I don’t know about you, but I don’t mind a challenge. Especially when I challenge myself. We live in a world with all sorts of KPIs and benchmarks, which are all great, but they mean little unless we decide to take the challenge, step in to it and see what we can achieve. I spent many years teaching Year 12 and one of the sayings I would share with the students was, “Bell curves are there to be broken.” A bell curve, in this context, is a projected or expected statistical spread and range of results, particularly when it comes to Year 12 grades. My challenge to them was for them, individually and as a class, to not be bound by the expectations of statistics and to achieve beyond predictions. Such things only happen when we challenge ourselves.

This week is Swim Safe week at Prescott Northern and there have been many students stretched outside their comfort zones and asked to do more, and be courageous enough to go further, than they have before. Interestingly, for others, the very same activity holds little challenge. One of the things we can help our children learn is to take whatever situation we are in, and learn, develop and grow. These are skills which will serve them well later in life as well. Persistence, determination, resilience, these are vital skills for our kids.

I have noticed children using our new Nature Playground to develop the same sort of skills. Much thought, design and planning has gone into the various parts of the playground. Some pieces have challenge levels that some children will struggle to be able to do. That is completely intentional. Learning happens for us, at the point of challenge. We do well to help our young ones face, battle and continually work on, challenges in the playground, pool and classroom, as that's what life is about.

I watched a piece recently on Nelson Mandela, former South African president. He faced many challenges and afterwards would comment,

“Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise even in the end." (Nelson Mandela)

I hope this week provides many opportunities for us as parents and teachers, to allow us to encourage our children to do their very best, to achieve more than they even dreamed, to “break the bell curve,” in spite of the challenges they come across on the way.

Joshua 1:9 “Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take."

Have a great week with your kids.

Mark B