Belonging
We are busy reminding the children about how important it is to make everyone feel that they belong to our school. We are all included and we are all important in our own way. To use the words of one of your lovely children ‘we all belong no matter what shape, size or skin colour we are’. The child wasn’t prompted to say this by any adult and it just made me so proud.
We really do live in a world that is so much more tolerant of difference than when I was growing up. People’s minds are open to endless possibilities, especially young people’s minds who are far more accepting than some were in the olden days. It is so refreshing when I ask the children if girls can play a particular sport for example or if can boys wear any colour they like and they look absolutely stunned that I would even be asking such ridiculous questions. Of course they can they say.
Thank you for educating your children to be such caring, inclusive and thoughtful children who are absolutely welcome to belong to Tavistock. We need to all keep sharing the messages of inclusivity and challenging prejudice of any kind. Our differences are our superpowers and the world would be such a boring place if we were all the same.
Next Friday is Disco Night which is yet another event organised by our wonderful TAFF. I was most impressed by the number of Bags2School there were and one parent who always makes me laugh, said he had popped a couple of bricks in the bottom of his sack to help with the weight. Not sure if that was allowed but 10/10 for thinking outside the box. You can belong to TAFF you know and you would be welcomed with open arms. You just need a DBS for child only events in school and I know so many of you already have them! Don’t be shy. Offer to help at the disco and then you could even offer to help at the next Movie Night.
Next week are our second parent evenings and teachers are looking forward to sharing your children’s progress with you. Don’t forget, as I said above, we all have different superpowers so don’t compare your child to the perfect child ‘next door’ because they really won’t be perfect at all! Your children are making progress in so many ways and for some cracking the ‘academic stuff’ comes later. It isn’t a race to be first to the finish line in school. It is a good job not everyone is reading the same book band for example because we wouldn’t have enough books to go round! Enjoyment of learning new things and also having the time to consolidate learning are key.
Right, I am off home now where I belong at the weekend. I do hope the kettle is on because I really fancy a brew and a biscuit. The simple pleasures in life are the best.