Last week I had a bit of an opportunity to gain some space (don’t know if you noticed but the children have left the school!) and think a little bit about Henry David Thoreau from whose book our name Walden derives. It seems forever that his simple approach to the complexities of life resonated powerfully with me. In this instance one quote stood out. He wrote:

“What lies behind us and and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.”  - Henry David Thoreau

When I think of the lives our students now live and will live in the future I am ever mindful of the potential that blossoms within each of them.

Finding the Seed

At Walden Oakville our job is to find that seed and nurture it so that as our students grow their dreams have fertile ground on which to flourish. 

As a parent and an educator I know very well how overwhelming thoughts about our children’s future can become. So many issues come rushing toward us like a tsunami of unknowns. What will happen with climate change? How will AI begin to influence the educational sector? Will we ever regain a balanced approach to the provision of information and misinformation that social media constantly spews? What kind of jobs - many of which have yet to be defined - will our kids have access to?

When all of this sweeps down on me I find it really useful to step back and take a deep breath. At Walden Oakville our mission is to make good people. People who possess lifelong curiosity, people who are resilient, people who are taught to find what lives within them.

Helping Our Kids

That’s how we all can help our kids. Take a deep breath and calmly guide them toward a state of personal awareness and confidence that whatever comes down the pike they will have the agility and adaptability to respond.

And, isn’t it curious, that in what we deem to be an ultra-modern world, the lessons of a 19th century writer should provide the road map.

If you’re intrigued by what we’re doing at Walden, if you’re curious, I would love for you to come visit us. You can learn lots more about our special school right here.