Blog
Cumulative and exponential
As you might expect, given the number of students across Years 11 and 13 who have devoted a significant number of hours over their Easter break to exam preparation, I've been drawn to reflect on the power of that process and dedication.
Although not facing the exam window next month, I have also been setting up for the term ahead; reading, researching, arranging meetings, planning actions & anticipating learning walks.
What are our next steps, for they won't happen by accident?
In the first week of the break, I worked from home for a couple of days, returning to find that our Site Team had also been planning ahead, taking advantage of quiet corridors and classrooms to paint and re-carpet. A new screen in my office had even been wired-in during my absence.
All pretty mundane activities, really. No rocket science. No medals or awards won. No huge excitement. No great 'wow!' moments. Yet that, in itself, is remarkable, because none of this progress would have been possible without planning.
I'm proud of our students who have prioritised their revision session attendance over the lure of days off and the opportunity to forget about school for a fortnight. They are the embodiment of the inspirational quote from US sprinter Maurice Greene:
To be number one, you must train like you are number two.
I like this so much better than the oft-quoted adage that...
To fail to plan is to plan to fail,
because it acknowledges that, no matter how good we are at something, we all have areas in which to develop - and it's a tangible feeling to be second in a race... that feeling of 'I'm doing really well' whilst experiencing the spur of knowing you're within touching distance of the ultimate win: 'If I do X, then I will achieve the best!'
So, to everyone currently working through the mundane repetition of revision, painting & decorating, planning... in effect, dotting every 'i' and crossing every 't': these tiny steps of progress are cumulative and, not only that, they are exponential in their effect.
You're doing great things and the end-goal is within your grasp - keep going!
