From the Principal
The second element of the five in our graduate profile at GPCC is "collaborative".
We are designed for togetherness and flourish when we determine to work well with others. Being made in the image of the God who is three persons in one (the Trinity), it should not surprise us that we are better together. The Trinity work in complete harmony with each other, each playing their part and complementing the others.
God knew that Adam could not and should not work alone in caring for the world and so he created Eve to be his helper and companion. Theologians also remind us that it is not just each individual who reflects the image of God, but humanity as a whole. We are called to collaborate together to care for the world, develop its resources and shape society. The mandate to care for the world and develop it was given to humanity as a whole. Co-operating in this task in and of itself, is an outworking of our God-given purpose and our belief that God has given each person gifts designed to serve and equip others.
As Western culture has moved towards a more individualistic approach to life, we have lost something of the power of collaboration in bringing good to society. At GPCC, we want to recover something of this and teach our students that working well with others is far more effective than working alone.
The Christian faith has always emphasised the metaphor or image of the body – many parts working together to enable the body to function well. Each part must co-operate with every other part for the body to function according to its purpose (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). Collaboration is a natural part of God’s design for humanity.
I had dinner recently with school parents who commented that their children had come home saying, “We are doing a lot more group work these days.” How wonderful that our students are already seeing some changes in the way we run our classrooms. Futurists and social scientists are telling us that what is really required in the future workforce is people with soft skills like collaboration. Even secular society is realising that strident individualism has some limits and that real progress is made when we work together, utilising different skills and perspectives.
Of course, becoming a collaborative person will take a lot more than just some group work in classes. It requires a level of self-reflection as we examine ourselves to see if we are a team player or not. It requires learning the skills of co-operation, humility, courage, negotiation, tolerance and so on. These take time to develop in young people which is why we see our College as starting them on a journey that needs to be continued long after they leave us.
As parents and teachers, we can certainly model collaboration as we work together for the good of our children. Our challenge is to set them an excellent example.
Special Notice re COVID-19
You will have received an email from me on the measures we are taking to address concerns about the Coronavirus pandemic. You will also find posted under the “News” tab on our website a copy of our School Response Plan and some links to helpful sites for information.
I spoke to all students today about the situation, encouraging them to take their responsibility for healthy practices seriously and to ensure they care for each other and treat each other with respect during this difficult and stressful time. We, as adults need to ensure we model to our children how to respond toward each other in situations like this.
We are in a good position to manage on-going learning even if our school is forced to close, so you can help us by encouraging your child to stay focused on learning and help them be prepared for the changes and uncertainty that lie ahead of us.
Phillip Nash
Principal