CONTRAST
A few years ago, I gave a speech to the Miller School student body about a concept I believe in called Voluntary Hardship. You can click through the link to read more; however, the basic concept is that doing hard things matters and that we grow stagnant if we don't push ourselves out of our comfort zones. I see this time and time again at Seven Rivers Country Day School. Students who have never ridden a bike fall repeatedly in the fields until they figure it out. Students who don't want to learn how to handwrite are in class tracing numbers and characters. Students who have a hard time with math are wrestling with a big concept in math after a vigorous session of freeze tag in the field.
This contrast of hard work and fun, being asked to handwrite instead of type, talking a problem out with a friend, and taking ownership of your actions are all hallmarks of the Seven Rivers experience. Our students thrive because of the contrast. The free play allows for hard work and the hard work makes the free play that much more fun. Our students graduate onto Miller confident in themselves and their academic ability because they have had the freedom and opportunity, on countless occasions, to take risks, to fall forward and get back up.
Life is about balance, and balance is found when we develop all aspects of our minds and bodies and when we lean into the contrasts and extremes that life inevitably throws at us. This sometimes results in bumps, bruises, and tears but I sort of think that’s the point. Children need to build resilience in a safe and supportive environment and in my opinion there is no better teacher than experience.
Nolan LaVoie | Director of Seven Rivers Country Day School