‘Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow, The shadow is what we think of it – the tree is the real thing’
– Abraham Lincoln
This morning’s Open Day provided almost 200 visitors the opportunity to experience our school in action: to be in Primary classrooms watching Main Lesson; to speak with our Year 11 and 12 student leaders; to see Year 10 in full rehearsal mode for their upcoming Musical; to hear about our enriched and holistic program offering. In essence, an opportunity for us to sing the benefits of a Steiner education at Glenaeon and provide the ‘evidence’ for its success through an immersive exploration of the Middle Cove campus.
More than anything, I hope our visitors walked away with a clear impression of our School’s vibrant culture, a sense of the good character of our students and an understanding of how impactful our environment can be for young people. Fullan (2007) defines school culture as the guiding values evident in the way a school operates. On the ground, this encompasses the attitudes and behaviours that prevail in the hallways, the staffrooms, in meetings, in the structures and systems that support school operations, how we collectively ‘show-up’ each day, and most importantly, how problems and issues are resolved.
There has been much written about school cultures in the media in recent weeks. Most of it negative. No school or organisation is without fault, and there is always room for improvement, which is what we always strive for here at Glenaeon. What I experience daily at Glenaeon are adults, young people and children whose characters cast positive shadows on each other to create a school culture that reflects what we value most. It’s a welcoming place, where inclusivity and respect are expected and where individuals contribute to the greater whole by taking responsibility and action towards an enriched experience. Sometimes, this means tackling existing tensions. It’s difficult and uncomfortable work to challenge bias, to uncover blind spots and call into question the status quo. But is worthy work and demonstrates to our children that having a voice is not about shouting from the sidelines, but instead, about being courageous enough to enter the arena and engage with the complexities. I’m doing just that with a small group of Year 12 students currently who’ve brought forward the issue of the gendered nature of some aspects of the school uniform and the rules that exist around these. These are powerful conversations that demonstrate student agency in action, and they matter.
Enjoy the glorious Autumn weather this weekend.
Warmly,
Diana Drummond
Head of School
Reference:
Fullan, M., (2007) The new meaning of educational change, Routledge, New York.