HORIZONS TERM 1 2017

DEPUTY HEAD: NICHOLAS DIANA
An Academic Overview
As we approach the end of a very
busy but fruitful first term, I’d like
to give an overview of what we
have achieved on the academic
front, as well as what the rest of
the year entails.
I was challenged a few weeks ago
on a statement, “What do our
boys look like when they leave
The Ridge School?” It didn’t take
me long to answer: problem
solvers, collaborative learners and
critical thinkers who are equipped
with 21st Century skills. Rethinking
the importance of these skills,
I was made aware of several other
key skills that are of equal value:
Grit, resilience, passion, perseverance
and growth mindsets.
Having listened to these skills
verbalised by a fellow educator,
it struck me that without these
skills, the problem solvers, critical
thinkers and collaborative students
we are grooming for college
and later life may not happen if
the necessary, integral feelings are
not captivated.
There is no doubt that The Ridge
School needs to continue to be
seen as one of the best stand
alone, independent, all boys
schools in the country. The question
often is “how do we do this?”
There are two answers to this.
Either we do things better to be
the best or we do things differently
to be the best
roles of the teachers and classrooms.
There is, however, a third option.
This method is not necessarily
about delivery, but more about
discovery. It’s schooling that prepares
our boys for the world that
they will live in. Learning here is
not about consuming knowledge
or information, but rather asking
questions, working with others
to find answers as well as doing
real work for real audiences. It’s
about developing the kinds of
habits and dispositions that deep,
lifelong learners need to succeed
in a world filled with information.
It is here that the emphasis shifts
from content mastery to learning
mastery. Boys take ownership of
their own learning, using their
access to knowledge and teachers
to create their own unique paths
to the outcomes that we deem
important.
“storehouses” of primary-source
information that is literally carried
within our pockets. This new landscape
has transformed our ability
to work together and to change
the world for the better. Not to
mention, enhance the teaching and
learning that takes place everyday
within the classroom.
In closing, we can agree that we
have to put our boys’ best interests
first. We still need to make
sure that boys write assessments
and can pass tests, proven methods
aren’t going away soon, and
new technology doesn’t necessarily
mean it is better than what
we have currently. We have to
prepare our boys for old-school
expectations and new-world
realities alike. And if we want to
remain one of the top schools in
the country, we have to do things
differently by working smarter.
By Nicholas Diana
The answer to the former is that
if we do things better, we essentially
refine and restructure the
current system until our operation
is performing optimally, only
reinventing the wheel occasionally.
In Doing things differently
we have new opportunities for
learning that require us to articulate
a comprehensive revision of
the value of the school and the
We have many opportunities to
connect and learn from others, including
authors, scientists, journalists
and the like. We have immense
The Ridge School 4 Horizons Term 1 2017