Comfort Zones

When asked by The Wood Foundation how I "make a difference" I said I encourage pupils to get out of their comfort zones. My four pupils stood nearby and nodded. Last year they had been nervous self editing self critical S3 pupils who wanted to do the right thing but were never really sure if they would be good enough or chosen to take part in activities so would be reluctant to put themselves forward, choosing instead to hide in the anonymous middle, frightened of standing out. This morning they delivered a near perfect joint presentation on their personal development during engaging with the charity B-eat (eating disorders) as part of the school's Youth Philanthropy Initiative. I, in comparison missed many of the points I had intended to make, due partly to my mind working overtime on some of the novel ideas that had been described by the lead of the other school presenting and partly due to me forgetting that when I wear contact lenses I cannot always read a computer screen. The vanity of the middle aged woman who refuses to accept that with corrected asstigmatism the long sight of age comes to the fore. Being less than perfect is not just my natural state, it also helps to reassure many pupils that when I say its the effort rather than the final product that counts, they know I mean it. Praising pupils for having a growth mindset whilst appearing to be absolutely perfect in every way does not sit easily with young people. Showing your feet of clay enables them to see that it is possible to just try and maybe not always succeed but that every experience is a learning experience.

My twitter motto from Brooker T Washington " those who arehappiest are those who do the most for others" rings true when it comes to these girls and for many of my previous volunteers. It was summed up quite nicely by one of these fourth years describing the difference between giving a solo talk and delivering a YPI presentation

"I just didn't want to get it wrong. With solo talks if I don't do it I am only failing myself and I can live with that but with YPI you just don't want to let them down"

Empowering pupils means you have to take a back seat and let them take charge. For many teachers this is scary stuff as it requires the understanding that they may not succeed or at least they may not do what you would be able to achieve if only you did more for them. However this is really doing our young people a disservice as they may in fact do a better job than you could possibly envisage. Back in 2014 a band of S6 pupils were encouraged by me to get out of their individual comfort zones and to run a community action project where they took the lead in organising clubs, supporting other volunteers and presenting what they were doing at regional and national events. There was only one school captain and some of the group had not even applied to become prefects, safe in their presumptions that they would not be seen to make the grade. They all grew in different ways during the year, with increasing confidence or greater sensitivity depending upon what had brought them to this point. They became my first Diana Award winners and were justly deserved of such a recognition.

I was heartened to hear from one of them recently who having spent the first two post school years training for a role, that was most certainly below her capabilities, had decided to take the risk and apply to study social work. I had been more than willing to write her reference, given that she had been the quiet powerhouse driving the community action project. She of course attributed her success on gaining a place on the degree programme to my reference, rather than acknowledging her own skills and attitudes! I know, however that she has the determination to both succeed and to work hard to improve the world in whatever way she eventually chooses.

So tomorrow is the turn of my new group of S6 - Team Platinum. Between them they have accumulated around 2000 hours volunteering for a number of groups both within and outwith the school where I now teach. Those who have not yet gained Saltire summit awards are inevitably going to achieve them this year. One of them is already a Diana Award winner and a Year of Young People Ambassador. For them volunteering is intrinsic to their identity but the challenge is to encourage that motivation in their peers. We have not had a chance to rehearse our presentation because we have all been justthat bit to busy but I am confident that they will impress their audience and make me proud to know them. My aim is to push them just that little bit harder so that they too can get out of their comfort zone and really soar.

Volunteering your time, effort and ability as a young person should never be about gaining rewards or having something to put on a personal statement. It should be about making a difference to other people's lives, forging relationships with people you may never have naturally chosen as friends and about creating opportunities for good experiences and outcomes for everyone involved. I am really looking forward to the year ahead. Our school values are ones that i am proud to be recognising in the actions of our pupils in the field of wider achievement. We are creating responsible citizens not of the future but of now. #iwill