Dear Parents
The busiest part of the winter sports season has now passed, and I extend my sincere thanks to each of you for your support, volunteerism, and community spirit. Last Saturday was yet another memorable BishBosch Derby and a fitting occasion on which to draw the curtain on the stellar rugby coaching career of Mr Groom at Bishops. How fortunate we have been.
Our Parents’ Association has been tireless in its planning and coordination throughout the season. We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude.
Not all puppies open their eyes at the same time
I recently met with a prospective family. For this post, I will refer to them as the Miller’s. They appeared to be a true salt of the earth couple with a deep appreciation for the ethos and traditions of our school. The mother spoke at length about her excitement at the prospect of David one day becoming an OD.
After discussing our philosophy and curriculum, I turned to her and asked, “Tell me about David.”
She immediately replied, “He’s a wonderful boy, but he’s not as engaged as his sister.”
Curious, I asked her to elaborate.
“Ag, Mr Lalla, you know what boys are like. He is glued to his device, and the only word in his vocabulary is ‘fine’.”
His sister is from Venus
The research on gender differences and achievement is extensive and nuanced, and it is a topic worthy of deeper exploration in a future post.
On average, girls tend to be more articulate and communicative during their formative years than their male counterparts. As a result, adults often spend more time talking to and engaging with their daughters because they are more responsive and appear more interested in conversation.
Our boys need the same measures of affection, attention, and communication as our daughters. These interactions help them become effective communicators while also developing an essential emotional vocabulary. Beyond the simple binaries of “happy” and “sad” lies a rich emotional landscape that our sons must learn to recognise, understand, and navigate.
Active engagement in the lives of our boys is not only beneficial for their emotional well-being but also for their academic development.
Across the globe, girls are outperforming boys on a range of educational measures. In 2019, 61,744 more girls than boys enrolled for the National Senior Certificate examinations, and 57,579 more girls than boys ultimately wrote them. Of the 156,884 distinctions achieved, 63.8% were attained by female candidates.
In a world striving for greater gender equity and balance, our sons must develop their intellectual, moral, and emotional capacities if they are to serve and lead with purpose and distinction.
Back to the Miller’s
I smiled at Mrs Miller and shared the wisdom of Jonathan Jansen:
“Not all puppies open their eyes at the same time.”
It is a simple reminder that children develop at different rates and in different ways. Our task as parents and educators is not to compare them, but to guide, encourage, and support them as they grow into the people they are meant to become.
Kind regards
LESTER LALLA
HEADMASTER |
