Greetings from West Chester Friends School on this first day of school. I have returned to my office after being a part of classroom visits for children in the Early Childhood classes. Students in grades one through five are snuggly settled into their rooms learning the routines that will guide them through the year. There is a palpable sense of joy among all of them, mixed with a bit of nervous energy. I know their teachers are very happy that they are here and the year is underway.
In our family, as with many families, we have first-day-of-school routines: clothes carefully chosen, backpack thoughtfully packed, and a photo at the front door. Many parents gather here at school as the children line-up, call out wishes of good luck as the students enter the building, and then linger for a while together. Today’s rain dampened the picture-perfect ceremonial quality of the morning, but not the excitement.
Indeed, the start of a new school year is always accompanied by great expectations. As parents and teachers, we want the best for our children. But what is it, exactly, that we expect?
What are your hopes and dreams for your child’s school experience? I encourage all of us to pause and answer this for ourselves today. If you are like me, you hope for joyful learning that strengthens their knowledge and skills. I dream of caring relationships that nurtures their social and emotional growth. This sounds utopian, I know, but I have confidence based upon my experience that all of this will happen for them.
I also know that it won’t be perfect. There will be struggles and frustrations in mastering new concepts and behaviors. There will be inevitable conflicts in relationships. I will cringe instinctively when things don’t go well for them. However, if I’m being honest, I know that my hopes and dreams include these experiences, too. I want my children to feel discomfort, and to face conflict . . . and to develop the resilience to handle such situations. I want them to feel free to take risks, and I want them to make mistakes. Otherwise, they will not truly learn.
One blog that I follow is written by Rick Ackerly, an experienced educator and author of The Genius in Children. Rick wrote eloquently about this same topic the other day, and I encourage you to read the full post. He ends with this “blessing for all the children on the first day of school, and every day thereafter:
May you develop the grit to live in life’s tensions, the confidence to learn from conflict, mistakes, disappointment, failure, loneliness and losing, and the skills to find the fun in every day and the love in every person. In the process may you never fall out of love with learning.
I invite you to share your hopes and dreams for the coming year by commenting below.
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5 comments:
My hope is for my children to gain confidence and grow into their understanding of themselves as learners and friends. But also to share experiences with their classmates and grow in their understanding of others. I dream of a school year that includes learning, service to others, worship, and play -- all things WCFS does so well!
"Joyful Learning" I like it - that sums it up perfectly in just two words.
I dream of my child becoming more peaceful, both inside herself and in her interactions with others. And I would like to grow with her and become more peaceful myself this year. I hope we can help each other learn to remain calm in the face of all of life's daily stresses and adversities.
Thank you Matt.
You have a great message. I'll have to come visit your school!!!
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