The frog in the boiling water - don't forget to be grateful
You may have heard the story of the frog in the boiling water. In a 19th century experiment, researchers found that when they put a frog in a pan of boiling water, the frog quickly jumped out. On the other hand, when they put a frog in cold water and brought the water to the boil over time, the frog did not react and resulting outcome was death. The change in temperature was so gradual the frog did not realise things were changing.
The story of the boiling frog can be analogous to organisations; of which schools are no different. Over time many things may change for the positive, however, a lot of that change is so gradual that we can become blasé about what we do well and forget to celebrate our successes. Why is this story of relevance to Scotch?
While hosting some visitors from the governing body of the Hutchins School in Tasmania, I was reminded myself of the importance of celebrating what we have. Hutchins is a renowned Australian school with a rich history which enjoys a strong reputation in the education community. In many ways, it has a lot in common with Scotch. The visitors were incredibly generous in their praise of what they saw during their visit to our College. The Friday Senior School assembly with the pipe band and marching, the vibrant Middle School, the quality of the Junior School playgrounds, our continued growth such as the new Early Learning Centre and the quality of the boarding houses were just some of the many compliments we received.
Most importantly they commented on the presentation and demeanor of our boys, which at the end of the day is the most important type of feedback we could have received.
It is very easy for us to become the frog in the boiling water. We risk failing to notice all that we have around us. Let's not forget to celebrate, not in a boastful and conceited way, but in a genuine regard for each other and what we have to share each and every other day; especially good fortune, health and a sense of being a part of a special community.
