The Junction

Economics

This week in Economics, Year 10 have been looking at the impact of minimum wage on labour markets. They have discussed the benefits and drawbacks of minimum wages and gained an understanding of voluntary and involuntary unemployment.

PE

This week in PE, students have been developing their skills in a variety of activities including dance, gymnastics, water polo, badminton and basketball.

During dance lessons, students in Year 7 have learnt choreography for a Bollywood dance, and now they are developing their own choreography to complete their dance.

Year 7 students have also been developing their gymnastics skills since we returned to school. Students have enjoyed demonstrating their excellent flight skills, as well as developing their knowledge of different balances and methods of travel.

It has been excellent to see our secondary students back in the pool, this time focussing on water polo. Students have enjoyed developing their water polo skills and have successfully applied these to competitive situations.

Our Key Stage 3 students have also been completing a block of work on basketball. Students have developed their knowledge of the skills required to be successful when playing basketball and have applied these to competitive situations.

Students have also enjoyed playing badminton in their PE lessons this week. They have mastered their serving techniques and have applied different strategies to competitive situations.

Continuing with Autism month, this week we will take a close look at autism in girls. Four times as many boys are diagnosed autistic as girls. This is not an accurate picture and frequently, for many reasons, girls are diagnosed later, missed, or misdiagnosed, causing long-term mental health problems with too many girls feeling too anxious to attend school as a result.

This is not a definitive list but details some common traits shared by autistic girls:

• Can present contrastingly in different settings; girls can camouflage or mask their feelings until they are in a safe environment before they release their emotions.

• May appear to be shy or avoid interacting with others, or struggle to make the first move socially, but are also keen to have friends. They may have one or two close friends but will converse in a rehearsed or scripted manner, desperate to fit in, so will try and hide their difficulties. They can struggle with social niceties and may mimic rather than naturally respond. They may appear awkward during conversations.

• Although they make eye contact, it is fleeting and superficial.

• Can show empathy and compassion, but may be confused by non-verbal social signs. Can struggle with non-verbal communication such as tone of voice and body language.

• Their special interests are usually more socially acceptable and tend to be animals, pop bands, social media, and literature.

• Can struggle with changes to routine and may appear anxious.

• Might be oversensitive to sensory stimuli such as taste, texture, temperature, noise, smell, and light.

• Can find it difficult to moderate feelings when frustrated; this can lead to meltdowns that appear to be disproportionate to the situation.

• Can lack confidence in their ability, are afraid of failing, making mistakes, and lack self-belief.

• Any speech or language difficulties are usually more subtle, with no language delay.

• May have an exceptional memory for dates and facts.

• They may be seen as quirky by peer groups because of dress sense, hairstyle, or vocabulary.

This information was taken from a UK-based registered charity called The Autistic Girls Network.

For further information, please have a look at the following websites and podcasts:

Autism Education Trust

NNPCF

Autistic Girls Network

Podcast: SEND in the experts with Georgina Durrant (Episode 4)

Mrs. Lyndsay Wing

Whole School Inclusion Leader

Helpful Hints

Building Integrity in Our Children

Integrity is one of our six core values at Jebel Ali School, the others being Kindness, Resilience, Growth-mindedness, Inclusivity and Excellence. As a community, we strive to embed these qualities to provide a common purpose that all community members may understand, work towards and live by. The best way to ensure that values are present is to convert our values into behaviours. These attitudes and physical actions allow everyone involved to understand the spirit of each value. So what does Integrity look like and what can we do to develop this in our children?

Here are a few helpful hints from Psychologist Marilyn Price-Mitchell, PhD.

1. Articulate family values.

What are your family values? Can your child discuss and defend them? Family values impact healthy child and adolescent development in profound ways. Most families have positive values that are steeped in their cultures or religions. Their values elicit habits of thinking and behaving that honor human strengths, weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and imperfections. Learn why family values should be intentionally articulated and how children learn through a parent’s words and actions.

2. Develop a moral vocabulary.

Words like honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage are core to centuries of religious, philosophical, and family beliefs. Use them and others to express and reinforce your family values. Teach children the behaviors that flow from these principles. Use quotes to ignite meaningful dinner conversations and encourage children to talk about these values. Check out an excellent list of quotes that were compiled by The International Center for Academic Integrity.

3. Reward respectful behavior.

When children feel good about doing what’s right, they learn to measure the quality of their lives beyond grades and extra-curricular achievements. Parents who let children know that courage, honesty, and respect for others is more highly valued than quantifiable wealth or intelligence help children understand the true meaning of being wholly human. When your children show integrity, tell them what you admire about their behavior.

4. Explore consequences.

Learning integrity takes practice. Like all learning, failure produces consequences. When children explore, understand, and accept the consequences of failure, critical learning occurs. Having integrity doesn’t mean children will always be honest, responsible, or respectful. What it does mean is that they will understand the consequences of their actions on themselves and others and, with that understanding, will make informed choices about how they live out their own values in the world.

5. Respond appropriately.

Parents cannot control their child’s behavior, but they can respond with consistency when reinforcing family values. When learning is considered the foremost goal, dishonest or disrespectful behavior becomes a teachable moment for parents. What’s most important is that your child reflects on and gleans meaning from their behavior. Talk with them. Listen and show respect for your child’s thinking, and then restate your expectations that dishonesty or disrespect is never acceptable in your family. Consequences should be consistent and clearly understood.

6. Be a role model.

Children often name parents as their role models. Research shows that role models live their values in the world. They help children understand how values, like integrity, are part of a successful and rewarding life. Review what you say or share on social media. Does it reflect your values? Is it hurtful to others? Are there more respectful ways to share what you believe? Children are watching and learning from their adult role models. Read about five qualities of role models that matter most to teens.

7. Teach digital etiquette.

More than ever before, parents should teach all aspects of digital citizenship from an early age, including social networking etiquette, digital literacy, and standards of moral conduct. While it is difficult for children to stand up to disrespectful behavior online, they should always know that they can seek support from an adult when they feel threatened, bullied, or fearful. This is one way they can act with integrity and safely stand for what they believe.

8. Share meaningful stories.

Examples of integrity are contained in human stories everywhere. When you read books with your children, listen to stories about their peers, watch TV or movies together, or talk about what’s going on in the world, ask your child to find examples of how individuals stood up for their beliefs in ways that made a difference for themselves or the world around them. Make the topic of integrity part of the conversation!

9. Instill self-efficacy.

Children who stand up for principles in which they believe have high degrees of self-efficacy, the belief in one’s ability to accomplish goals and influence the future. Parents instill self-efficacy in children when they help children be guided by their own internal compasses, allow them to grow from their relationships, and appreciate children for who they are, not just for what they achieve. When young people learn to believe in themselves, dishonesty and disrespect no longer make much sense. Living with integrity becomes a way of life. Read what it means to “believe in yourself,” through words from young people themselves.

Reference

Mr. Ben Parnell

Assistant Headteacher - Care & Wellbeing