A Shared Purpose
It has been great fun over many years of working in schools, to see how good and pleasant it is when parents and teachers work in unity for the shared purpose.
That’s where God sends his blessing.
Schools do discipline in diverse ways. At our school we could identify three outcomes we are seeking by the way we do discipline: (1) helping young people develop strong character, (2) helping youngsters learn best, and (3) helping them learn life skills by setting firm and fair expectations.
These three learning objectives are closely connected, and when parents and staff work together in unity, the outcome will be wonderful. Let’s look at each …
Character matters most. Who our learners are is ultimately more important than what they learn. Knowledge is not bad, information is overloading us these days, but character: honesty, perseverance, kindness, self-control and respect shapes the course of a person’s earthly life.
Learning matters too. School is not simply a place children attend to keep them out of the way. Attending school needs to be purposeful. Oh, and don’t imagine that the most intelligent students are guaranteed to outdo others … the students who gain the most from schooling are usually not the naturally gifted ones. Winners are ones who consistently participate, contribute, politely challenge, complete their work and persist even when learning becomes difficult. Engagement is power. Winners lean into learning.
The phrase ‘firm and fair expectations’ might sound old-fashioned, but kind-toughness (and tough-kindness) is one of the great strengths a school can provide for students. Children flourish when boundaries are clear. Kids love predictable consequences. They love knowing that expectations will be applied consistently. Firm and fair schools create environments where students feel safe, where teachers can teach, and where learning can thrive. High expectations are helpful because properly applied, they communicate belief. Appropriately high expectations tell children that they are trusted to do their best.
Only parents and staff can build this culture together.
When children hear the same messages at home and at school, those messages carry weight. When parents support learning, reinforce respectful behaviour and encourage perseverance, they strengthen the work of the school. Likewise, when staff teach, guide and care for students consistently, they reinforce the values our families tell us they want.
Best learning doesn’t happen by accident, but when parents and teachers partner with each other, really great things can happen.
david gleeson, principal