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Rector, Mr McIvor
 

From the Rector's Desk

Nick McIvor —

Participation is at the heart of who we are and what we do at King’s. Participation is high at King’s. It’s also our main focus value this term.

At King’s we are ‘do – ers’. We get things done. We get active. We roll the sleeves up and get into it to make things happen. We do what we can to take new opportunities and to make new excellence.

The school’s success comes largely from students having a ‘can do’ rather than a ‘can’t do’ attitude. The norm at King’s is to ‘go hard’ at something and find out if it will work rather than not give it a go and be left wondering.

The more participation there is, the sooner we accomplish each of our goals and personal projects in school and life. Limited participation leads to limited achievement. If we’re not doing, we’re not growing. Without participation, especially the right kind, there’s also no winning and no excellence.

Imagine how many things would be gone in our school if people stopped being involved in them. Lessons would become staid and stagnant if no one ever put anything into them - like adding to class discussion or group activities. Many sports, including social sports, would fade away because of insufficient numbers and lack of interest. King’s Arts and Culture would ‘wither on the vine’ too as we stopped gathering to rehearse and perform; we could start to lose our creativity.

Overall, the full life, spirit and vitality of education at King’s would shrink due to a lack of participation. We would become a reduced version of ourselves; a school that did little and so built little. The quality of our education is then dependent on the quality of the participation that happens here.

Participation is also a state of mind. As we impress on the boys, to participate is to not only be there but to be switched on and tuned in while there. Good participation is about maintaining attention and focus and staying with the thread of what is developing around us in learning or competition.

Participation should be encouraged in others. If a student enjoys a sport or art or cultural activity they should aim to take another person with them as well. To step up and take someone else with them – not just go it alone.

Those who participate widely become true all-rounders. People who do really well seldom do just one thing. They participate in all elements of school life.

Participation is a also a crucial source of character. It’s hard to grow in character if you’re not involved in the things that expand your character.

This term we’re working with the boys to push ahead to maximise participation in different activities. To be a school of doers, actively getting things done, participating in the right ways in and out of class to receive all the good things that come from it.

Mā te Wā

Nick McIvor