PREPARATORY sCHOOL

On my desk is a photograph of our strawberry patch of Prep School learners in their red hats and caps. I call that photograph, “All my Children”. It is a reminder of our calling: that we are in loco parentis – in the place of a parent, or, as it is expressed in the philosophy of Ubuntu: every child belongs to the community and every adult is a mother or a father.

   
I believe that there is no such thing as ‘just a teacher’. I believe that God has given us a precious gift and responsibility: the daily presence of children, born not of our flesh, but of our faith; faith that God will help us in the enormous task of being mother and father to your children while they are in our care at school – in loco parentis.

 

We are not perfect ‘parents’. Neither are you. We make mistakes. We have good years and tough years, instances we regret and moments we cherish, times when we weep and many more moments when we rejoice.

But, thank God, parenting is not about perfection! Parenting, biological and educational, is about faith: the very faith of Mary, the mother of Our Lord, who said to the announcing angel Gabriel, “May it be unto me as you have said.” That gentle, humble acceptance of taking a child into your life and heart and growing it the best you can by faith.

This is because faith says, “I have to trust.” Faith says, “I cannot do this alone.” Faith says, “Although I do not know the path before me, I will put my hand into the hand of God and ask him to lead me.”

Torey Haden; an educator, writes in Someone Else’s Kids about a little girl, Lori, who was unable to read. Lori asks her a question: “I can’t figure your game out. We’re all just somebody else’s kids in here. What do we matter? Why do you care?”

The crux is this: children in the care of dedicated educators are not just ‘someone else’s kids’ and we are not ‘just teachers’. They are our very own. Yes, someone else’s ‘kids’ may be driven in through the gates in the morning; someone else’s ‘kids’ walk into our classrooms. But here we choose to live by love, we choose to live by faith; we choose to be parents with you. We live by the words of the adoptive mother to her child: “You did not grow under my heart, but in it.”

It is this kind of faith that helped Father Ellis establish and run this fine school. Father Ellis, for your daily inspiration and example of how to love children, we cannot thank you enough. To my fellow colleagues in the Prep School – my teachers – I am most grateful for your faith, example, advice and dedication. I salute you.

To parents, most of all, I thank you for giving your children to us – for bringing them to school every day and having faith in us to share in the incredible gift it is to be with children all day, to educate them, to help them explore the world.

To our dear children of the Prep School – we are so proud of all of you! Well done and God bless. Enjoy our celebration of you in this annual.

Ms B Tinniswood
Head Of Preparatory

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