- If you lose your wallet, what difference does it make if you have a photo of a beautiful baby in it?
- If you hang a mirror in your kitchen, what difference does it make, to the amount of food you eat?
- What difference does it make if you are not wearing school uniform shoes or sweatshirt?
Answers to be revealed below.
Returning somewhere is very different to arriving there the first time. For many students this is the first return to UWCSEA High School, and we are delighted to see them return. But it is worth reflecting on the difference between now and almost three months ago. In fact, it’s worth reflecting for everyone, even the old hands, because there’s truth in Heraclitus’ aphorism that you can’t step in the same river twice; the river has moved on in the intervening time. More important, though, is what Heraclitus didn’t say – that we too will have moved on in the intervening time.
So the school is not exactly what it was before the break; because physically, we have made some minor improvements, because the teachers have been hard at work preparing units and getting refreshed; and also because we are still developing and establishing our identity; my thinking has moved on a little bit, for example. I have been thinking about the terrific start the students made last term, and how the big pieces are in place; an ambitious learning programme; exciting lessons; vibrant activities; enormous opportunities for outdoor education and challenging service. The vast majority of students are positive, hungry for success and enjoying their opportunities.
So there are other big pieces to look at – mocks for grade 10, and extended essay launch for grade 11 for example. But these are well in hand. What I am thinking about at the moment, and what I spoke to students about in the last assembly, is the small things. Not all small things (there are a lot of them); I am interested in the small things that have a much greater impact than they appear to do. So to answer the first two questions at the start of this message; controlled tests show that you are 30% more likely to get the wallet returned to you if there is a picture of a baby in it; and that 32% less unhealthy food is consumed when the mirror is there. The precise reasons for this are not of interest here – what we learn is that we are acutely sensitive to the cues around us – we absorb and respond unconsciously to these little things.
So for me, I am thinking that a small thing with much bigger importance than it seems, is uniform. It’s not that it really matters in itself if a student is wearing a blue sweatshirt, or non-uniform shoes – one might even argue that it’s good that students have some individuality. But there are two things here, I think. The first is that we are all for individuality – but really, individuality on the basis of one’s actions or ideas, not on the basis of the labels one is wearing. Let’s talk about attitude, ambition and attainment, not Superdry or Gucci. The second is that ignoring the uniform code sends a powerful and highly visible message that perhaps the school values and rules aren’t important – and that’s what really disturbs me. So while I havelittle interest in sweatshirts, shoes, or skirts, I am very interested indeed in maintaining a culture where all the signals point to us collectively achieving the very highest standards. This is not a small thing; it is the most important thing we are doing. And so since this most important thing – your children’s learning – actually depends on the unconscious ways they absorb signals, these apparently small things really do matter.
So as you get ready for school, please help your children understand that they are the beneficiaries, not the victims of agreed standards. And make sure they are in proper school uniform all the time. Thank you for your assistance here.
