An important aspect of our vision statement at Maranatha Christian School is to help our students ‘discover their God-given gifts, abilities and character for a life of service to the Lord in contemporary society’.
This, in part, is facilitated through our teaching and learning programs, however, co-curricular programs like The Rite Journey, among others, also provide opportunities for us to explore this with our students. One component of The Rite Journey Program that allows us to do this is challenges.
Our Year 9s are currently preparing for their first group challenge, our hike at Lerderderg Gorge. A group challenge like this allows us to encourage our students to think about their own personal strengths, while at the same time looking beyond themselves at their contribution to the larger group. Through the physical and mental challenges of the hike, students are encouraged to reflect on their strengths, abilities and resilience. This example, is an intentionally planned challenge that creates opportunities for us to discuss and explore students’ skills and strategies to navigate challenges.
However, in my interactions with young people over the years I have also seen many navigate various real-life challenges in different ways. So, with this as a background, the following three stories will set the stage for further discussion about how we support our young people through challenges, while helping them discover the strengths and abilities they already possess.
Exam Disappointment
It was exam week, a period of pressure for many students, and for one particular student, a disappointing start. From feeling reasonably confident as they walked in, they walked out knowing their result would not match their initial expectations. There were tears at first, and feelings of frustration that come from effort that doesn’t seem to pay off. But then something shifted. Instead of staying stuck in their disappointment, they pulled out a notebook and began to map things out. What went wrong? What could be improved? What needed to change? A study schedule emerged for the exams that followed and small, realistic goals were set. By the end of that exam week, the student felt more confident walking into and out of their exams.
Sidelined
The young person in this scenario faced a challenge of a different nature, an injury that meant weeks away from the sport they loved. For a young person passionate about sport and deeply connected to their team, it was a big loss. When a friend visited them before a big game, the friend joked, “I’ll win for you tomorrow!” Without missing a beat, the injured individual replied with a smile, “Awesome! And can you lose for me next week when we play you? I’ll still be out.” Humour didn’t erase the disappointment that this young person faced, but it did soften it. It created space to breathe and to hold the situation a little more lightly.
A Moment of Regret
In a moment of anger, something hurtful was said to a friend. Instant regret, the kind of moment that many young people experience. That sinking feeling after saying something without thinking. It would have been easy for this individual to withdraw and to avoid the situation. But instead, they sought a trusted adult. They unpacked what had happened, what they felt, and what they wished they had done differently. Together, they talked through how this young person might approach their friend, what to say, and how to take responsibility.
When I reflect on these stories and the individuals that I observed experience these situations, these stories echo the belief that we are created uniquely, with our own gifts, strengths and abilities, and ways of responding to the world. The young people in these stories all faced a challenge, and each of them tapped into a different strength to navigate it. In the first story, the young person navigated the challenge by developing a strategy. They didn’t avoid the setback. They analysed it. Their resilience showed up as a strength in planning and problem-solving.
For the young person dealing with a sporting setback, using humour helped to reframe the situation. In doing so, it became a little lighter and an easier burden to carry. Building resilience wasn’t about pushing harder, but about having the ability to reframe a moment. Finally, for the third young person, it was about leaning into connection. Navigating the challenge showed up as being comfortable with vulnerability, seeking support, and choosing repair over retreat.
At Maranatha, through our teaching and learning programs, co-curricular programs, and in our day-to-day interactions with students, our desire is to partner with parents to create and be aware of opportunities where our students can discover the gifts and strengths they already possess, and to support them to develop these further. So how can we do this? One way is by being intentional about noticing the strengths our young people demonstrate and naming these with them. When we do this, we give our students language to articulate the character strengths within them and encourage them to draw on these qualities when challenges arise.
Similarly, when they are struggling with a challenge, instead of trying to fix the problem, we can remind them of the strengths they have already shown and help them use them in purposeful ways. In doing so, my hope is that we will grow a generation of young people who recognise their God-given abilities to respond to challenges with increasing confidence, and use their strengths to serve others and contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
Jess De Silva
Head of Middle School
Maranatha Christian School
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