What The World Needs Now - A Resurgence Of Decency And Dignity

We double down on a commitment to making good people

“Each person has inside a basic decency and goodness. If he listens to it and acts on it, he is giving a great deal of what the world needs most. It is not complicated but it takes courage. It takes courage for a person to listen to his own goodness and act on it.” 
- Pablo Casals

Each month when I sit down to write a post I have to take some time to consider the voice I’m about to use. There’s a bit of the activist in me so sometimes that needs to be tempered with the recognition that my primary mission in life is to deliver a meaningful education experience for children.

Recent events on the political front in the United States prompted me to reflect again on the polarization of our society. We are blessed in Canada that the extremes are not so profound. That’s just one of the very many blessings we enjoy in our country but we are not immune to global influences. 

One year ago on this site I wrote, “…we create an environment and lead students to be, among other things, inquirers, thinkers, communicators, principled and open-minded people who are caring, reflective and balanced.”

Among the many lessons we’ve learned in the past several months one stands out. We are on the right track in our determination to make good people. You can read more about that right here. Of that I have little doubt and I am so thankful that our parents have shared their support for our approach. You can read more about that right here.

This month I am committing our team to doubling down on this effort. Even within our small community the ripple effect of building a culture of decency, dignity and respect will have vast repercussions. 

How this will manifest itself in the classroom may not be immediately apparent because we’re already immersed in a culture of virtue, health, prosperity, friendship, respect and engagement. What you might see though is an increased emphasis on our commitment to well-being and even more evident modelling the behaviours that embody integrity, honesty, trust, compassion and kindness.

Children are naturally inclined to practice the habits associated with well-being. When as adults we lead in physical, emotional and intellectual habits we are actively making good people. And from where I stand, that’s exactly what the world needs now!