Be Kind, be Thankful, Be Towers
Be Kind, Be Thankful, Be Towers
Be Kind, Be Thankful, Be Towers
Over the last couple of weeks of term the school has been filling its corridors with joy, kindness and thanks. Following on from the amazing Christmas light switch on, our students across Y7 to Sixth Form wrote Christmas cards for our wider community. Many of our community will be spending Christmas alone and what a wonderful thing it will be to open a card with a written message of kindness from our very own young people. We would like to thank all of those families who donated Christmas cards for this occasion. Before we let you in on what we have been up to, we want to share 'The Theory of the Dipper and the Bucket.'
Over the last couple of weeks of term the school has been filling its corridors with joy, kindness and thanks. Following on from the amazing Christmas light switch on, our students across Y7 to Sixth Form wrote Christmas cards for our wider community. Many of our community will be spending Christmas alone and what a wonderful thing it will be to open a card with a written message of kindness from our very own young people. We would like to thank all of those families who donated Christmas cards for this occasion. Before we let you in on what we have been up to, we want to share 'The Theory of the Dipper and the Bucket.'
Each one of us has an invisible bucket. It is constantly emptied or filled, depending on what others say or do to us. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it is empty, we feel awful. Each of us has an invisible dipper. When we use that dipper to fill other people's buckets, by saying or doing things to increase their positive emotions, we also fill our own bucket. But when we use that dipper to dip from others' buckets, by doing or saying things that decrease their positive emotions, we diminish ourselves. When our bucket is full, we feel energised and positive. But an empty bucket can sap our energy and make us feel negative. That's why, every time someone dips from our bucket, no matter how small, it hurts us. So we face a choice every moment of every day: We can fill one another's buckets, or we can dip from them. It's an important choice, and here at Towers, we are going to spend time filling one another's buckets, instead of dipping from them. So what have we been up to to make sure that we are filling each other's buckets?
Each one of us has an invisible bucket. It is constantly emptied or filled, depending on what others say or do to us. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it is empty, we feel awful. Each of us has an invisible dipper. When we use that dipper to fill other people's buckets, by saying or doing things to increase their positive emotions, we also fill our own bucket. But when we use that dipper to dip from others' buckets, by doing or saying things that decrease their positive emotions, we diminish ourselves. When our bucket is full, we feel energised and positive. But an empty bucket can sap our energy and make us feel negative. That's why, every time someone dips from our bucket, no matter how small, it hurts us. So we face a choice every moment of every day: We can fill one another's buckets, or we can dip from them. It's an important choice, and here at Towers, we are going to spend time filling one another's buckets, instead of dipping from them. So what have we been up to to make sure that we are filling each other's buckets?
Staff have taken part in Jólabókaflóð, a wonderful Icelandic tradition where books are donated. The books are then wrapped along with a message of kindness inside. These are then distributed back out to the staff where they will take them home and unwrap them on Christmas Eve. This was a lovely well-received initiative that will continue to be a tradition here at school.
Staff have taken part in Jólabókaflóð, a wonderful Icelandic tradition where books are donated. The books are then wrapped along with a message of kindness inside. These are then distributed back out to the staff where they will take them home and unwrap them on Christmas Eve. This was a lovely well-received initiative that will continue to be a tradition here at school.
It is funny how a season which is focused on kindness and family, can sometimes feel lost in all the buying and material ‘stuff’. One of the things we love about our school community is our willingness to support one another. The reverse advent is a lovely example of this - a chance for everyone to bring in something small. By all taking part, our small gestures become large and will make an enormous difference to some in our community this Christmas.
It is funny how a season which is focused on kindness and family, can sometimes feel lost in all the buying and material ‘stuff’. One of the things we love about our school community is our willingness to support one another. The reverse advent is a lovely example of this - a chance for everyone to bring in something small. By all taking part, our small gestures become large and will make an enormous difference to some in our community this Christmas.
There was a donation station set up in every year group area and we would like to thank every single person who donated to such an important cause. The hampers that have been created will certainly help a family this Christmas. Thank you!
There was a donation station set up in every year group area and we would like to thank every single person who donated to such an important cause. The hampers that have been created will certainly help a family this Christmas. Thank you!
Also, during the last week of term, DR groups were given the task of decorating their DR classroom doors with messages of kindness, positivity and thanks. There have been so many wonderful examples of this and the students have done an amazing job
Also, during the last week of term, DR groups were given the task of decorating their DR classroom doors with messages of kindness, positivity and thanks. There have been so many wonderful examples of this and the students have done an amazing job
DR groups were also tasked with being a guardian angel for one of their peers. They were each randomly given a name from someone in their DR group. Students were to discreetly complete acts of kindness towards this person. It could have been anything from holding a door open, to letting them in front of them in a queue, to just saying good morning and asking how they are. It has been wonderful hearing students being so kind to one another especially at such a challenging time. We are very proud of every single one of you for playing your part in this.
DR groups were also tasked with being a guardian angel for one of their peers. They were each randomly given a name from someone in their DR group. Students were to discreetly complete acts of kindness towards this person. It could have been anything from holding a door open, to letting them in front of them in a queue, to just saying good morning and asking how they are. It has been wonderful hearing students being so kind to one another especially at such a challenging time. We are very proud of every single one of you for playing your part in this.
To complete an extremely heartwarming week we asked members of the community from staff to parents/carers to write messages of thanks and kindness and the participation has been mindblowing. We have received so many wonderful comments from you at home and these have been shared with staff. Thank you so much for these, they have been appreciated whole-heartedly. Staff were given postcards to write a message of thanks on to other members of staff and students. The collection box for this soon began to fill up and it looked absolutely wonderful. These were then distributed to the recipient who will leave school for the break with their ‘invisible buckets’ being that bit heavier.
To complete an extremely heartwarming week we asked members of the community from staff to parents/carers to write messages of thanks and kindness and the participation has been mindblowing. We have received so many wonderful comments from you at home and these have been shared with staff. Thank you so much for these, they have been appreciated whole-heartedly. Staff were given postcards to write a message of thanks on to other members of staff and students. The collection box for this soon began to fill up and it looked absolutely wonderful. These were then distributed to the recipient who will leave school for the break with their ‘invisible buckets’ being that bit heavier.
As we finish this term and we all breathe a sigh of relief, we can start to think about the things that kept us going, not just towards the end, but throughout the entire year. There have been traditions that we have started here at school, that we will certainly continue with in the future.
As we finish this term and we all breathe a sigh of relief, we can start to think about the things that kept us going, not just towards the end, but throughout the entire year. There have been traditions that we have started here at school, that we will certainly continue with in the future.
One final task we would like you to get involved with is the collecting of any stamps from your Christmas post. This will be in aid of RNIB (The Royal National Institute of Blind People) and any stamps will be recycled for some much-needed funds for their services. Please cut round the stamp leaving a centimetre of envelope or packaging around each one and bring them in January 2021 and pass on to the DR tutor who will then pass on for donating.
One final task we would like you to get involved with is the collecting of any stamps from your Christmas post. This will be in aid of RNIB (The Royal National Institute of Blind People) and any stamps will be recycled for some much-needed funds for their services. Please cut round the stamp leaving a centimetre of envelope or packaging around each one and bring them in January 2021 and pass on to the DR tutor who will then pass on for donating.
