One of the most valuable qualities we can nurture in our students is resilience—the ability to face challenges, persevere through them, and grow stronger on the other side. At Glasshouse Christian College, we believe that real learning happens when students are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones and tackle tasks that stretch their abilities.
Our recent Year 5 camp at Maranatha Recreational Camp was a wonderful example of this in action. Students had the opportunity to participate in archery, high ropes, kart building, and survival skills. Each of these activities required persistence, courage, and teamwork. For some, the high ropes course was daunting at first, but with encouragement from peers and determination to keep going, students discovered that they could achieve far more than they imagined. In archery, success came not from natural ability but from practice, patience, and resilience when arrows didn’t hit the mark straight away. Kart building and survival challenges reminded students that problem-solving and perseverance are just as important as physical skill.
These lessons are not confined to camp. In the classroom, resilience helps students tackle complex maths problems, craft thoughtful essays, or collaborate effectively in group projects. As they move into high school, the ability to persist through study demands, navigate friendship dynamics, and balance co-curricular commitments becomes essential.
Looking even further ahead, resilience equips our young people to face the realities of life beyond school—whether it’s applying for a first job, adapting to the challenges of university study, or managing the ups and downs of adult life. As a parent of a Year 12 student myself, I’m seeing firsthand how important these qualities are. My son is about to step into “life after school,” and while it’s both exciting and daunting, I know the resilience built through his school years will be the foundation that helps him thrive in this next chapter.
Psychologist Dr. Angela Duckworth reminds us, “Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.” Resilience and perseverance, what she calls “grit,” are the qualities that set students up for long-term success. Similarly, child development expert Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg writes, “Resilience is not a trait that children either have or do not have. It involves behaviours, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed in all children.”
By providing these opportunities in primary school, we are laying a foundation of resilience that will empower our students not just for success at school, but for the rest of their lives.
Adrian Ford, Assistant Head of Primary – Upper Primary