Who are we? This was the question that sparked and drove our values review last term, which was an incredibly inspiring and galvanising activity for us to engage in as a community. As we welcomed students back at the start of the term, including our amazing international students, we launched our refreshed values and began the essential work of embedding them. I often go back to a comment by Brené Brown that we shared at the outset of the values review.
‘A value is a way of being or believing that we hold most important. Living into our values means that we do more than profess our values; we practice them. We walk or talk - we are clear about which we believe and hold important, and we take care that our intentions, words, thoughts and behaviours align with those beliefs.’
Excellence, Respect, and Manaakitanga. These values will underpin everything we do going forward. They reflect who ‘we are at our natural best’ (Simon Sinek). As Brené Brown points out and challenges, we now need to live our values authentically and every day.
It’s an exciting time at John McGlashan College. It has been a great term, and there has been a real energy around the campus as we move into this new chapter. Our refreshed vision, mission, and values are our north star and guide everything that we do.
At the start of the term, we set our theme for the year; 100% Every Day. This is derived from discussions about Ivan Cleary’s (NRL Penrith Panthers coach) comments that not everything you do might count, but to realise your potential, everything matters. Effort. Effort. Effort. The idea that working hard and bringing your best to everything you do gives you the optimum chance of personal success, whatever that looks like, and in whatever sphere. We set this alongside the need to foster a growth mindset by leaning into challenges, being inspired by others, learning from setbacks, focusing on improvement, and valuing effort. This is our learning culture, and the learning culture that our international students thrive within.
We have welcomed new international students into our community this term. Alongside those who have already initiated their journey with us, we focus on ensuring that they feel a sense of belonging and that John McGlashan College is their place, their turangawaewae. This is a Te ao Māori concept and translates as tūranga, being a standing place, and waewae, feet; their place to stand. It is essential to their experience that our international students feel a sense of belonging at our college. Owen Eastwood explains the power that is unlocked when our human need to belong is met. He says that:
‘...our energy and focus pour into the team’s shared mission. We can lock into our role and the tasks we’re being asked to deliver. We are comfortable being vulnerable in our quest to get better. We feel secure enough to help others…We can be ourselves. We feel that we are respected and that we matter. We feel included…our own identity and that of the team happily coexist.’
We value difference and diversity at our school, which is something our international students add to. When they are with us, for however long their journey is, we want them to be themselves and make the most of their experiences. We see this in action every day with the international students who are with us now, and we look forward to welcoming new students into our community as we go forward.
Kei ōu ringaringa te ao / The world is yours (Māori whakatauki or proverb)
Dr Aaron Columbus
Principal | Tumuaki
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