The Importance of Being Weird

Posted: 10th June 2022

The  importance of being weird.

At Edenhurst we do things differently. As I write this I am in my office and it is 9:27pm on a Thursday. That is not because I am a workaholic, it is because the children in my school are camping on the school field. Weird! Some might think that this is odd but it isn’t at Edenhurst. We have done so annually for the past 10 years. Camp Edenhurst is now one of the highlights for our Prep children because they get to have the biggest sleepover ever. What they don’t realise is that they are constantly learning. I have seen bushcraft, first aid, team-building, problem solving, lateral thinking and creativity activities happen throughout today and this is a snapshot.

Earlier today, between 3pm and 4pm our Early Learner Nursery children performed on stage in front of their parents. I was astounded that 3-year-olds could learn and perform 10 songs, dialogue, choreography and had the confidence to be on a stage in front of a packed school hall. Weird! Completely normal at Edenhurst. In fact, we have 5 different productions happening this half term. Believe it or not, we actually cancel lessons to rehearse for these! Weird! Does this rashness come at an academic cost? Our academic results suggest the opposite. In the past two weeks and amidst this disruption, we conducted our assessments and our children have performed exceptionally well.

These two examples of ‘weirdness’ from earlier today prompted me to contemplate our weirdness. They are not isolated incidents, weirdness is regularly evidenced in our classrooms, sports fields and in our calendar. Weirdly, I am proud to be weird! Edenhurst is a very diverse school and this is something we celebrate. Originality is encouraged and every child is valued for their uniqueness (or weirdness, if you prefer). There is no such thing as a typical Edenhurst student – every one of them is special and they are treated accordingly. Our ‘weirdness’ makes us better, more interesting, provides us richer experiences and sets us apart from others.

I realise that this may not be for everyone. Some may prefer to conform. And if that is you then Edenhurst would be the wrong school to choose.  I, however, choose to be weird. I honestly believe that being ‘weird’ will benefit our children as they prepare to enter into a world of work that will be unrecognisable to us. Having the confidence to adapt to a changing world will stand them in good stead, as will being unafraid of doing things differently. 

We always prioritise children. That is why we are weird and will continue to celebrate our weirdness. 

See some examples of us being weird… 

 

Categories: School Blogs

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