From the Acting Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School

This week saw the Senior School commence the new academic year and it was heralded last week by great excitement as timetables were released to students on Friday. For our Year 9 girls there is great anticipation as they undertake new electives that are focused on their passions. For our Year 11 students it has signalled the start of the final years of their education at MLC School and the next major milestone in their learning. Year 12 have reached the point where the end of this stage of their learning journey is in sight, and they now gather their strength for the final stretch.

For some girls though, this week has been a challenge. They may have a new teacher that they do not know and who does not know them. They may not be in classes with their friends, and we all acknowledge that this part of growing up is not always easy to navigate.  And, while it may seem trite to call this character building, there is truth to this. I reflected this week on a quote attributed to Kurt Hahn founder of Outward Bound and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.  

“There is more in us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less”

I believe the message we can take from this is to encourage the girls to sit with discomfort for just a little while and draw upon an inner strength that will be there, whether she realises or not yet. We can encourage the girls to reframe the way they are feeling and see the changes through a different lens. Instead of focusing on them not having a friend in their class, talk with your daughter about the opportunity to get to know others in their year group. If your daughter is shy and nervous about this talk with them about there being other girls in the class who feel the same way. Perhaps she can be the one with the courage to offer the first gesture towards a new friendship. If we as their teachers and parents always step in to ease the way at the first sign of difficulty, we rob our girls of the opportunity to grow and find the inner strength that will carry them through the challenging times.

The notion of being “unwilling to settle for less” sits comfortably beside our motto of Dare to be More. We want our girls to aim high in whatever they pursue whether it be academic achievement, service to others or collaboration as part of team. To equip them to do this, the development of the strategies to work through periods of uncertainty and challenge is essential.

– Linda Emms
Acting Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School