“The wise man doesn’t give the right answers, he poses the right questions.” – Claude Lévi-Strauss
A school seems to run on questions. They pop up everywhere. This week, I was asked a profound one in the lunch queue, I’m still thinking about it and whether my answer was sufficient. It could be argued that questions are the key to our understanding of the world, perhaps the answers are really the key, but without questions it is hard to see how there would be answers.
During the course of each school day our pupils will encounter all manner of questions. Direct, indirect, open, closed or rhetorical. There are questions everywhere. There are some questions that we probably don’t want to see or hear, the questioning of a referee or umpire during a sports fixture, the question asked to produce an answer that may lead to ridicule or worse.
Questions can be as constructive as they can be destructive. When used well they lead us to answers, as Socrates knew so well, we can develop understanding through questioning. As teachers we use questions to tease out ideas and to lead pupils to greater understanding. All of these questions are valuable and give value.
Perhaps the most important questions are the ones that the pupils ask about themselves and of themselves. It is a natural part of growing up to ask questions as to what will happen next, and how will I develop? In the world that is presented on social media that seems that all questions have been answered, and success won easily. Such questions lack substance and integrity. This week we have spent a good deal of time addressing the question of next steps. Year 11 have looked at A level choices, the Senior School were treated to an assembly about what jobs they could consider, and the Junior School had a similar assembly answering the questions that they have about work, study and how they may define success.
There are some questions to which there is no easy answer. Loss is one that young people can find difficult to accept. Indeed it is a question that poses challenges for adults. Our community was saddened by the loss of a long serving, dedicated, former teacher. Helen Crompton was a teacher who answered the question “Who will choose to teach?” and her influence has been seen on the sports field, the classroom and on numerous school trips. Our thoughts are with her family and we reflect on all that she gave to this community (please see p. 11).
This evening our Parents’ Association will hold their annual quiz night, an evening of questions and enjoyment and raising funds for an excellent cause. Good luck to all involved, may the right questions be asked – I hope that you can find the answers.
Nicholas Hammond
Headmaster
