Chaplain's Corner

Effervescence Everywhere

Evidence shows that when a child hears or sees something repeatedly, they are likely to believe or do it. They begin to model their behaviour around it.

BF Skinner, a behaviour therapist in the mid-20th century famously said, “Give me a child and I’ll shape him into anything.” Skinner’s Operant Conditioning theory emphasised the influence that the environment has on how a person’s behaviours.  

So, as we begin 2024 at St. George’s Anglican Grammar School, I am excited by the effervescence I am feeling amongst students and teachers and in and around the school. 

Our school is a great environment for the student physical, spiritual, and mental development of our amazing students. The school’s annual themes seek to enhance that.  I am therefore super excited by the theme this year: RESPECT—Respect for Self (Term One), Respect for Others (Term Two), Respect for Learning (Term Three), and Respect for the Environment (Term Four). The theme aligns well with our school values of Wisdom, Grace, and Service. 

So, in chapel at St George’s Cathedral this year, all our talks and our worship services will be focused on helping students and teachers to grow as respectful beings.

This term we will focus on Respect for Self. As a starting point, I would like to encourage especially the students to ask themselves some self-introspectiveng questions such as: Who am I? Whose child, am I? Whose student, am I? Do the things that I think about, the words that I say, and the actions that I take reflect not just the values of my family or school, but also show that I respect myself, because people who have no self-respect will have no respect for others.

The Christian starting point is being aware that I am a child of God, I am the image of God, God loves me. Because I am this special to God, I respect myself.

God Bless you all for the start of the 2024 school year. 

Fr Gift Makwasha

School Chaplain