Message from the Principal

Developing Well Rounded Students

A recent social media article (unsourced) suggested that there are four different types of intelligence, according to psychologists:

1.Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is the measure of a person’s level of comprehension and thinking. It is needed to solve maths, memorise things, and recall lessons. (It is important to note that modern brain research indicates that this is not fixed but can grow.) Schools specialise in this as it contributes to academic success.

2.  Emotional Quotient (EQ) is used to quantify a person’s ability to maintain peace    with others, understand individuals, know how they feel, keep to time, be responsible, be honest, respect boundaries, be humble, genuine and considerate.

3.  Social Quotient (SQ) is the measure of the capability to build a network of friends and maintain it over a long period of time.

Whilst simplistic and generalised, the article suggests that people with higher EQ and SQ tend to go further in life than those with high IQ but low EQ and SQ. The idea is that whilst schools capitalise on improving IQ levels, EQ and SQ may be played down. A person with high IQ can end up being employed by a person of high EQ and SQ even though the employer may have an average IQ.

The writer believes that EQ represents Character, while SQ represents personal Charisma. It is suggested that people should develop habits that will improve these three Qs, especially EQ and SQ. By implication, schools should promote the emotional and social skill growth of students, in addition to embedding knowledge and academic ability. 

I am pleased that Calrossy is committed to social and emotional learning, in addition to developing great students in the classroom. Our focus goes beyond developing children as ‘brains on sticks’, promoting the ideal of students of character who feel, empathise, work in teams and have a spiritual aspect to their lives as well, knowing their place in the world and universe.  A well-rounded school should be a safe place for everyone, not just the academically gifted.

The unknown author finished the article by suggesting an additional fourth one, a new paradigm:

4. The Adversity Quotient (AQ): This is a measure of an individual’s ability to go through a rough patch in life or a crisis and come out of it without losing ‘the plot’. When faced with troubles, AQ determines who will give up, who will abandon the task, and who will crumble. This is generally learned and can be developed, through learning to fail.

The author gives advice to parents (and schools) that we should expose our children to other areas of life than just Academics. They should adore manual labour (never use work as a form of punishment), Sports and Arts. Learning to win, lose, to practice hard, to get bad decisions from a Referee, to not being the best, making long-term goals, pursuing a special interest and overcoming challenges can all help students grow and develop AQ. 

By all means, we should develop their IQs, but never neglect the importance of EQ, SQ and AQ. These things speak to our School values of selflessness, inclusiveness and resilience. Our School goal remains to assist our students to progressively grow and develop into multifaceted human beings, capable of eventually doing things independently of their parents and teachers.

Whilst no one has enjoyed the COVID concerns of recent times, I believe that the challenges confronted by our children, whilst unwanted and annoying, are helping our students to grow and develop, that will see them as more resilient and increasingly aware of those around them, things that will assist their long term growth into the wonderful teenagers and adults we hope to see.

The final advice is, “Do not prepare the road for your children. Prepare your children for the road."

Mr David Smith

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. Colossians 3: 12 – 15