A Well Placed Rock at The Harbour School

  • 2024
  • Leadership
  • Middle School
  • Primary
Thabo Metcalfe, Primary & Middle School Principal

During the recent October break, I had the opportunity to return to Bali and spend the week in a small village on the West coast of the island.   This village holds special significance for my family; it is where my children learned to surf and has been a haven of wellbeing and peace. Having led the transient life as an international family, this is a place that feels like home for my son; it is where he can truly be himself.

One of my favourite ways to pass the time there is to just sit on a well placed rock and watch the never ending array of surfers as they enjoy their time on the waves. There are youngsters who blast along the face of the waves with incredible speed, there are advanced and experienced surfers who pull off dynamic moves of power and daring, and there are also the more relaxed folks on their longboards who seem to dance and glide along with a poise and style that is captivating. However, during my visit last week, what resonated more were the themes of patience and the passage of time. Surfers often describe their time on the water as exciting yet deeply meditative. They find peace in being at one with the ocean, surrendering to its rhythms and waiting for the right swell to arrive. For them, The Swell is almost mystical, an embodiment of hidden potential that emerges effortlessly.

The view from my well placed rock.

As I reflected on these thoughts, I was reminded of a blog by The Harbour School’s High School Co-Principal, Kyle King, on the theme of rewilding education. He writes, “You wouldn’t be wrong if you were to guess that rewilding education, as the name suggests, has to do with reconnecting with nature. In fact, “rewilding” originated as an ecological principle used to undo anthropogenic havoc and restore ecosystems to their natural state.” He goes on to “illustrate the industrialized manner in which we do nearly everything, including educating kids and training teachers. Schooling has become a vortex of hierarchy and control driven by prescriptive curriculums. What little room that is left for student choice and free learning is not only tokenistic but often befuddling to students and teachers alike. You can’t expect a farm-raised fish to jump up a waterfall. Granted this might sound pessimistic and polarizing, however, I do see merit in conventional schools for some students; not all students.”

Kyle illustrates how education has become industrialized, characterized by rigidity and control driven by prescriptive curricula. He notes that the limited opportunities for student choice often feel tokenistic and confusing. While he acknowledges the merits of conventional schooling for some students, he emphasizes the need for a broader perspective.

Education and school, which are intrinsically linked but also distinct, are definitely two elements of modern society affected by this industrialization. The word “education” has Latin roots meaning “to bring out” or “to nurture”. The word school derives from the Greek skholÄ“ which describes a place for leisure and for deep discussion. Similarly, the Sanskrit word for guru signifies a teacher who removes ignorance, guiding students toward knowledge. These three ancient terms collectively suggest that school should be a space for meaningful dialogue and an environment where education nurtures each child's unique gifts.

Viewing education through this lens offers hope and promise. It fosters lively discussions rich in nuance and teaches students how to navigate diverse perspectives. It celebrates the human experience, embracing its challenges and frailties while promoting self-understanding. It invites an education filled with wonder, love, beauty, gratitude, and awe, connecting us to the natural world on which we depend. 

In a recent paper from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the OECD emphasizes that “education for human flourishing embodies three principles on which future education systems should be built.” These principles encourage a broader range of capabilities, nurture sustainable models for the future, and restore meaning to people's lives. The report further suggests that confronting 21st-century challenges requires individuals to find their highest potential in helping to resolve them, emphasizing future transformation over mere readiness.

Other views from my well placed rock.

What do these reflections have to do with my experience watching surfers? Just as surfers patiently wait for the waves, a rewilded approach to education invites us to rethink our understanding of learning. Instead of preparing individuals for an industrial-era labor market, we can embrace a more organic view of learning. This perspective values individual progress within a collective context, recognizing that growth occurs at different rates and times for each person (something that is ingrained as a core value at The Harbour School). It celebrates diversity—biological, human, ideological, and cultural—while focusing on strengths rather than deficits.

By nurturing skills in collaboration, communication, and connection, The Harbour School fosters a sense of collective success rather than individual competition. Each learner becomes engaged and connected to the world around them, ready to ride the wave of inspiration in their unique way—much like the surfers skillfully navigating the waves before me.

 

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