Constructing Culture, Shaping the Atmosphere

“Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.” (St Paul’s message to Timothy in the Bible)

Those of us who are on staff at the College all assume that, simply by our roles as staff, we are examples the children will imitate. Parents: did you also know that you are examples too? Yes, it is true. The ways you react, (or preferably the ways you respond) are watched and imitated by your children.

The Bible quote above is good value, it comes from one of the letters in the Bible. You may know that within the Bible there are a bunch of letters, many written by a now famous Christian called Paul of Tarsus. He also gets called Saint Paul, or Paul the Apostle and he was a hugely influential teacher of Christianity in the early early days after Jesus’ resurrection.

Paul the Apostle writes a couple of these letters to a younger person, called Timothy. You can see above that Paul says to Timothy that he is to be an example in his words, his lifestyle, the way he loves others, his faith, and his purity.

Paul exhorted Timothy to exemplify these things because he knew that others were watching him, and that they would imitate Timothy’s words, life, love, faith and purity. Paul doesn’t ask Timothy if he wanted others to imitate him, both he and Timothy take it for granted that they would.

So what does this teach us?

Well, because we are the adults in our school community, our children will certainly imitate our speech and actions. And they will do this whether we want them to or not. The things we say and the way we say them, and the things we do and the way we do them will inevitably provide the model for the way our learners speak and act. By imitating us, our students confirm the message quoted above from Paul, that we are to be an example to all.

So, how do you want your children to be? Would you like them to be polite? Be polite. Would you like them to be tolerant? Be tolerant yourself. Would you like them to be calm in the face of challenges? Be calm in the face of challenges and they’ll imitate that. Or how about this one… do you want your household to be a place filled with love? Be loving. Be wonderfully, selflessly loving. Provide a great example of lovingkindness that your children can imitate, and you will gradually see a loving culture overtake your household.

Of course, our school culture is largely shaped by teachers, however children definitely bring with them the atmosphere their parents create at home. So let’s ask the same question on a slightly bigger scale. What do you want our school to be like?

Do you want a peaceful school? Personify peace. Do you want a school that cares for and includes your children? Care for and include all children. Do you want a school where your children are free from judgementalism, free to be themselves, free to learn without fear of being teased? Well, behave in the same way and you’ll get what you want, you will reap what you sow, that’s just how it works.

Parents and staff let’s be people who shape great culture by being great culture-shapers.

david gleeson, principal