School’s out for summer
Schools are out for summer on some of the continents of the world. It’s the time of year that kids around the world dream of as long summer days stretch endlessly ahead and homework and the school discipline is forgotten, at least for a little while. With formal learning in the classroom suspended, this is a time for wider life lessons and learning new skills, like riding a bike, swimming or reading. It seems to me that we continue to learn whether we attach the formality of school or not.
I am somebody who is firmly dedicated to life long learning. There isn’t a day that goes by that fails to show me something new I had not been aware of before. I absolutely love it. If I think about my greatest learning moments in life, these have often taken place away from the formality of the classroom. Like the time I learnt about setting priorities from a mentor who shared with me some tools he had developed to separate the vast noise of competing priorities and shine the light on those things that would make the greatest difference and were time critical. A light went on for me that day and I often visit those simple tools at times when the sheer volume of competing requests threaten to overwhelm me. I didn’t learn this in the classroom but I did learn a valuable skill.
I learnt about the importance of quietness when out on a walk with a friend. As we walked I realised some 30 minutes later that we had been comfortably silent for some time. In those moments as my mind quietened from the many thoughts whirring around my head I realised that my calmer, quieter self had thought through a difficult challenge I had been facing and I had come to a resolution on what to do to solve this. It was a valuable lesson that for me, finding a space to be quiet and calm really does spark those ‘aha’ moments for me.
Over the years I have learnt countless valuable skills and lessons from listening to and learning from colleagues. Often adapting to my own style and ways of doing things.
I really value formal learning moments too, I believe that both play an important part in development. Its why our Nash Academy is so valuable and why Power Hours make such a difference.
So, as kids around the world head out for summer and away from school, they will be fully immersed in life’s school as we are all too. I wish everyone an enjoyable summer and plenty of opportunities to develop skills and knowledge. Enjoy!