I find sayings to be very valuable if they creatively stimulate thought. If they sit in the mind like a lump of concrete, then they are maybe not so valuable. Good teachers are famous for passing on thoughtful statements to students which, in my experience, last forever and are helpful throughout life. They of course can arise from creators of all eras, even from ancient times. If I hear an appealing saying I will scribble it down on any piece of paper because as a teacher I know how thought provoking it might be aside from being simply good to think about or be a tool to help solve other issues. These are also tools for a Principal to help deliver an idea or a solution to a problem. In my experience many students will remember some of these sayings long after they have left school.

My very influential teacher who taught me in years 7 and 8 introduced me to many ideas and indeed sayings which I haven’t forgotten after all these years. The St Philip’s motto originated with him as the words remained with me well after I left school and indeed will remain forever.

He introduced me to the wonderful physicist, engineer, astronomer, mathematician, inventor, philosopher Archimedes. Like the Greek philosopher Socrates (died 399 BC) whom we introduced in the Last PT, lots of Archimedes’ thinking has leapt the centuries and has sported its relevance in today’s world. Socrates and Archimedes show how important the power of critical thinking and observation can be. It is great for students to realise how notable their powers of observation are, how it is key for all of us to use them and not be shy of what we may find. Good ideas don’t only arise from tertiary trained experts and the belief in this can paralyse good thinking. We all have the right to think and create an opinion, and an understanding of this makes learning richer and more exciting.

Archimedes’ famous statement about a lever was introduced to me by my teacher and I have used it ever since not only as a mechanical understanding but also as an analogy to illustrate a particular point or drive thinking in a particular direction. The statement based on his understanding of Physics is:

“Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.”

It is such a vital observation and has been used by heaps of people to solve practical problems. I use it regularly and it becomes more and more important as you try to lift or move things as you age. If you use a weak lever it may break, and the exercise will be a waste of time.

To me it can be used to tackle other non-lever, mechanical problems, and as such it is really helpful to people who can’t see a way forward to solve say a social problem, or to look for a solution to a worry or anxiety. Questions that can be asked are: “what is a suitable lever which I can use to move this problem? What is a good fulcrum I can rest the chosen lever on?” Of course, the lever could be any good idea which might work to lift the problem as can the fulcrum.

The analogy can be employed when creating something, maybe a building. What levers need to be used? How strong do they have to be? Of course, this is adopting the idea of a lever as something which is necessary to make the building happen. I guess money will be an important lever and certainly expertise - architect, engineer, documentation, safety plan, etc. etc.! What will be a suitable strong fulcrum? I will leave that up to you to create!

Another famous understanding was discovered by Archimedes when he stepped into the bath. He observed that the water rose. It suddenly occurred to him that the volume of water displaced must equal the volume of the part of his body he had submerged. The story goes that he leapt out of the bath naked and ran down the street yelling “Eureka!” The word comes from the Ancient Greek meaning “I have found it.” Not all would know that the Eureka Gold Leed, was where the rebellion occurred at Ballarat during the Gold Rush. Observation, think! Observation, think! However, as all good teachers know that telling a story in a colourful and interesting way means that students are more likely to listen to it.

I find a number of Mahatma Gandhi’s Quotes very thought provoking and one of the most powerful is “an eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind”. This is a powerful observation and is a worthy topic for students of a suitable age to discuss. Every time I see a dispute, I now think of this powerful observation.

Observation, thought and problem solving are abilities that are valuable for students to practice, embrace and take out into their life. Understanding the importance of various levers will help this. As Principals it is of great benefit to know that colourful analogies and sayings are more likely to remain in students’ minds rather than bald, dry statements. We do work in an exciting profession that does make a difference!

Written by Chris Tudor