“Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed… Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders.”
– Henry David Thoreau
There is a comforting rhythm to the school year which sits well with the changing of the seasons. Here on the riverbank in Croissy, it is clear that spring is well underway and we are starting to witness pupils flourishing as the year progresses. Reflecting on the Junior School’s show of last week and looking ahead to the Senior School Concert of next, it is evident that the seeds planted in autumn are starting to bloom spectacularly. The same should be true of academic development as we draw to the end of the second term, confidence should be growing, skills developing and knowledge building as we move towards the exam season in the summer. For some, the coming holiday will be a great time to nurture and coax more growth through revision and careful preparation.
There is a tendency to want to see pupil development happen at the time that it is expected, but our pupils, rather like the trees along the riverbank, come into full leaf in their own time. Some will not be rushed, and it is our job as teachers or parents to strike the correct balance between the hot house and the natural rate of growth. Happily, most pupils reach their potential and find fulfilment, but in the coming weeks as the end of the school year draws ever closer, those who support and guide may grow worried. We will be talking to all pupils about balance, about striking the correct division between work and sleep and leisure. Tutors and teachers will be keeping an eye on those who we would anticipate growing more by the end of the year and looking to provide support, encouragement and challenge in appropriate levels. Fortunately, given the correct conditions for growth, most pupils grow at the rate that is expected and can reflect upon a successful year.
Our school motto calls on pupils to show strength, and such fortitude can come in many forms. For some it is having the courage to ask for help while for others it is the confidence to take the initiative. Some may need to listen a little more closely while others we encourage to speak up some more.
We know that the most effective development occurs when it is self-directed and it is driven by character. By the end of the year most, if not all, will be able to point to success.
Now may well be the time to look for the green shoots and, where they are not evident, challenge ourselves, once more, to reach higher. We will be standing by to encourage and to applaud but now it is time for the pupils to reflect, honestly, on what is left to be done in what remains of the year.
