Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road

Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go

So make the best of this test, and don't ask why

It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable

But in the end, it's right

I hope you had the time of your life

"Time of Your Life" by Green Day (1997)

“It’s your day Mr Green!” was one of the many things said to me this morning on the front gate. Such is one of the peculiar consequences of having my surname, that when there are days like ‘JAS Goes Green’ then it is somewhat inevitable that such comments are made. In this particular instance, what a wonderful way to start the morning – with the thought that the day is, somehow, mine. It also reminded me of the Green Day song (no additional pun intended) which so often accompanies graduation ceremonies around the world. It’s been interpreted many ways, even by the writer himself, but one can think about it in terms of our school days: of our opportunities, of routines and lessons which are not necessarily learnt in one day but instead understood over time and with reflection.

It’s often said that our school days are the best days of our life. When I think back to my own experiences as a student at school, I can certainly remember key moments. They lie like old polaroid pictures of a forgotten time when you’re not overwhelmed by any worry or concern, when you smile more than frown. I certainly looked forward to university, and by the time I had entered Sixth Form, I already had a wonderous sense of who I was, where I was going and what I wanted to do. Were they the best days of my life? Probably not. I genuinely still feel like I am living them, but they were, most probably, the most comfortable, the most secure and most easily mythologised.

So, what do I remember of these best days? I certainly remember laughing. A lot. You get to spend every day with your best friends, the very people who know how to be funny and who can make your stomach hurt from laughing too hard. I’m still friends with the best of them now. I was only messaging one of them the other day about a particular Year 10 disco we went to, having been reminded of it by a song on the radio. I remember learning. Not just quotations that I can still reel off verbatim to this day, but entire lyrics of songs, lines from movies and what clothes, that even today, I like to wear.

Learning was not just about knowledge and skills; it was learning about who I was. At school you build a personality. You build an understanding of the things you like and the things you don’t like. I remember the opportunities: the clubs, the societies, the trips and the common room. I also remember that if something went wrong there was always someone who would be there to help; be they teacher, parent or friend, there was always someone to get me out of a sticky situation. Of course, one can understand the meaning of responsibility, but it becomes all too real once you leave school.

Our 'JAS Goes Green' day has sent me into reminiscing about my own school days and the opportunities I enjoyed, and today, JAS students have an opportunity to make their own, fond, polaroid memories of school.

This is our Green Day – a day where we wear green and raise funds to purchase plants. To beautify our classrooms and shared spaces. And if it’s our day, then by definition it’s also my day and I like that idea. It's an opportunity for us all to enjoy yet another great 'Green' day at Jebel Ali School.

Chemistry

If you are a keen reader and would like to write a review of a novel you have read, please submit an entry of around 150 words, including who you would recommend the novel for and we will feature it in The Junction!

We will be accepting reviews from year 5 and year 6 students and you can either email them to Mrs Horsham lhorsham@jebelalischool.org or Mrs Free vfree@jebelalischool.org.

Happy reading!

iSAMS Parent Portal User Guide

Article of Interest

Even a small amount of creativity can help you cope with modern life

Led by Dr Daisy Fancourt, UCL Senior Research Fellow and former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinker, the Great British Creativity Test research shows there are three main ways we use creativity as coping mechanisms to control our emotions:

1. a distraction tool - using creativity to avoid stress

2. a contemplation tool - using creativity to give us the mind space to reassess problems in our lives and make plans

3. a means of self-development to face challenges by building up self-esteem and confidence

Trying new creative activities is particularly good for our emotions and wellbeing. The research found that getting hands-on with something new and creative is important regardless of skill level, it is the taking part that counts.

Constantly learning and trying new creative pursuits is also more beneficial, as the survey revealed that doing an activity for more than ten years, means it can become less effective at regulating negative emotions.

The findings also revealed that we get emotional benefits from even a single session of creativity and there are cumulative benefits from regular engagement. And, when we’re facing hardships in our lives, creative activities are particularly beneficial for our emotions.

Interestingly, the survey revealed that nothing beats taking part in live creative activities that involve face-to-face social interaction, for example: singing in a choir or taking part in a group painting class. However, virtual creative experiences can also help and seem to have some benefits but these are less strong and emotionally beneficial than experiences which include face-to-face interaction with others. To explore this, the team worked with composer Eric Whitacre to compare responses from the Great British Creativity Test on live group singing, with responses from participants who had taken part in a virtual choir, singing remotely from their own homes. Both groups experienced benefits for their emotions, although the strongest results came from live singing.

Dr Daisy Fancourt, says: "This study is the first to show the cognitive strategies the brain uses to regulate our emotions when we’re taking part in creative activities. While previous studies have shown the strong link between creative activities and emotions, we've not been sure about how this has been happening. It is a really exciting finding and we’ll be sharing our data with other researchers across the UK.”

Lamia Dabboussy, Editor, BBC Arts, says: “We are proud to be one of the founding partners of Get Creative and are thrilled that our research adds to the wealth of evidence about the benefits of getting creative. Through the Get Creative Festival everyone has the chance to take the plunge and try something new and find a new creative hobby - with the knowledge that it’s having a great effect on your emotional health. Lots of us lead increasingly busy lives and this research shows that even a small amount of time spent on creative pursuits can really make a difference. I hope the results will give audiences the inspiration and confidence to take up a new creative hobby in 2019.”

The Great British Creativity Test findings are being used to help people identify which of the three coping mechanisms they use and this year, as part of the Get Creative Festival 2019, people will be invited to take a Feel Good Test. The Get Creative Feel Good Test will give participants a ‘feel good formula’ to re-boot their creative habits - maximising the potential for each individual to improve wellbeing.

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