From the Deputy Principal - Head of Secondary

The Routine of Personal Best

The Olympics were a wonderful time to observe the marvels of the human spirit, and our desire to achieve our personal best. No matter what I watched; swimming, athletics, basketball, rowing, gymnastics; in each performance it was clear to see the elite refinement of skills and routines. At a recent school assembly, I urged our students to enjoy the sense of clarity and purpose that comes from developing routines as part of each day.

We are using routines all the time. Many are subtle but effective; filling a drink bottle prior to going to sport or class, charging our devices the night before or packing our school bag. These little things, and many more, go a long way to helping us navigate the day, to take small steps for improvement.

Whether it be at home or at school, in order to improve, we need to change our behaviors and often the best changes come in small steps. This term in the Secondary School, we are sharing some routines that will help our students to feel more prepared to learn. We have a ‘lining up’ outside the classroom routine, a routine for entering the classroom, a routine for starting work and a routine for concluding the learning session. These are little things that our students are turning into effective habits throughout the day, and will assist them to feel settled and focused, together.

When we connect our goals to the disciplined actions of routines, we are using small but powerful strategies to improve learning. A predictable structure that guides behaviour is worthy of our attention and effort. Our Primary School has established routines for preparing to learn, and our Secondary School is enjoying the benefits of entry and exit routines as well. 

As we continue to practice the disciplined actions of wearing our uniform with pride and engaging with shared classroom practice routines, we build habits that allow for shared improvement. By doing so, personal best is within reach.

David Frazer

Deputy Principal - Head of Secondary