Middle Years 

Integrity – being your best when no one is looking.

This week’s Service lead by Learmonth and Laidlaw houses focused on integrity. 

They spoke about integrity being doing the right thing, even when no one is looking, even when the choice isn't easy. When we live our lives with integrity, it means that we are honest, and we let our actions speak for who we are and what we believe in. Integrity is a choice we make, and keep making, every moment of our lives.

This service piqued my interest, and I spent some time researching ways that we can build integrity. This is what I found:

Step 1: Define your core values – these are that values that, no matter what the consequence, you're not going to compromise on.

Step 2: Analyse the choices you make - having integrity means that, no matter what, you make the right choice – especially when no one is watching. This is about when making a choice asking yourself, “will I, honestly, feel ok with myself afterwards?” Integrity isn't a value that we should live by when it's convenient; it’s a value that we live by all the time. This includes the big choices and the little choices – and the choices we make when no one is looking. 

Step 3: Encourage integrity in yourself and others - people with integrity often have the same characteristics: they're humble, they have a strong sense of self, and they're self-confident. These characteristics are important, because, sometimes, you'll be under intense pressure from others to make the wrong choice. Observing these characteristics in others can help us build these within ourselves, so that we have the strength and courage to do the right thing when the time comes. 

Some skills I found that assist with the value of integrity include: 

• Being assertive, this allows you to defend an ethical position without whining or being aggressive.
• Always telling the truth.
• Taking responsibility for our actions. If you make a mistake, own it and do whatever it takes to right the situation.
• Keep your word.
• In times of fear, disaster and chaos, the temptation is even greater to make a wrong choice. See these as opportunities to demonstrate your true character.

I often encourage our Middle Years Students to “be their best” and really enjoy seeing our students doing this both in and out of the classroom. Some recent examples include watching some Year 7s helping each other with Maths problems. Year 9s stepping up and showing other students what to do when fencing at Mittagundi. This week’s service made me wonder if I should be also encouraging our students to be their best even when no one is looking?

Ben Hawthorne

Head of Middle Years