets a little more excited and invested in finals play but please remember to be positive in your comments and reactions to players from both sides and the umpires. The umpire is someone’s daughter, mother, sister and in some cases brother or son. We have quite a few Monte umpires who will be given the honour of working semi-final matches – how would you want them to be treated?

The draw is available on the NSNA web site. Contact Ms Katie Barton with any issues. Make sure your coach and Ms Barton are aware of any absence.

IGSSA Netball moves into round 6 on Saturday 26 August. The draw is available on the IGSSA mobile screen .

Sporting AcknowledgementsIf your daughter is involved in any significant sporting events/ achievements please let us know so she can be acknowledged.

Sports Department StaffPlease contact the Sports Department on 9409 6420 or email mvandervelde@monte.nsw.edu.au

#ITSOK2PLAY – nerves are a natural part of playing sport for most people, especially in big games like finals. Try to focus on the things that you can control like being on time, the amount of effort you put in and your positivity.

THE MONTE ATHLETICS TEAM MONTE OPEN BASKETBALL TEAM WITH MEDALS

MONTE NOTICES

PAGE / 16MONTE MATTERS 25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

Year 7 will be having their vaccinations on Monday 28th August 2017.

Vaccinations offered at this clinic are HPV dose 2 and Varicella (chicken pox).

Any withdrawals from the Vaccination Program must be in writing and emailed to the Health Centre

HealthCentre@monte.nsw.edu.au

Thank you,

Lauren Jacobs College Nurse

FROM THE HEALTH CENTRE FROM THE ABSENTEE OFFICE

MONTE STUDY CENTRE TERM 3, 2017FREE S T UDY HELP BEF ORE A ND A F TER SCHOOL IN THE MON TE L IBR A RY

MONDAY (7:30am-8:15am) WEDNESDAY (7:30am-8:15am) THURSDAY (7:30am-8:15am)

ENGLISH: Mrs Harte ENGLISH: Mrs SandralENGLISH/DRAMA: Ms Quinn

ENGLISH: Essay writing, Time managementMr Curry

HSIE: History, Legal Studies Ms Jenkins

HSIE: Business Studies, Legal StudiesMrs Smith (Day 8 )

HSIE: Business Studies, Legal StudiesMrs Smith (Day 9)

RELIGION/STUDIES OF RELIGION :SOR, RE, Essay WritingMs Suchy

SCIENCE: (RY201)Mr Wacher

PDHPE /Community & Family Studies: Ms Hogg

MATHS: Ms Webb MATHS: Ms McKeown

VISUAL ART: Ms Anderiesen

MONDAY (3:30pm-5:00pm) WEDNESDAY (3:30pm-5:00pm) THURSDAY (3:30pm-5:00pm)

MATHS: Ms Cootes MATHS: Ms Patterson

SCIENCE: (RY201)Mrs Gwyther (Day 6)

SCIENCE: (RY201)Ms Shareef

SCIENCE: (RY201)Mr Corke

LANGUAGES: French & GeneralLanguage studyMs Thoumelou (Day 6)

LANGUAGES: German & FrenchMs Patzelt

LANGUAGES: GermanMs Lewin

HSIE: Economics, Business StudiesMs Jiang (Day 3)

HSIE: Economics, Business StudiesMs Jiang (Day 9)

MONTE NOTICES

In line with the Education Department requirements, we must receive a call or email as notice for all student absences.

Please notify us if your daughter is absent or late to school or if leaving school early.

Please email the Absentee Office on

absentees@monte.nsw.edu.au

or call and leave a message on 94096210

Thank you for your continued support.

PAGE / 17MONTE MATTERS 25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

MONTE NOTICES

At Monte we believe in preparing young women for a life of significance and purpose.2018 Bursaries are now available for young women to receive a Mercy education at Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College, North Sydney. All Bursaries are means-related.

Eligible to apply:• Students in Years 7 – 11 currently attending the College• Students not currently attending the College in Years 6 – 10

Full details and 2018 Application Form available on the website: www.monte.nsw.edu.au

Next Information Morning and College Tour: Tuesday 22 August

Enquiries: registrar@monte.nsw.edu.au

APPLICATIONS CLOSE 22 SEPTEMBER 2017

MONTE BURSARIES FOR 2018 NOW OPEN

PAGE / 18MONTE MATTERS 25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

Anxiety is common and treatable, but it’s also something that can be scary and confusing.

It doesn’t have to be. I’m hoping that this article helps you feel more in the know and better equipped to understand what’s happening in an anxious mind, recognise it, support your teen and seek help if needed.

First, some stats. In Australia, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will experience anxiety in their lifetime. That’s an average of 25 per cent of the population. I’d be surprised if you didn’t know someone who has it. The statistics are more comforting when it comes to secondary school kids where 7 per cent (that’s around 1 in 14) are diagnosed with anxiety.

We’ve all experienced it. It’s a completely normal reaction under dangerous or stressful circumstances. Perhaps you’ve narrowly avoided a car accident. Your heart pounds, your breathing becomes shallow and fast, your body floods with adrenaline to put you on red alert, your blood pressure goes up, you might perspire and glucose dumps from your muscles into your bloodstream. All of this is preparing you to face-up to the ‘threat’ or run like heck in the other direction. This is ‘fight or flight’ in action.

This reaction is a survival instinct, dating back to early times when life-threatening situations were ever present. These days we can experience anxiety when we’re under pressure to meet a deadline, talking in front of our colleagues, preparing for a job interview or even just opening our email. Our lives are not in danger but our bodies react as if this were the case. The same can be true for teenagers.

Anxiety is a normal response to a threatening situation. All of these physical changes happen instinctively as a tiny part of our brain called the amygdala tells the sympathetic nervous system to take over and fire us up so we can do what we have to in order to survive.

Do you know the feeling? Perhaps it happens to you now and then. But maybe, if you’re one of the two million-plus Australians (including me) who experience an anxiety disorder, your body and brain respond like that more often, more quickly and more intensely than others.

Trust me, it feels awful. I’ve experienced anxiety since I was a child, still do and always will. My parents didn’t even know anxiety existed when I was a kid and it took me until my early twenties to be diagnosed. Now that I know, I can, and do, take action to manage it. And despite having ups and downs like everyone else, on the whole I live a rich, full and meaningful life. Your teenagers can too.

We're a Parenting Ideas school parentingideas.com.au

insightsAnxiety in Secondary School Kidsby Dr Jodi Richardson

WELLBEING AND MENTAL HEALTH

MONTE NOTICES

PAGE / 19MONTE MATTERS 25 AUGUST 2017 / TERM 3, WEEK 6

Our kids are lucky. They have great parents (that’s you) who know to look out for their mental health, and who have access to lots of great resources including the family GP.

How do I know what’s ‘normal’?

Nervousness, stress and anxiety are normal reactions to logical circumstances. What to look out for is if your teen is reacting anxiously to situations where there’s no danger present, their reaction is out of proportion to the circumstances or they can’t participate in normal daily activities. Below are some of the other symptoms of anxiety in teenagers:

Difficulty concentrating

Poor memory

Mind racing

Difficulty sleeping

Always tired

Feeling edgy

Avoidance behaviour

Stomach pains

Chest pain

Shakiness

Nausea

Diarrhoea

Sweating

Okay, so how can I help?

1. Maintain open lines of communication with your teen by regularly spending one-on-one time together, having fun together and making yourself available at a regular time each day for an uninterrupted chat.

2. If you think your teenager is experiencing anxiety, talk to him/her and go together to see your GP to have a conversation about what’s been happening.

3. Help your teenager understand what’s going on in their body and brain when they are experiencing anxiety. Explain that the amygdala is trying to protect them but can ‘overreact’ sometimes and prepare their body for ‘fight or flight’ when it’s just not warranted. It’s the amygdala that causes all of the physical symptoms like a racing heart (pumping more oxygen to the muscles, readying them for battle), light headedness (due to an imbalance between oxygen and carbon dioxide caused by fast, shallow breathing), shakiness (due to the adrenaline being pumped into their bloodstream), and nausea (resulting from the body shunting blood away from the stomach to the arms and legs so they’re primed for a fight or a sprint).

4. Because breathing becomes shallow and fast with anxiety, a simple yet incredibly effective way to show the amygdala that everything is okay is to take deliberate, slower breaths (in for 3, hold for 1, out for 3). After all, no-

We're a Parenting Ideas school parentingideas.com.au

MONTE NOTICES

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one can do this when they really are running for their life!

5. Mindfulness is a superpower for the anxious brain (any brain in fact!) and there are lots of great ways to help teenagers learn. The Smiling Mind app is a wonderful way to introduce a regular mindfulness practice or you could take mindfulness classes together. Mindfulness reduces the size of the amygdala as well as fostering other protective changes in the brain.

6. If they are worrying excessively over something – let’s say it’s presenting a project to their class, a test or an exam – instead of saying, “You’ll be fine, you always do so well” or “Don’t worry, all the other kids will be nervous too” or similar, try this instead: “I understand how you’re feeling, that’s so normal, I’d feel the same way”. They want to know you ‘get’ it and that they’re not alone. You could also ask, “Is it helpful to keep thinking about it?” When they (inevitably) say “no”, suggest focusing attention on something that will help, like practicing more, making cue cards, revising, doing another practice exam or doing something completely different to engage their mind in a fun and positive activity.

7. Help them to discover their values so they can take action in the direction of what really matters to them despite feeling anxious.

Dr Jodi Richardson

Jodi is a happiness and wellbeing speaker and writer, and is mum to two primary school

aged kids who light her up. For more great ideas on flourishing mental health for the whole

family, subscribe to her newsletter at drjodirichardson.com.au and say hello on

facebook.com/DrJodiRichardson

Enquiries to jodi@drjodirichardson.com.au

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