On August 30th 2021 and September 6 2021; Form 1 and Grade 1 parents respectively, had a virtual orientation meeting.

Strathmore School places a lot of emphasis on the participation of parents in the education process of their children. This goes a long way in strengthening the partnership between parents, teachers and students.

In these meetings the Educational philosophy of Strathmore School, Discipline procedures in the school, the role of the chaplaincy, and how the tutorial system – individual mentorship – works in Strathmore were explained.

The links for the recordings are below:

Topic: GRADE 1 PARENTS’ VIRTUAL MEETING
Start Time : Sep 6, 2021 04:20 PM
http://tiny.cc/grade1parents

Topic: F1 Parents Orientation Meeting
Start Time : Aug 30, 2021 04:04 PM
Part1:
http://tiny.cc/form1parents
Part2:
http://tiny.cc/form1parents2

TEACHING PIETY TO…

1. Let them see you pray.
2. Say simple prayers with them every day.
3. Teach them God is our Father and we should please him.
4. Teach love for the Blessed Eucharist through the importance it has in your life.
5. Pass on your own love for Our Lady.
6. Introduce your children to Jesus’ life through the stories you tell.
7. Talk of God, naturally in the family.

1. Foster their daily prayers.
2. Help them to see the importance of sacraments in your life.
3. Take an interest in school religion lessons and homework.
4. Teach them to say sorry to God when they offend him.
5. Emphasise the positive importance of doing good and working hard.
6. Let the children see your behaviour is consistent with your values.

1. One cannot force piety; don’t lecture; help them reflect on the causes and consequences of their actions.
2. Help them to see that struggle, and ups and downs are a part of life and the virtue of fortitude.
3. Open their horizons to works of mercy and generous ideals.
4. Give example of the cheerfulness and generosity that your life lived with Faith should produce.

Source: REDFIELD COLLEGE,
New South Wales.

Education in the Human Virtues as the Basis of Genuine Freedom

In Strathmore School, great stress is placed on developing human virtues, or strength of character, because these virtues enable a person to be self-directing in life – to be truly free. Freedom is not seen as mere freedom from constraints but as a capacity to carry noble convictions into action. Too often man finds himself limited and inhibited by his own failings, ignorance or unquestioning conformity. Ultimately, the capacity to truly love others and to be happy is a consequence of character with a well-rounded development of virtues. The family, where an overriding motivation is the welfare of the other members, is the environment “par excellence” for fostering virtue.

Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless,
if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own,
if he does not participate intimately in it….
Pope John Paul II, Redemptor Hominis, 10

Teaching Virtues in the Family
A virtue is a readiness in one’s character to act in a particular way for a good motive. Simply speaking, it is a good habit and so is acquired by carrying out some good act with some regularity. Over time this regularity builds an enduring strength in one’s character.
Early childhood
In a young child the foundations of virtue are built by example, clear consistent guidelines, routines, close follow up, and punishments imposed without anger.
Later childhood
When a child is older the focus continues on orderly routines and clear parental expectations, but attention to his motives becomes more  important. The child can be helped to reflect on his own actions by asking him to make certain decisions himself, by teaching him to learn from his mistakes and to have a optimistic view of difficulties, and, when necessary, by the imposition of punishments which are most effective when they help the boy remedy the consequences of his poor actions. In these years children are able to take far more responsibility for their own character improvement. They respond very well if encouraged to act from motives of charity towards a parent or one of their sisters or brothers. Home atmosphere and family example continue to play a major role, consolidating the habits acquired in earlier years. The value of a positive peer group becomes very noticeable also at this time.
Teenage Years
In teenage years, a boy or girl develops the adult capacity for independent action based on personal conviction. It is good and natural that teenagers should want more and more freedom and autonomy; it is a prerequisite for a mature personality. Parents should not be scared when they observe a growing independent spirit in their son or daughter. They should not react with panic and legislate rules as if their teenager were still a child. Nor should they retard the development of their offspring by smothering him with childish pampering. Nor should they look on fondly as their teenager exhibits every sort of silly, superficial behaviour, naively justifying it with words such as “kids will be kids”. Virtues are not fostered impersonally. A teenager will grow in virtue because he is encouraged personally to improve himself, to seek higher ideals, and to act from better motives. Parents must be in a position to talk frequently and confidently to their teenage son and daughter so that they can provide this affectionate encouragement. The foundations for such a relationship are sown in the friendship and time spent together in childhood years.
Only if such a close relationship exists will the firm, clear guidelines needed in teenage years be trustingly accepted. And only through such a close relationship will the parent have sufficient sensitivity and understanding for their teenager’ s thoughts and feelings, and sufficient respect for his or her legitimate freedom.

A suggested arrangement of virtues according to age

SOURCE: Redfield College, Sydney.

Some proven tips for Father-Son Communication.

1. Chat regularly about anything and everything. Talk about things you know are on his mind, specific things that have happened to him in the day. ( “How” and “Why” questions work best.) But also make a point of broadening his interests, and general knowledge. Use your chats to pass on charitable ways of looking at people, concern to help others, the need for determination and will power, sincerity, and cheerfulness… remembering that, while your example is the best teacher, what you say does have an impact.

2. Do things together. Be a part of the children’s interests. Read up on their hobbies and their sports. Foster the interests that you think will suit them. Work on combined projects.

3. Don’t do jobs alone…repairs, projects, and recurring maintenance and gardening. Give your son a role to play appropriate to his age; guide him through the challenging parts. Provide encouragement and instruction.

4. Try not to go on car trips alone…not even to the shops. Use regular trips (Saturday sport, etc) to have your regular chat.

5. Read stories to your son when he is young. For the years when he is learning to read listen to him each night and still read to him. Develop a culture of reading at home through your example, and your interesting and enthusiastic conversation about the wide variety of books and articles that you have read and are in the middle of. Take your son to the library regularly and help him to choose good books. Read sometimes instead of having the television on.

6. Say prayers with him at his bedtime. Start young, when he is only a little toddler. Use the opportunity to build a routine of having a chat every night before he goes to sleep.

7. Use your chats to give timely sex education and advice. It is only right for a child to learn the most intimate truths of human love from his parents. Unnecessary problems arise in almost every case if this does not happen. As a rule of thumb, children should have learned the facts of life from their parents by the time they are ten years old, and by twelve they should be have a clear understanding of the mistakes that people can fall into.

8. Remember that a parent’s moodiness, tendency to impatience or anger can have a serious effect on the confidence that a child and adolescent will be able to show. A father who is dogmatic, who prefers to talk rather than listen, who talks about himself too much, or is too easily critical of the efforts, interests and friends of his son will find son reluctant to communicate. Similarly, a father who is passive or too involved in his own interests will blunt his son’s desire to tell him anything.

9. Correct your son calmly, explaining the reasons. This is perfectly compatible with being firm, and with imposing a fitting punishment or  sanction for misbehavior. Try to be consistent with your spouse in your decisions and follow up punishments to ensure that they are completed. Use the opportunity that problems and mistakes provide in order to get at the causes, helping your son grow in his character.

SOURCE: Redfield College, Sydney.