PARENT LOGIN
As we begin a new school year, Head of School, Ander Monro reflects on a lesson from his very first teaching role, one that has stayed with him for thirteen years.
September brings excitement and possibility, but also uncertainty. For students, parents, and educators alike, not everything will unfold seamlessly.
There will be mistakes. There will be moments when things don’t go according to plan.
And there will be people there to support us.
In this reflection, Ander considers the power of a school community to help us navigate those moments – to learn, build resilience and confidence, and ultimately grow stronger together.
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I vividly recall preparing for my first full-time teaching role.
For weeks running up to the opening term, my dreams were filled with helplessness: no markers to write with, no voice to teach with, walking into class without a plan…all of it haunted my run-in to September. I wanted everything to unfold seamlessly as I made this career shift — and my mind, in its own way, was trying to tell me something important.
As my family and I settled into campus life in a boarding house, we made strong connections and spent evenings hosting and being hosted. It was on one such evening, close to the start of the 2013 school year, that I admitted a little of my apprehension about taking on five English classes.
Our host waited for me to draw breath, held my eyes with his, and said:
“Ander, our students will not let you fail.”
It was as unexpected as it was affirming. A sense of calm drifted through me, and I relaxed into the thought that the relationship would be supportive both ways. I’m not sure that colleague ever knew the impact of those words.
And so it came to pass — the markers ran out, my voice gave way, I walked into class without a plan (very occasionally!) — and every time, the lesson still unfolded. The students were collaborative, understanding, and generous. They wanted me at my best because they knew how much I cared about their experience, and how much I wanted them to thrive.
Thirteen years later, now as Head of School at Queen Margaret’s School, I look at that memory through a different lens.
We all feel those nerves before a fresh start, and September brings that fresh start for everyone — student, staff member, parent alike. We hope for success, for smooth landings, for fit. We’re eager to learn about the people who’ll be part of our lives this year, and curious how those relationships will unfold.
We also quietly dread the ways things might not unfold seamlessly — with friends, in the classroom, at practice or in clubs. And that’s where I return to the messages of my dreams, and that my colleague put into words: there will always be a mistake. We will regularly meet with failure — it’s the constant that keeps us learning.
What makes that message bearable is this: in every one of those moments, there is a teacher, a peer, a staff member there to support your response — not just so you learn the lesson, but so you build self-awareness, resilience, and confidence. You will find an incredible community here, filled with people who care.
At Queen Margaret’s School, we grow stronger together.
This is why we open our doors every day.
Sweet dreams, everyone.