Growing up can be hard for both children and their parents. It may be difficult for you to imagine, but I can vividly recall numerous times when as an adolescent I tested the love of my parents and the patience of the staff at the boys' boarding school I attended. Now I look back with greater clarity, life experience and a little bit more maturity, appreciating the valuable lessons I was taught and enduringly grateful for the time, fortitude, and care of these influential adults.
Over the mid-semester break, I read a short book by ex-US Navy SEAL William H McRaven titled Make Your Bed, which reminded me of growing up and my own time at school. McRaven posits that if you want to change the world you must start by making your bed. Offering sage advice, he argues if we cannot do the simple things well what hope do we have of conquering larger tasks and challenges? This simple but clear advice resonated with me and reminded me of one Housemaster who stressed to me as a teenage boy the importance of doing the small things well.
While chores such as making a bed each morning may seem inconsequential, these daily duties are in fact an opportunity to begin the day with an easy win and a successful start. They are an opportunity to show self-discipline and attention to detail. In a school setting these small tasks include, among others, wearing the uniform correctly, remembering our hat and blazer, ruling a margin, setting mathematical work out neatly, sharing and taking turns and greeting each person with a smile and hello. While these tasks may seem small and irrelevant, the ripple effect of small things done well is great and sets the tone for life beyond school.
Understanding that great things are brought together by a series of smaller tasks, as students begin to prepare for Student Led Conferences in the Junior School and ELC, we are encouraging them to focus on the small things... and to always make their bed!
Mr Peter McDonald
Head of Junior School and ELC