By Nick McIvor | Posted: Friday July 8, 2016
Tony Little, recently retired Headmaster of Eton College, said that over the centuries the fundamental values and aims of schooling were ‘development of character, conscience and clean living, with intellectual precision for those who could cope with it'[1].
These British values and aims were exported to Victorian New Zealand and soon put in our first generation of schools; including Timaru Boys' High School. While consensus on these values and aims has changed, as society itself has changed, they do still arguably reflect what we strive to give the boys to this day. Anytime we refer to our POWER values, to the attributes of a 'good man' with a 'good education', or even to an aspiration to grow and to improve, it quickly resembles the original blueprint. Today we are, however, more likely to regard all learners as suited to some degree of 'intellectual precision' - each to his own needs and ability. Little went on to say that learning should 'play to [students'] enthusiasms and strengths... with physical activity, team games, artistic creativity, spiritual richness and emotional maturity all partners in the successful growth of our young people'[2]. At Timaru Boys' this wholeness of approach continues to draw us, and to influence our decisions and actions. Achieving the right balance between the academic and non-academic can prove difficult; as can keeping our tradition of holistic, liberal education alive and well, when competing demands converge in modern schooling.
As holistic education, we have seen our boys bettering themselves from broad bases again this term – summarised and enjoyed in each of the term Newsletters to date. If we get it right, the boys not only expand their academic capability, cultural creativity, and sporting talent, but their ‘good man’ qualities too. They grow their inner strengths to become an influence for good in the outside world, and to be increasingly caring, constructive, and just.
Nick McIvor
Scientia Potestas Est
Mā te Mātauranga te Mana
[1] Little, Tony An Intelligent
Person’s Guide to Education (Bloomsbury, 2015) p16.
[2] Ibid. p27.
