The following are notes from Mr. Higgins convocation talk.
There are three things I’d like to do today. I’d like to welcome you to year 13 of ECS, and so, WELCOME!
We’re already down to just two more. Second, I’d like to encourage you again, from a different angle, about carrying and advancing what it means to be a raggant.
Raggant characteristics are Christian characteristics (see these notes from the beginning of last school year). We talk about being raggants because it’s playful, and because it’s particular to the life of Christian students at ECS. There are Christians all over the world, but it’s a limited group who get to have the raggant as a mascot.
At the most recent teacher retreat, we considered the idea of watershed raggants. A watershed is “an area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas.” At its height, a watershed is a point, and rainfall goes one way or the other.
Perhaps the most famous/dramatic watershed near us is the Continental Divide. See this page from the US Forest Service for more.
At some points along the divide, rain that falls just a quarter inch apart either ends up in the Pacific Ocean or the Atlantic Ocean.
That’s a physical/geographical watershed. The word watershed also has then been used in a figurative sense in reference to “an event or period marking a turning point in a course of action or state of affairs.” And we are interested in watershed raggants. When you meet one, you can’t stay the same as you were. A watershed raggant is light in the dark, salt to the tasteless, hard to ignore or forget. Other people remember meeting a raggant. (See 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 for an evangelistic example.)
On the last day of school we talked about The Summer of Raggants. We considered some examples of what kind of things raggants could do that were ragganty while not at school.
One question you might have is, what does it look like to be a raggant in class? That’s reasonable! In class is where we’re training raggants, building and sharpening your watershed qualities. Here are some ideas that go with all six raggant virtues.
Stout Image-bearers
An image bearer is a reflection of God, and one of the things that means is that we’re made for relationships. Each student has a job, and part of the job is not being isolated. So he Works and plays well with others.
To be stout means to be strong, and that includes being strong enough to know when and where to fight. Most of the time, your classmates are not your enemies, and your teacher always deserves respect. He Is courteous in speech and manner.
God made men to take dominion. The whole earth is a gift, and this assignment is part of who He made us to be. No excuses, even when it is hard. He Accepts responsibility.
More than only doing what one is told, there is some eagerness to find things that can be done. He Shows initiative.
Generous Disciples of Christ
The word disciple means learner or follower. Learners pay attention to those that have something to teach them, they are ready when the leader points the right way. He Responds to authority promptly and cheerfully.
While in class, there are some times to give gifts (for example, maybe around Christmas time). But most of the time, you give yourself. One way to give yourself is to have your things ready and be where you’re supposed to be without others waiting. He Shows regard for others in timeliness.
Another thing you can “give” is not making others do what you can do for yourself. Don’t “take” their energy. He Uses self-control in actions and in speech.
Copious Producers
Copious means plenty/a lot, and a producer is a maker. Making much. In class, he’s trying and trying hard. He Works up to ability.
It also means he’s got to watch out for distractions. There are so many things! (And this only gets more true the older you get.) He Stays on task. and Is diligent.
Making more includes not just quantity, but quality. Take care of what you’re working on. He Shows neatness in work.
Prodigious Learners
There will be a time when you learn on your own. Classical education includes learning how to learn.
We’re at school. This is a place of learning. And similar to the meaning of disciple, a learner Listens attentively.
Technique can be improved, but you have to learn it first. There are a lot of words in English, but if you don’t know the ABCs and the phonogram rules, you won’t make much. Start with the start, do what you’re told. So he Follows directions.
Especially at school, our teachers know things. He Interacts well with adults.
Thankful Stewards
A steward is one who cares for things. All that we have is from God, so we give thanks to Him. Also, God cares how we care for His things.
Steward your work. He Completes assignments.
One of the things that we cannot buy but are always spending is time. Steward your minutes. He Uses time wisely.
Steward your word; do what you say you will. He Is trustworthy.
Steward things, including things that others have paid for. Maybe that’s part of the classroom, maybe that’s recess equipment, maybe that’s the lunch of a friend. He Respects property.
Jovial Warriors
We don’t want to be isolated from one another, true. But also, have you ever tried sword fighting while needing someone to hold your hand the whole time? It’s one thing to need help, it’s another thing to require the whole class to wait for you. He Works independently and Claims only his/her share of attention.
Independent effort (without talking to your neighbor) is right when it’s time to do your homework, contributing to the discussion is right when it’s time to talk. Demanding that others give you attention is wrong, giving attention to the subject, and to what others have to say, is right. He Participates in class.
And he Is optimistic. We work in hope, hope that our labor pleases Jesus, hope that He will cause what we sow to be a great harvest, hope that when we sacrifice He will bless us. Let the joy of the Lord make you confident of good to come.
A lot of this should sound familiar, because you see it on every grade card at the end of every quarter as part of the Character Assessment. For that matter, some of the teachers have posters of these very things around campus. It’s all coming together, isn’t it?
So may the 2024-25 school year be a watershed year for ECS as we train watershed raggants as part of a watershed rumpus.
I said there were three things I wanted to do today, and here’s the third: I’d like to give you a bookmark! (Thanks to Mrs. Herr for the watery raggant and thanks to Mrs. Higgins for cutting them so straight!)
