The Little Things Matter

In 2014 there was a speech made by a Navy Seal Admiral William McRaven at the University of Texas in Austin. In his speech, the Admiral discusses the importance of ‘making your bed’ on a daily basis. He outlines that starting the morning with one small accomplishment can lead to so many other achievements throughout the day. The Admiral considers that this small accomplishment can create a sense of pride and breed success, which will further encourage the individual to complete other tasks. Mr McRaven considers that the little things in life do matter, he highlights that “if you can’t do the little things right, you will never be able to do the big things right”.

This life lesson I consider can be easily transferred to young people in a school setting. Doing the little things right certainly matters and can most definitely breed success, doing the little things right could be as simple as wearing the school uniform correctly and with pride.

Recently I was asked by a group of students why wearing the school uniform is so important. The explanation I gave them was based around student achievement, establishing a sense of belonging and creating a level of self-efficacy.

Wearing the school uniform correctly is as simple as making your bed daily, it takes no real thought and it can provide an individual with some significant benefits:

• Wearing the school uniform correctly gives students a sense that they belong to the school. This notion is supported by a significant amount of research that suggests students who feel a sense of belonging also achieve at a higher level. Having a sense of belonging is also a protective factor against mental health conditions.
• Students who wear the uniform correctly can boost their confidence levels, which in turn will also assist them in their learning and achieving their best.
• A standard uniform creates a sense of equality amongst all the students, making students feel equal amongst their peers which further develops a sense of connectedness to the school and assists in developing the intrinsic motivation to achieve.
• Research has found that students who wear the uniform correctly, are more likely to listen in class, which enhances the learning environment and subsequently leads to greater results.

When considering all of this, it is easy to see the importance of wearing the school uniform correctly, and the impact it can have on your son/daughters learning. It also shows how one small accomplishment in the morning, whether it be making your bed or wearing your school uniform correctly, can significantly increase a young person’s opportunity to achieve at their highest possible level.

I look forward to welcoming all students back onsite in some capacity over the next three weeks. As we have moved into Term 4, students are now required to be in full summer uniform. I have attached the uniform policy for parents/guardians reference.

Michael Timms  Deputy Principal [Students]