On Thursday I had the occasion to meet over lunch with several members of the Afro Canadian Christian Network to discuss our wonderful partnership and to celebrate the outstanding girls who come to us through their support.
As we discussed the importance of an education and of teaching values within it, one of our guests, a recently retired educator who exuded passion for her vocation, said that she believed that “our responsibility was to take care of our students’ hearts.”
The power of words, whether written or said, is enormous. This message- one about which I feel strongly- from such a thoughtful and reflective educator at the end of her career was a welcome and ongoing validation of our approach to education.
It is vital to remember that as educators it is our responsibility- beyond imparting curriculum- to ensure a learning environment where our students feel safe and loved. Life and learning are not straightforward- they come with winding paths and complex issues that require careful facilitation and guidance. While we stretch the minds of our girls, we must also nurture their hearts.
