28/1/22
Value of the Month - February - ‘We TRY our best’
A Fin did it in 4 minutes 10 seconds, a Brit in 3 minutes 46 seconds: a full 24 seconds faster. What did they have in common? They were both world record holders for running the mile. The difference was that the Finnish runner, Paavo Nurmi, was running in 1925 and the Brit, Steve Cram, in 1985, 60 years later.
Who did the best? Well Steve Cram was the fastest of course but Steve Cram probably had the benefit of a better diet, training and equipment (as these elements to support sportsmen and women have really progressed over time). It is therefore probably unfair to say that Steve Cram was the better athlete but what is clear is that they both tried their best.
Our value of the month is ‘we TRY our best’ because though we may not set a new world record, trying our hardest will help us to improve in every and any area of learning. So how can we make sure we do our best?
- We accept advice
The person who does the best is humble enough to realise they don’t know everything and can’t do everything without help. This is why we have teachers who can help us to make the best of our abilities and learn ways in which we can understand the subject we are studying well.
- We make an effort
We may feel frightened about failing and therefore decide not to try because that way, we won’t get something wrong and feel like we’ve failed. Giving your time and energy to a task, and trying to concentrate really hard, is the secret to success. Getting things wrong is a really important part of learning and shows that the work is challenging us.
- Don’t compare yourself with others
The advert on TV which invites your parents to ‘Go compare’ car insurance may be good advice when their renewal comes up, but it is bad advice for the classroom. We should be careful about comparing ourselves to others and focus on doing the best that we can.
Remember it took 60 years for the 1 mile record to change. Don’t expect to be able to master everything in a matter of minutes but rest assured, by trying your best, you will improve. NP
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