Thinking
I am filled with gratitude for the warm welcome I received in my first week at this remarkable school. Having spent the past 12 years at my previous school, the transition to a new job, new community, and new environment has been an experience that has given me a chance to reflect on the theme of embracing newness whilst cherishing the old.
As the newly appointed Director of Innovation at NLCS, I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. Alongside my role as a History teacher, I am eager to engage with the school community and contribute to shaping the future of education. I aspire to collaborate with students and staff to explore the concept of innovation and its implications for our collective journey at NLCS.
One aspect of our plans involves the creation of the IDEAS hub, where students and staff can collaboratively envision new approaches to learning, preparing young minds for the dynamic challenges of the modern world. Our aim is not only to impart knowledge but also to foster critical thinking and creativity, empowering students to become leaders in their respective fields.
However, in this post, my focus lies on the interplay between the old and the new—a theme that resonates with my recent experiences.
Let me take you back to dinner with my wife and two daughters in January this year. I had cooked, if I do say so myself, a rather delicious spaghetti Bolognese, however as we sat down to eat together, I sensed that I could be in trouble. It began with a question from my daughter: “Dad, did you check the O2 Priority app?” Confused, I admitted, “What’s that?” My daughter reminded me about a message she had sent on our family WhatsApp group regarding tickets, emphasising the urgency due to O2’s priority access.
Thankfully for me, the tickets had not sold out, allowing me to buy tickets for all four of us. It’s not always the case that we all go together, however on this occasion we all wanted to attend. I had listened to a few tracks and to my surprise I really enjoyed it. Why had I enjoyed it? The singer has a full choir. I love a choir. She performs with a classical orchestra. I love an orchestra. She is a phenomenal jazz singer, the choir was chorally stunning, and the quality of the musicians was exceptional, the fact that my entire family adored these songs presented us with a rare opportunity to enjoy RAYE at the O2, together.
It was without a doubt one of the single greatest live performances I have ever seen. What I loved about RAYE, was the mix. She had taken some of the best aspects of wonderful, established, traditional music such as the orchestra, the choir, and the jazz, and combined it with modern, original, innovative sound production and relevant lyrics with messages for the 2024 generation. For me, it was something completely new, which somehow felt familiar and important.
In the 15th century, what is regarded as one of the greatest periods of change and learning took place in human history. Literally called the ‘rebirth’ it was of course the Renaissance. It was a period of some of the greatest developments and changes in human history. Society was impacted in every way, from Religion to Maths, Science, Humanities, Language, the Arts, Physical Activity, and Technology, but it was not just a period of change, it was a period built on classical learning from the Ancient Romans and Greeks. As society was coming out of what was described by many as the ‘Dark Ages’, learning was changing to help everyone understand what it means for the future of humanity. Learning was becoming more connected, exciting, and relevant.
In many ways that is what NLCS is doing and wants to do more of, helping students think about their learning and their development, making links between their subjects and helping them prepare for the future, and developing them both inside and outside the classroom.
In the week that I have been here, I have seen staff and students taking part in traditions and habits that are part of the history and fabric of the school, but I have also seen students throwing themselves into new topics, new activities, meeting new people and new staff.
You often hear people say things like change is constant and inevitable and life never stands still. I am not sure that I always agree with that. What I do believe is that new things when combined with things that we know, love, and understand are a wonderful balance and a huge part of how society grows and evolves. My message therefore is to take some time to think about what new things you want to try, experience, and look forward to, but also recognise the things in your life that are traditional, valuable, important, and personal to you. They can and they should be held in balance. That is how things move forward in a stimulating, impactful and sustainable way.
Robin Street, Director of Innovation
From his assembly to the Senior School on Friday 19 April 2024.
