An Attitude of Care

As we come to the end of another semester of pastoral care at Pacific it is worth reflecting on what care means in modern education. Ian Morris - Head of Well-being at Wellington College in the UK, defines care as a non-judgemental attitude which extends in a number of directions: self, others, our environment and so on. Care is predicated on empathy, the ability to feel as others feel and take on their perspective and it emphasises the importance of friendships and relationships.

In Ancient Greece Aristotle wrote that compassion and community are essential to a life well-lived. The German philosopher Heidegger took this further when he understood care as paying attention to everything in our existence, that enables a person to live fully. For Heidegger the notion that there is a gap between where a person ends, and the world begins is a mistaken one. The world is not fragmented and atomised, it is unified into webs of meaning and connection by human beings.

 At Pacific we encourage students to adopt an attitude of care towards themselves, their learning and towards others. Over the past semester students have been experiencing the value of social connection and the importance of empathy and compassion for others. They have had to co-operate and build friendships with others. Over the holidays it could be a chance for students to have some self-reflection to help them see that if one takes a compassionate view of himself or herself, real growth and improvement in our relations with others is possible.

Therefore, a little self-reflection on how their relationships went this semester will help students grow emotionally. Along with that they should aim to get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet and in Doctor Michael Carr-Greg’s words for every hour of screen time they should have an hour of green time. I hope all families have a safe and happy holiday.

Mr Brendan Delaney, Head of Senior School Students