From the 2022 Bayview School Captains: Imagine What a Compassionate School Could Do...

Ava E and Aden R | 2022 Bayview School Captains | Grammar News | 20 May 2022

In Term 2, we are encouraged to focus on our Resourcefulness domain and Compassion from our Restoration domain. As leaders, we have imagined what a compassionate school would look like and have thought about some ways that our School can be compassionate.

Imagine a compassionate school, where everyone thought about someone else and looked after them. It would be a great school to belong to. But what is compassion? And why should we be compassionate people? Compassion can be defined as an outward focus, a strong feeling of sympathy for a person who is suffering or struggling and looking for ways to serve others. Compassion can be shown in everything we do here at St Luke’s, by actively looking for ways to serve others and help them if they are having trouble with something. Personally, when I help someone, it always makes them feel looked after and in return, helping others makes me feel good inside.

People of Impact

Here is a great story of compassion from John Landy, that I found inspiring. John Landy showed compassion during the Australian National Athletics Championships in Melbourne in 1956. A competitor, Ron Clarke was leading the final of the 1500m, and Landy was not far behind him, another runner was behind Clarke's heel, causing Ron to stumble and fall. Without a thought for Landy’s own race expectations, Landy doubled back and assisted Clarke to his feet. That story certainly inspired me to look for ways to help others when they are struggling with something. I hope that story inspires you to always be compassionate.

A compassionate icon that I found inspiring is Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa was a saint who dedicated her life to helping others in need in Calcutta. Mother Teresa worked for 17 years helping out the poor in India, doing such things as giving food, clothing and shelter. I found Mother Teresa inspiring because she was always looking to help others in need. We may not be flying around the world, but at School we can be looking around us for ways we can include others or treat others fairly.

Being Compassionate

We can show compassion by motivating and encouraging others. Our words and actions have a big impact on how someone else can feel. A compliment or act of service can brighten someone’s day.

We encourage you to think about ways you can show compassion, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Some examples you might like to try are:

• In the classroom, when you are learning a challenging topic, you can help your peers and put forward ideas to help them understand the subject.
• On the playground, you can show compassion by including everyone around you in your game or conversation, even if they’re not in the same class. You might try to be on the lookout for students who might not have someone to play with and include them.
• Outside of school, in sporting games on the weekend, you might look for ways to include them in the game or offer encouraging words to build someone up. Each Year 6 Fundraiser is an opportunity to support a cause and contribute to making a difference in our world.