Be like water…
It was Bruce Lee, the famous actor, filmmaker, martial arts expert and philosophiser who said we should “be like water”. In our School Meeting on Monday, we learned a little about Bruce Lee’s life and interests and explored a couple of things he had said about how to live life. As well as studying dance and martial arts, Bruce Lee also studied philosophy and many of the things he taught and said have great resonance with aspects of school life.
“If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.”
Bruce Lee
These first couple of weeks back at school are very much a time for the children to find their way in a new classroom, perhaps with a few teachers they didn’t know from last year, some new children to get to know and for many of them new clubs. Their days are busy and you only have to see the playground at lunchtimes to know the energy they pour into every interaction. When we navigate change we can either stay rigid and refuse to bend or adapt, or we can “be like water” and flow into the new spaces. The latter is much less stressful and can be enjoyable. We encourage the children to accept change and to find the fun in new things, even though sometimes this isn’t easy.
“Don’t speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke. Your body doesn’t know the difference… Change the way you speak about yourself, and you can change your life.”
Bruce Lee.
Continuing our discussions with pupils about self-belief and Maisie Summers-Newton as our inspiration for last week’s School Meeting, we want the pupils to begin to understand how to take care of themselves emotionally. How to lift themselves up and have strong self-esteem. In EYFS and KS1 we have begun our weekly Celebration Assemblies where individuals who have demonstrated our values of Virtue, Learning and Manners are recognised as well as achievements in clubs outside of school. Mr Sawyer spoke to KS1 last Friday about how each one of them is special and unique. Using the story “Incredible You” by Rhys Brisenden and Nathan Reed to illustrate how wonderful difference is. This Friday I shared with KS1 the story “Little Raindrop” from the Nature Stories series to build on the idea of how even the smallest amongst us can make a difference to someone else through being caring and enjoying the adventures that happen every day.
As we start to see the signs of summer drifting into autumn we are reminded that life does not stand still. The world keeps turning, the seasons change. Our young people grow. Every moment is precious as we are present in it, whilst embracing whatever comes next.
Wishing you a lovely weekend,
Mrs Goodfellow
