Be the change you want to see in the world.’ Mahatma Ghandi
In Willow Park Junior School one of our core values is High Educational Standards and we pride ourselves on the fantastic standard of teaching and learning across all 25 classes within the Junior school. However, we also want all our boys in the Junior school to acquire the lifelong skills of:
Curiosity - if you are not interested in things that are difficult or puzzling, you won’t engage. Curious people have an abiding sense of inquisitiveness. They wonder how things come to be, how they work, whether they might be otherwise.
Courage - to be willing to take a risk and see what happens, not always playing it safe and sticking to things they know they can do.
Exploration - inquisitive people enjoy the process of finding things out, of researching. They like reading, but they also enjoy just looking at things, letting details and patterns emerge.
Experimentation - actively trying things out to see if they work. Experimenters like tinkering, tuning and looking for small improvements.
Imagination - the virtue of fantasy, of using the inner world as a test-bed for ideas and as a theatre of possibilities. Building a platform towards a better future requires imagination rather than memory.
Sociability - effective learners know who to talk to (and who not), and when to talk (and when to keep silent) about their own learning. And they are good members of groups: they know how to listen, how to take turns, what kinds of contribution are helpful.
Mindfulness and Spirituality - in the sense of being disposed to reflection and contemplation, taking time to mull things over, take stock and consider alternative strategies. Having the time to use the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit to guide and inform the daily choices that we make.
Boys, you are the future and as educators, we have the most important job of equipping you with the lifelong skills to make that change in the world.