Dear School Principal,
Apparently you have 'big fat Principal stickers' that you reward the 'naughty' kids with when they do something that isn't quite as naughty as usual.
Just wondering how the 'good' kids could join in the fun and get themselves one of those 'big fat' stickers for just being themselves... you know... just being 'good'.
Also wondering if you give any of those 'big fat Principal stickers' to parents occasionally... the parents who do all the 'right things', like making sure that their kids are dressed in the required school uniform every day, like making sure their kids have food in their schoolbags, the ones who listen to them read every night... cos I'd like one if you're giving them out!
And clearly I was less than happy with things that were happening on pretty much a daily basis in my child's "Old School", and now that we have a "New School", and I reflect on how things were when I wrote this little tirade, I can see how angry and disillusioned I was with the education system, and especially with the particular school that he was attending.
It had got to the point where I would drop him at school and head home to cry. I cried with frustration because I knew there was a better way. I cried with guilt for leaving him there. I cried with disappointment because I'd had such high hopes for a positive school start for him.
It was my child, a new Reception student, who had worked out that it seemed to only be the naughty kids who got these big stickers. It was him who named them "Big Fat Principal Stickers". So we came up with an alternative... "Big Fat Mummy Stickers"... and we rewarded positive behaviour at home and also praised him for the progress that he was making at school that was going largely un-noticed at school.
And then, serendipity!
I just happened to see a post on Facebook by Carol of Musical Child - Early Learning Through Music, about a brand new school that had just opened, and when I read about their philosophy I KNEW that I needed to know more, and then I was even more distressed thinking about how different it was to my child's experience of schooling. I assumed that we lived too far away for my child to attend the school, but I made an enquiry anyway, and then attended an information evening, where we heard the Principal speak from her heart about her passion for children and teaching and learning, and that's when I had tears of joy! Joy and an overwhelming feeling in my heart of 'coming home'. It turned out that this new school was actually relocated from another school where I'd done my 3rd Year Prac Teaching many many years ago! No wonder it had felt so "right"! It was the philosophy and ethos that I'd modelled my practice on for my whole teaching career!
And from the moment we all walked into the school for that visit I saw him visibly relax and let go of some of his anxiety. It obviously felt good to him too.
And 6 weeks into the school year at the "New School" and we're loving it. There's LOTS of travelling that I'm gradually coming to terms with thanks to some great energy coaching with Dream Life Coach, Soli Goodes, and I've had to make changes to my routine and work life... more big thanks to Soli for her help with that. And big thanks to my family and work colleagues for stepping in, making changes, being flexible, and helping me to make it all work.
I'm still trying to figure out how to fit everything in to my week, and trying to decide if there are things that I'll need to LET GO of. And there are things that I just haven't been able to fit in at all so far, like study that I really want to complete, so I'm currently prioritising.
I'm not quite there yet, but I am working on it!
And the 'old' Principal never did get to hear my rant about the Big Fat Principal Stickers... and I'm predicting that the 'new' Principal wont need to either.
