Speaking to a void...

Communication has become a topic of conversation in my home recently.

Many a time, I have gone to speak to a family member who is in the room only to be met by a stony silence. The silence is not rudeness but, as I quickly discover, the result of connection to devices. At times it has gotten to the point of being quite comical as I ask a question or strike up a conversation, seemingly speaking to a void.

With wireless earbuds, people can appear to be present and ready for conversation whilst being absorbed in a world of music, stories and podcasts. Lesson number one for me was that physical presence does not indicate ‘presence’ in that deeper sense. It is so easy to lose some of that wonderful spontaneous interactions that makes up family life.

As parents and teachers, we are increasingly aware that the world we thought we inhabited has changed. The ability that we had, when our children were younger, to manage their reading, listening and viewing changed as they grew. When my own children were young, my wife and I conscientiously reviewed their reading matter and checked films for content that was inappropriate for our children’s age. We were conscious of views of the world that conflicted with our faith and values as a family and, by-and-large, we could successfully navigate this through conversations and selections.

“... we can embrace the opportunities for connection that these platforms provide but we must be mindful of the value of face-to-face connection and conversation. ”

It quickly became evident that our grown and adult children inhabit a world that is very hyper-individualised in terms of the ability to follow their own media interests and, at the same time, being hyper-connected through the social media platforms that they can access. As families, we can embrace the opportunities for connection that these platforms provide but we must be mindful of the value of face-to-face connection and conversation.

When our children were younger, we could sit and watch a movie or show together and discuss how characters were presented and what point they were trying to make. We could have those vital conversations about how that connected to our understanding of God and His desires for us. Now, we need to open the conversation to encourage them to use their discernment built over years of time invested, to think about what they are seeing and listening to, and to make wise decisions. Encouraging our children to be reflective individuals is an important step in their growth.

This releasing of our young people to make wise choices is part of the maturing process but it does not mean that we as a family cannot continue to set our own parameters and expectations. In a sense, we create our own family cultures that, whilst interacting with the world around us, should not be beholden to it.

As a School, we are keen to work with you to ensure that we are developing thoughtful young people who are not mere sponges, unthinking absorbers of the world around them but rather, discerning young people, with a clear understanding of who they are, able to make profoundly life affirming decisions. At Calvin Christian School, we have expectations of ‘presence’ and ‘engagement’ in lessons, learning and relationships. We have conversations about faith, values and discernment. And we will make decisions about age and stage-appropriate content. I look forward to continuing this conversation with you as we partner with you to raise strong young men and women of character.

Scott Ambrose — Principal

Connecting

As we reach the half way point of Term 1 it has been good to connect with parents through our parent-teacher meetings.

These are incredibly important opportunities to broaden our picture of the young people in our care as we partner directly with you as parents. For our children, facing a world of challenges as they grow, it is vital to know that there are parents and teachers intensely interested in them and their growth as individuals.

“ For our children, facing a world of challenges as they grow, it is vital to know that there are parents and teachers intensely interested in them and their growth as individuals.”

For all of us, there are times when we feel the challenges of life more strongly than others. It might be a feeling of unease prior to a big day or a niggling worry about what a new start might bring. As parents, we feel this, both for ourselves and sometimes on behalf of our children. One of my children had a new start this year and I, as a parent, felt some nervousness on her behalf as she stepped out on that first day. I am pleased to say that my concerns turned to confidence as she made pushed beyond a challenging step.

In the same way, I have been impressed by the way that our many new students have quickly adapted to life at a new school. Our new Kinders and Year 7s have demonstrated this, dealing with new routines, classes and teachers with, on the whole, a sense of excitement and enthusiasm. Their responses reminded me that sometimes we need to embrace the challenges to fully appreciate the joy of new opportunities.

This is not the full story, of course, and we know from media reports that there are concerning levels of worry amongst some students for whom that fear can become debilitating. Knowing how to support students wisely and to both model managing our own fears whilst encouraging students to succeed in their own challenges is a careful balance. As a School with a founding vision for partnership with parents, we appreciate the opportunity to share insight and ideas.

As parents, we also have times that we reach the point where we realise that we are not able to manage things ‘for our children’. That there comes a time where our guidance and encouragement is not enough. We value the support and wisdom of our School Counsellor and Pastoral Care Teams in this task and would encourage you to make use of some of the practical supports available through our School.

Facing fear and worry is not something new to this generation. Jesus’ followers knew fear and expressed their worries openly. Jesus’ response was sometimes a little surprising, asking them to look beyond their immediate circumstances or what they thought and feared could happen. He reminded us that God is bigger than our greatest fear. To his followers at sea in a storm, he said ‘It is I; don’t be afraid’ and to the group hiding in an upper room, lost and without direction, he said ‘peace be with you’. Jesus brought hope to those struggling without it and promises to do the same for us and our students.

Scott Ambrose — Principal

Parent Partnership

Last year, as I was thanking some of our parents who were coaching or managing school teams, I was interested in the responses I received – ‘we make time’, ‘it is a privilege’, ‘it is great to see them improve’.

That willingness to give is such a core element of our experience of community.

Each year, I am so encouraged to see the high level of parental and family commitment to the life of our School. Oliebollen is a stand out event in terms of our community but there are an enormous number of ways that I see families actively working to contribute to the educational lives of their children.

“Each year, I am so encouraged to see the high level of parental and family commitment to the life of our School.”

Last year, I saw Calvin parents coaching soccer and basketball teams (sometimes both), cooking Oliebollen, supporting camp experiences, kayaking, visiting classes, running discos, supporting other parents in challenging circumstances, sharing transport, and generally seeking to serve one another. At times, this extended to other family members and it was great to see big brothers and sisters coaching, helping on stalls, or simply turning up to support their siblings.

The foundations of our School lie in a parent community that decided that they needed a distinctively Christian education for their children. From that foundational decision, grew a community committed to giving of themselves, their time, energy, and support for a vision of a transformative Christian learning community.

I am absolutely delighted to see evidence of that around us, often quietly and unspoken. Teachers do not do their work in isolation from family, nor do parents work in isolation from school and community. For our children to know that those adults who are most significant in their lives are working together, in common cause, to train and disciple them brings confidence and clarity. This is parent partnership in action.

We actively encourage and welcome your contributions to the life of our School. Whether that be through regular attendance at school events or our Community Engagement Committee. To start the year off we will welcome families at two Community events, on Friday 24 February our Primary Community BBQ, and Monday 27 February our Secondary Community BBQ. In early March we look forward to meeting face-to-face at our parent-teacher conferences. A number of parents also join together at 8.30am on Thursday mornings to pray for our School.

In engaging we experience the joy of community and I am often reminded of that call on Jesus’ life, as the Scriptures put it “the Son of Man (Jesus) came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many”. It is such a privilege to belong to a community that gives.

Scott Ambrose — Principal