5 tips every Head Teacher should tell their pupils before the Summer
With the summer holidays a matter of days away, every Head Teacher will be looking to wish their pupils a safe and happy summer break.
Unfortunately we should not take for granted that all holidays will be safe so, here are five tips every Head should share with their schools before they break up.
Take note of what is going on around you
Whatever you are doing, try to be aware of what is going on around you. Look and listen, take in the sights and sounds of wherever you are. Enjoy it, but be aware that not everybody around you may be genuine. Pickpockets, tricksters and even predators may be in the crowd looking for an opportunity to take down an easy target.
A friend recently returned from a trip to Athens where he was told to remove his wrist watch before going out because of the risk of theft.
Don’t be the easy target.
Communicate
If you feel at all concerned, perhaps the way someone looks at you feels strange, or the crowd you are in makes you feel uncomfortable, tell someone. Share how you are feeling with the people you are with and make a conscious decision to do something, leave the crowd, go to a different café or part of the beach, for example.
Get into the habit of telling others what you are doing. It doesn’t always need to be your family but we all need someone who is looking out for us, and will notice when we are not there, have gone missing or so they can even provide a simple update on the weather or a different pick up time.
Particularly when you are travelling alone or to somewhere new. Let others know what you are planning and when you move onto the next leg of your journey, such as a bus or train home.
Look out for one another
Don’t leave your friends, family or colleagues on their own. Make sure you look out for one another. That doesn’t mean you need to be best friends but being aware of those around you, and making sure they remain safe, as well as you, is also important
Imagine you are at a music festival and you are making your way back to your tents when you come across someone lying on the floor, seemingly unconscious. You wouldn’t want others to leave you alone like that so look out for others as well. Get help for the person.
At the same festival you see a woman being pushed and squashed in the crowd by a group of men. Don’t just leave them to whatever is happening, get help for them, it may make a difference to someone’s life.
Be prepared to ask for help if you need it
We are brought up to have a healthy fear of strangers. Stranger Danger is good practice, but you need to know that sometimes you need to ask for help. You might want to walk with some others when you leave a railway station rather than exit alone. Ask if you can join them for a couple of minutes.
Perhaps someone has been looking at you strangely on the beach, the train or in the hostel. Ask others if you can sit with them or alert the location management.
The key thing is to be prepared to ask. The Bystander Effect means that individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim in the presence of other people. If you need to ask a crowd for help, single someone out. “Sir, Madam, you in the blue jacket, you in the red dress” are all the types of phrases which connect with an individual and make them more likely to help.
Take responsibility
Finally, you are responsible for your own actions. We all have the right and expectation of living in a safe environment, but things do happen. Stay in your depth, areas where you know you can be safe.
That doesn’t mean don’t push yourself to try new things, do, but do them when you feel confident. Climbing a rockface can be exhilarating and help you develop new skills but do it with safety ropes. Free climbing is dangerous and nobody can force you to do it.
Take responsibility for communicating with others, for being aware, for looking out for yourself and others and all of this will help you have a great summer.
