Director of the Centre for Character and Leadership Darrell Thatcher says the experience of being part of Mindfit, Immerse & Inspire and MANifesto mean the boys learn life skills – everything from study skills, to community service, from mental health to respect and responsibility. The breadth of the programmes is focused on College’s prime outcome – developing good men, with emotional and social intelligence, capable of nurturing relationships and being mindfully engaged. “From Years 9–11 we’re helping them to manage life at College whereas in Years 12 and 13 we’re starting to prepare them for life after College,” says Darrell. “Having the vision of the College graduate clearly in place and desired character strengths clearly identified, means we all know the pathway we need to be taking. After three years now of rolling out and embedding these programmes, understood by all. It has become the language of College and is now being used by both the staff and students. It’s a learning journey for all of us.” Darrell says a real measure of the work of the Centre for Character & Leadership would be in future to find a young man in his 20s who is using the information being taught at College right now, to help with his passage through life. “As Albert Einstein said, ‘Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school’.” it is becoming normalised at College with discussion on character strengths clearly
College Issue 36 2019
55
Made with FlippingBook HTML5