Above: Teacher Chelsy Wilwrath and her class of M Powerment Girls.
By Shaun Inguanzo
WALLARANO Primary School says it is building students’ resilience to the pitfalls and traps of growing up through programs that teach them self-control.
Students from grades five and six are each week split into their genders, with girls attending the M Power Girls Program and boys the Rock and Water program.
Wallarano assistant principal Gail Doney said both programs aimed to teach students how to avoid pitfalls later in life, such as drug abuse, poor self-confidence, violence and vandalism.
Ms Doney said the M Power program would hopefully resolve malicious gossip and envy common among young girls.
“A powerful girl enjoys being a friend and making friends,” she said. “She says how she feels respectfully and she stands up for what is right.
“She avoids backstabbing, manipulating, gossiping and excluding others.
“We want her to have the strength to say no to mean girls.”
Teacher Peter Cameron is running the Rock and Water program that likewise is aimed at curbing anti-social behaviour caused by a loss of direction.
The program teaches boys self-control, reflection and confidence to be more understanding to people’s emotions and more aware of their direction in life.
Ms Doney said the two programs would also help students’ transition from primary to secondary school.
