A good school should offer more than just a
consumer service which delivers strong academic results and a range of
absorbing extracurricular activities. It has a much higher
responsibility of providing a seaworthy vessel for a young character to
begin a journey through an often difficult and demanding world, in which
values which once seemed steadfast are challenged and in which
stability is never assured for long. The spiritual and human values a
school nurtures are central to its existence, which is why the role of a
teacher is such an exciting and influential one and why teaching is a
vocation and not just a job.
Many people who find fulfilment in their careers,
when asked why they discovered a particular gift or followed a
particular path, will look back to the effect on them of an influential
teacher or an opportunity given to them when they were young. They will
remember someone who believed in them and who believed that they were
capable of more than they themselves realised. A good school should
concern itself with increasing the chance of such encounters and
opportunities.
We applaud academic success at every level but in
these days of economic uncertainty young people need to remember that
it will often take more than just high grades and impressive degrees to
open doors. Passion, commitment, adaptability as well as lateral thinking may
well be the keys to fulfilment in tomorrow’s world and a good school
should see the nurturing of such qualities as far more than an optional
extra.