Starting Afresh...

e

September has always felt like a time to start afresh, a point in the year when we've had a good rest during the summer holidays, time to reflect on the previous year and we might have even bought all our new stationery! When we sit at our desk, and look at the blank screen or notebook, what we could see is either the joy of possibility, the fear of making mistakes or, most likely, a mixture of these plus several other feelings that only you will have depending on where you are at right now.

Plato said, 'The beginning is the most important part of the journey.' The thing we should perhaps take from this is that yes it is the beginning of the academic year and that is important but...we already know what we already know!

So starting afresh is not starting from scratch. We don't begin every academic year without anything...we have prior knowledge, prior experience, existing documents, members of staff who know their stuff, routines, systems, planning, evaluated documents and so on and so forth!

What September is, is a time for building on the knowledge we already have, the previous year or years - those things that have worked brilliantly, that we can rely on to be the things we can bank, tick off our lists and feel confident in their execution. Even if you are a teacher or school leader in a new setting, you know what has worked in the past and will no doubt work again. You will know what has worked in your other school settings, the things that you admired about other teachers or school leaders that you thought, "I'm going to do that!" Plus the strategies and systems that are already working well in your new school. Bert Lance, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under US President Jimmy Carter, popularised the quote, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it." He had a point!

So starting afresh can become so much less of a blank piece of paper or word document if you think of it...we are not starting from scratch, we are starting from a point of reference with fresh eyes and energy from a long summer break.

So where will your starting afresh begin? This is where reflection is such a valuable tool. It can really help to focus in on the things that you have the energy and enthusiasm to change, particularly whilst you are at the beginning of this year's journey.

As for me? My new journey is one of many blank pages, but I know what I know and I believe that starting afresh with a positive outlook and taking some reflective space for myself is the way to go!

Whatever it is that you are starting afresh with - enjoy!