Many of you would know that Adventurous Learning is one of our four School values. It is important to us that throughout their subjects and cocurricular activities, our girls have opportunities to embrace new and exciting experiences. We define Adventurous Learners as ‘creative, independent and collaborative learners who seek excellence and success.’

Most of us know how good it can feel to be successful. In comparison, sometimes struggling or failing does not feel good at all. However, when we make room for activities, subjects or experiences that we have never tried before (and may end up loving), that we enjoy (but perhaps do not excel at) or that we find tricky (but would like to improve in), there is so much satisfaction to be gained.

At a recent whole school assembly, I shared a phrase that I had heard with the girls: ‘I don’t think that being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all of these wonderful experiences and different skills, and that teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them’.

This phrase illustrates that while we seek and celebrate achievement and success, we also see value in pursuing things that we do not ‘win’ at, or are not the ‘best’ in.

One of my favourite picture books which I bought for my children is All the Ways to Be Smart by Davina Bell. Traditionally, there is a limited definition of the word ‘smart’ and I find the word problematic at times. This book shows how the term ‘success’ can apply to many different things.

Here are a few verses from the book, which I see Wilderness girls demonstrate each day, from our Early Learning Centre all the way through to the Senior School.

‘Smart is not just ticks and crosses, smart is building boats from boxes.’

‘Smart at drawing things with claws, facts about the dinosaurs, folding aeroplanes for flying… smart is kindness when there’s crying.’

‘Smart at saying hi and bye to people when they feel all shy.’

‘Feeling scared but taking chances. Jumping off so you can fly. Smart at asking How? What? Why?’

‘Smart is reading, writing, spelling, but it’s also storytelling.’

I appreciate how this book highlights many attributes, including compassion, artistry, engineering, curiosity and critical thinking, as being uniquely smart. Many of these attributes are developed when girls put their hand up to try something new.

Our Middle and Senior School students were privileged this week to also hear from Dr Eva Balan-Vnuk, Founder of HerTechPath. Eva spoke about the prevalence of technology in our girls’ lives, and how it is important to both understand it and not be afraid of it, given every industry will require confidence and competency with new technologies. Within this presentation, she also spoke about ‘failing courageously’ and encouraged the girls to reframe failure as a first attempt in learning.

No experience or attempt is ever wasted. As Eva suggests, each roadblock challenges our girls to be resilient, creative problem solvers.

I hope that you will join me in encouraging all our girls to embrace Adventurous Learning as they strive for excellence in the many things they do now and will do in the future.