So say goodbye - it's independence day (Bruce Springsteen)

Photo by Michael Barnes on Unsplash

This post is for my departing Year 13 students as they head off into their final study break on Friday and then, after external exams, onwards into the rest of their lives away from school.

According to Ryan Holiday we have two tasks in life: to be a good person and to pursue the occupation that you love. Joseph Campbell puts that second one very succinctly - 'follow your bliss'.

They're right. Everything else is a waste of energy and a squandering of your potential.

As teenagers, you're still in the learning to be a good person process. Your teenage years are a time for testing things out. Your next ten years are when you need to figure out both of those tasks for real.

Ryan's advice is worth keeping in mind as you go forth:

• Say no to distractions
• Say no to destructive emotions
• Say no to outside pressure.

I wish you all good luck as you go about figuring out how to live.

The job of an educator is to teach students to see vitality in themselves (Joseph Campbell)

And what a job that is for some students!

Our recent Three Way Conferences exposed a few students who don't see as much vitality in themselves as we do.

Motivation is such a key ingredient. So much comes down to how much self belief and zest we have for things.

In my time, I've seen plenty of capable people who doubt themselves and don't therefore launch themselves and accept the adventure before them.

BTW: what a great word - vitality.

It wraps up two key aspects: the state of being strong and active; and, the power that gives us life (Star Wars calls it The Force). 

Follow your bliss and don't be afraid (Joseph Campbell)

Photo by Filip Kominik on Unsplash

Follow your bliss. 

If you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. 

Follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.

If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn't have opened for anyone else.

Joseph Campbell

Already know you that which you need (Yoda)

The heroic journey storyline is close to my heart. Star Wars is only one great example of the archetypal heroic quest.

This article does a great job outlining and updating Joseph Campbell's legendary work.

It's the journey we all make. In fact, if we're lucky, it's a journey we make over and over again throughout our lives.

Personally I think I'm due for a number 11 about now! Smiley face!

A ritual is an enactment of a myth (JosephCampbell)

Prize givings are a ritualistic part of life, and I love rituals.

Prize givings are at heart an initiation ceremony that moves students from childhood towards adult responsibilities.

As they include a graduating class, prize givings become an important rite of passage - that push out of the nest that is SO important.

Appropriately, parents, teachers, and friends watch on as the young throw off the old life and welcome in their new life. It's an exciting thing to witness and be part of.

For me, prize givings are woven into the fabric of each year, a hardy perennial if you will. By my reckoning Wednesday's formal ceremony at Woodford House was my 43rd all up. 

How come? Let me see -  

• Six as a student at Mt. Albert Grammar School,
• Two degree graduation ceremonies of my own (missed one by being overseas), 
• Five for my children's graduations (KW had two), and 
• Thirty* as a teacher (some schools have split junior and senior prize givings so that number is conservative).

[*I didn't include the myriad prize givings during taboor at Ali bin Abi Taleb school in Al Ain - they LOVED prize givings!!]

My favourite bits of prize givings tend to be the student speeches (adult guest speakers too often seem to struggle to get out of cliched, platitudinous mode). I'm not a fan of guest speakers: beyond Sir Robert Muldoon I can't think of many memorable ones down through the years.

Because they are shedding their school skin, students tend to speak from the heart and more often than not, they end up dissolving in tears (boys are certainly not exempt from being overwhelmed by the whole deal). And you can't fake that human emotional side of things.

This week's latest version went to script pretty much but given it was our Principal's farewell it also had added emotional heft. 

I've been lucky again: right place/right time as I stumbled upon the last two years of Jackie Barron's tenure. She's a gifted leader, a person of integrity, an ideas woman, a top notch communicator, and an all round good egg. I can think of no higher accolade!

But wait there's more: beyond all that she has allowed change to flourish - not an easy thing to do believe me. Managing change is one of the trickiest things to pull off. It includes placing trust in other people and allowing them freedom of thought. And that starts at the top. 

So- hats off to her!

I took a quick P.P.P. (post prize giving poll) - best moments: the dux announcement, the Head Girl's speech, and a really really REALLY extended gardening metaphor by the Principal were the most memorable aspects.

I'm always fascinated at the way prize givings contribute to the myth of the organisation. 


Woodford House ends its prize givings with the Principal giving a gift to the graduating class who then, on mass, run out of the prize giving ceremony - symbolically moving away from the old life with a whoop and a hollah. 

Last year Jackie handed out an artificial butterfly, this year it was an artificial flower. Apparently the previous Principal instigated this symbolic conclusion- it will be interesting to see whether Jackie's successor adopts it or changes it. That decision, and many others, will also add to the myth.

After the graduating class burst from the ceremony, the remainder of the school...um.. remains, until the Boards and staff leave. 

Parents, and students then leave together. Nice.

I finished the ceremony by remaining behind to help remove furniture and pick up rubbish from the floor. 

The symbolic nature of that last bit alludes me for the moment, but- through sacrifice, bliss.

I am now on holiday for the summer. The rituals of my day changes substantially now and my determination to post every day on my blogs will be tested.

We shall see, we shall see.

Don't surround yourself with yourself, move on back two squares (Yes)

Have a purpose larger than yourself- the seventh new law (of seven) for a world gone digital from Ahmed and Olander. It reminds me of that great Yes song (I've seen all good people) that I've used in the title.

Let your imagination go wild, and play from your heart but don't surround yourself with yourself.

This is a great law to finish with, it certainly plays into my prejudices:

• Always play from your heart (trust your feelings -yes- from Star Wars) 
• Be alive to being alive (Buddhism- be here now) 
• Do the right thing (Spike Lee also listened to the Buddha)
• Love what you do (Thoreau- You must love the crust of the earth on which you dwell more than the sweet crust of any bread or cake. You must be able to extract nutriment out of a sand-heap. You must have so good an appetite as this, else you will live in vain)
• Your job is to serve (Joseph Campbell- Through sacrifice - bliss)
• Dream in widescreen, then push on in pixels (John Lennon - Imagine...) 
• Heroes can guide, teach, and encourage you (A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty 'Hi-Yo Silver') 

As you can tell I've loved Velocity. Here's the website with all of the seven laws again: http://velocitylaws.com/the-seven-laws/

A big thank you to Ahmed and Olander for an inspirational conversation. Bravo and more...more...