Interpreting Principles into Practice

The people who inhabit schools are significant, in that they set the tone for everything that occurs inside and, often, outside the establishment. This tone is governed by the rules that are decided by the management and the teachers. These in turn are then interpreted by individual teachers to respond to issues as they arise day to day. Interpretation will be coloured by the personal belief system of the adult, so may be seen as harsher or more lenient by others. This occurs in other walks of life too, not just education.

The continuum of views is likely to start from teacher/adult/ societal oversight and control, through explanation and discussion, to moderated self-control, which is where the majority of CYP / adults end up. The large majority learn how to behave and to take responsibility for their actions.

The notion of responsibility puts the onus on the individual to develop self-awareness. For some this will be easier than others, as their wider environment, family and friends, may well seem to allow other views to prevail.


Using the idea of responsibility, as in the Nutshell example, coupled with the Hampshire Constabulary “Golden Rules”, enabled me to run my school in what I felt was a humane manner, for 16 years.

The Golden Rules are expressed as:-

• think before you do
  
  
• trust your own feelings
  
  
• ask for help if you need to
  
  
• make up your own mind
  
  
• you can say NO!
  
  

In reflecting on this, I have sought to consider what makes up the centrality of the principles that govern my decision making. It’s not easy, and each time I go back to the list, I alter things slightly. But, at this moment, my list contains:-

• Education is about people, one generation enabling the next to understand their world. Good communication makes it work better.
  
  
• Children are children, learning about their world. They need to learn that everyone makes mistakes and (hopefully) learns from them.
  
  
• School managements work with and through the efforts of others. Their role is to make the front-line job easier to achieve.
  
  
• Life issues impact on everyone; be aware and on the lookout.
  
  
• If you think it is going wrong, look at yourself first. It may not be other people’s fault.
  
  

What would be on your list? Please feel free to add comments.