Laughter and happiness
Thu, Mar 25th 2010
Do you know – I think people with a sense of fun are very precious. I just love the fact that I go around loads of schools and every now and then you find one where laughter ripples everywhere. There is often the odd whacky assembly – in Watercliffe Meadow the Deputy Head regularly fools the children by coming into assemblies in a range of different disguises. He is so good at it they get taken in each time. In one Plymouth school they have themed staff toilets; a seaside chalet with sand on the floor and a cd of crashing waves. One is a nature reserve with ivy all over it and a constant sound of singing birds and there’s a soppy fluffy one with carpet and lots of fluffy toys and nursery things for people to play with! There are ‘Tinkerbelles’ in almost every school, either gender, any age, could be a TA or a Headteacher but they sparkle everyone up with their celebratory cakes, organising outings or just putting up golden ‘Thought for the Day’ boards. Some schools have a theme day when all of the staff decide on a theme – but don’t tell the children. I was in one school that did this and I did not notice that every member of staff had a plaster on and was wearing pink! Our kids love to guess if it’s theme day its just a shame when they guess it on a Bad Hair Theme – and it wasn’t!! I love Bernie, a Headteacher in Newcastle – she’s always thinking of new things to make people smile. ‘Happy’ hopes for the staff, candlelit lavender oil for break times – look at this picture she sent me!!!
It’s about being light-hearted and in the moment! We can forget what’s important in life – laughter is so powerful – it circles us in felling adversity, with courage. I have lots of lovely things sent to me. Recently one Head wrote “But in the daily toil of headship one can sometimes lose focus on what really matters – happiness… I very much want to get back to my core values of happy, excited children and staff who have high expectations and aspirations” (Mark Anderson).
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