It starts with making your own bed.

Responsibility. The definition for Responsibility states being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one's power, control, or management.

I believe that one of the most important lessons at IGS we are instilling in our boys is about responsibility. Today we commonly hear our politicians blaming everyone else about something that they were responsible for. It is important that we take responsibility for our actions. It is important that each boy takes responsibility for their learning, their responsibility for their uniform and their presentation to school. You could not believe how many times “Mum” was used as the reason for something not meeting standards - either the homework being not completed or for the haircut. As the boys move through the year levels so to does their level of responsibility, so when the Year 12 boy who drives to school arrives late, it is pretty easy because they have total responsibility for their lateness. They are responsible and with responsibility comes consequences.

I often hear the Boarding staff talk about the odd boy and how they leave their room at the beginning of the day and the responsibility that each boy has about their own space. Responsibility starts in their own room.

At the University of Texas commencement in 2014, UT alumnus Admiral William H. McRaven gave an incredible speech to the graduates. In it, he used his Navy SEAL training and experience to help prepare the outgoing students for their next step in life. One of his main tenants is about making your bed.

If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will give you a sense of pride and accomplishment, it will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you will never do the big things right. And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.

Responsibility begins right where sometimes the boys would not expect, their own room.

Tony Dosen
Deputy Headmaster