Roots and Wings By Mrs Shirley Tan
As the academic year 2024 draws to a close, students who have taken major national examinations would now have to consider the direction they would like to embark on for the next phase of their education journey, in consultation with their parents and guardians. In particular, those who have just sat for the Primary School-Leaving Examination, the choice of secondary school requires much thought as school life would be more complex and demanding, not only in the academic domain but also the social-emotional and psychological domains. The years of secondary education covers the critical phase of personal development as the student will be at the threshold of teenhood and puberty. For some, this may be a tumultuous period of their development.
As Catholic parents and teachers, how would we be guiding our children in making the choice of school where they could bring to fruition the best versions of themselves? What would be the overriding criteria for making this important decision? Would we be having a conversation about “roots and wings” like that recounted in the poem below?
Roots and Wings
If I had two wishes, I know what they would be
I’d wish for Roots to cling to, and Wings to set me free;
Roots of inner values, like rings within a tree,
And Wings of independence to seek my destiny.
Roots to hold forever to keep me safe and strong,
To let me know you love me, when I’ve done something wrong;
To show me by example, and help me learn to choose,
To take those actions every day to win instead of lose.
Just be there when I need you, to tell me it’s all right,
To face my fear of falling when I test my wings in flight;
Don’t make my life too easy, it’s better if I try,
And fall and get back up myself, so I can learn to fly.
If I had two wishes, and the two to make me happy
And they could be granted, by school and family;
I wouldn’t ask for money or any shop bought things,
The greatest gifts l’d ask for are simply Roots and Wings
Adapted from poem by Denis Waitley
Which environment would best nurture our child into a thriving, fulfilled and compassionate child of God? A faith-filled one or a secular environment? As Catholic parents, we are fortunate to have our faith as the natural bedrock on which to “plant” the “roots” and “grow” the “wings” of our children. The truths of the gospel will make us free from doubt, from ignorance, from sin. The Lord said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). They will give us hope for the future, faith in ourselves, strength to meet adversity and a direction that will lead us to do much good. When God our Father created us, He made us “a little lower than the angels” (Psalm 8:5). In so doing He guaranteed us the right of agency; and second, through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, He has provided us the way to salvation and exaltation. To accomplish this noble goal that God our Father has for us, we must love the truth; love it enough to seek for it, to understand it, love it and live it.
This can come to fruition only through immersion in a Catholic education experience. As parents what would be the best gift we can give our child? As the poem says, “roots and wings”. Through a Catholic education experience our child will understand that all learning is about the search for the Truth. Every discipline(subject) they are taught is about understanding how the laws of nature govern our world and how to ascertain the truth. Mathematics introduces them to proofs and axioms. In the world of Science, they are introduced to the scientific method and the empirical method of ascertaining truth. The Humanities use critical thinking tools and sources of evidence.
In the context of Catholic education, the attainment of knowledge is so that we can better serve the common good and we ourselves, by cultivating our intellect and imagination become better human beings. From the perspective of Catholic education, empowerment is the realisation that our talents, be it of different magnitude, have the power to enrich the lives of others.
