Connections are important for us all. As human beings our ability to connect to each other is a fundamental survival tool. 

 The ability to make sense of the world is often helped by sharing our experiences and our knowledge, our skills and our energy. If we share the same values this experience, this connection, is both quicker and longer lasting.

As I have walked the corridors and looked in on lessons I have seen the powerful ways in which teachers connect with students and students connect with each other. The connections help to make the classroom experience richer. 

I have seen today a fine example of how connecting to the community can also enrich the educational experience for students. Alex Dong, Dunedin business man and owner of the Happy Moose website, has been in class helping our business enterprise students with their business start ups.

For the boys it was the chance to connect with the real business world. They quickly understood the need for clarity, purpose and connections across the business levels. More than that I think they got a valuable lesson in the 'real world', where quite frankly whether or not you are a nice person has no meaning. In the best possible way some of them got a jolt, and there is nothing wrong with that.

If you get a chance this weekend, talk to your son about positive connections, how to establish them, how to value them and if necessary, how to let them go. At our school we greet people with a firm handshake, look them in the eye and say hello my name is. Check, see if he knows that.

Richard Hall