Becoming what we are

Yesterday I met for the last time at least in an official capacity with the outgoing Heads of School for this academic year, Freya and Caleb. Over the course of the year, they have both individually and as leaders of the student body demonstrated the quintessence of effective leadership.

From the outset they were driven by a high moral purpose, their commitment was not to any personal agenda though their agenda was personally felt. They had gone through a process of interview and selection by their peers and the teaching staff and worked humbly to realise the object of their rhetoric. It seems to me now, and has throughout my involvement with student representatives and student leaders, that we have a great deal to learn from them.

The same morning, we had photographs with the new team, Liv and Josh – ‘plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose’ and so much the better for it. The new team brought their own version of the principles of leadership and service. They were selected from a group who put themselves forward to lead and guide the student body. I remain in awe of the courage they exhibit to stand in front of their peers, put themselves forward, knowing inevitably that some will not be successful. Their willingness to take that personal risk for a cause that is bigger than themselves mark them out for greatness. They too shared a selfless agenda though driven by deeply held personal beliefs. 

In both cases I am proud of their ability to present a case, to take a stand and work to make Embley better for all. The capacity and willingness of those who were unsuccessful to row in behind the incumbents and continue to contribute is a profound example of the humility we hold so dear. There was no self-important posturing or Machiavellian undermining of others. They held allegiance to an ideal of working for the community, of deepening the feeling of belonging to our shared endeavour.
 
In the midst of the valedictions of the departing they continued to table ideas and strategies for furthering that sense of belonging. When to be honest, I thought the meeting would be preoccupied with a misty-eyed review of their journey, they were instead hard-headed and driving an agenda for others to the last. The incumbents did likewise. One cannot but be taken aback by their energy, their open and honest pursuit of their ideals. I had the chance to speak at length with one of them in a different context but one which saw us both involved in a voluntary project with a cross school group of children. Their focus on belonging arrested me.

The zeitgeist is prone to celebrate equality and diversity. In meetings with other Heads that  I attend, there is routine mention of it and I noted recently any number of bodies who have set up commercially to support this agenda, not only in schools but in industry. This is an intrinsically good thing, and well might you sense a ‘but’ reader. My perspective is that as human beings we are all individual and different. It is this uniqueness that Embley cherishes in every child regardless of any of their attributes. In Assembly I will often comment that they are loveable not for what they have or do but by virtue of the fact that they ‘are’. The very nature of their existence makes each child an end in themselves and not a means to one; they are all intrinsically loveable. 

It is a tragedy of history and misunderstanding that through time and across cultures and contexts this belonging has not been afforded to all equally. It is quite the right thing to call this out and to step into every and all examples or instances of where it persists. The objectification of difference and subsequent mistreatment is at odds with our nature, it is abhorrent.

My preference is that we spend our time considering how we deepen our individuality by strengthening our togetherness, our belonging. This is less a contradiction than you might at first think reader. Belonging to the community allows us to be more authentically ourselves, we are better individuals because we belong and belong to an inclusive community which wishes the good for each other. This is the agenda espoused by successive Heads of School at Embley, it is the story they tell their committees; it is the mantra that unites Nursery, Prep and Senior; it is the narrative the school tells itself. It is in being there for each other that we support each other to risk growing into the person we can be. If Augustine is correct and we are what we can become, the community and belonging to it allows us to become what we are.