Blog
Word of the Year
I have always enjoyed the start of a new year. The feelings of hope, chance and opportunity that it offers, as though I can’t start anything until that date arrives.
This year was no different. Christmas arrives in a flurry of routines which automatically go out of the window. As adults, we deal with “Elves on the Shelves”, Christmas dinner decisions, present choices and which of the siblings is having Great Auntie Sheila for Boxing Day leftovers; often our thoughts turn to what the next year will bring, and which new routines we will seek.
At Valley Park, we have been slowly putting into place a system of routines to support the children and the staff. The Valley Ways are to support the students; our children who as much as they think routines are boring and monotonous, equally seek routine to help them make sense of the world around them. As staff we have Triple Ps - Perfectly Pedagogical Practices - which remind and guide us to give the children good routines in our lessons, and ensure that each lesson feels familiar, even though the subject matter and adult in front of them may change.
So how do we ensure that routines are the right ones for a new year to be successful? What decisions and research do we conduct to find our routines, both in and out of school? At school I turn to books by Paul Dix, Michael Rosenshine, Doug Lemov – I choose to read and research in places which I know have already seen success, where research is grounded in fact and evidence.
Myself, I gave up New Year Resolutions a few years ago, instead choosing a Word of the Year: I felt that a Word of the Year meant I could apply it to a range of things and I didn’t just end up with one thing creating routines for me all year.
This year, I thought long and hard about the word I wanted. Over the past few years I have chosen: Believe, Fearless, Balance. All are words which enabled me to apply them to both family and friends, physical and mental health, hobbies and work. This year, I needed a word which moved me on from the previous three, and also would remind me about what I can do, even when sometimes time seems to be a low commodity. So, 2023 is Strong. A word to lead me through the year, to ensure that a new start is truly what can happen.
As Paul Dix says, “When the adults change, everything changes,” and this is truly a year to embrace the strength in change.
