Interview between School Principal and Former Dharma Student
One of our former Dharma students, Artemis Johnson, who graduated in 2023. She speaks with Andrea Furness, School Principal about her experience going from Primary to Secondary School.
INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA FURNESS (PRINCIPAL) AND ARTEMIS (STUDENT) ON 15 JULY 2024
AF: Did you enjoy your transition to secondary school?
Arty: Can you elaborate on that?
AF: Did it feel scary, or stressful and you were well supported?
I was a bit nervous as I was the only student from Dharma going there. But I felt supported as I always knew what to do. So it felt pretty easy.
AF: Did you feel like you were at a comfortable academic standard there? By that I mean, did you think, “I’ve had a good education and I’m here and doing well.”
Arty: Oh yeah! I got maths pretty well! This year I got 100% in French, Music and Religious Studies.
AF: Did you have any people skills in your tool kit that helped you notice you were well prepared?
Arty: I did actually! A girl in my class was doing some stuff that I wouldn’t have seen at the Dharma School and I was like ok, wow! But no one else was really noticing it. I could see that some people were uncomfortable with it though. I knew that this behaviour was different. I felt I could read people better and make them feel more comfortable around me.
AF: So your people skills served you well? Did you ever use the conflict resolution skills that we teach at school? Maybe to deflect bullying behaviors or deal with difficult situations?
Arty: No-one confronts me about anything because I’m so nice!
AF: So you’re the kind kid!
Arty: I look at them really hurt if they hurt me.
AF: So do you think Kindness has been a real power for you?
Arty: I accidentally pushed in front of someone and they can be kind of confrontational and aggressive in the classroom and so I said, “Oh I’m sorry!” And they visibly softened and said “Ok don’t do it again!” And I dodged a bullet then!
AF: Isn’t that amazing how powerful kindness is? Did you have any experiences this year where you felt grateful for your Dharma School education?
Arty: Every morning on a camp, we had to set an intention like we would do here. Some people didn’t know what this meant and so I was able to explain it to them. I do think I taught my teachers something during that camp too!
AF: Many students who have graduated and gone to secondary school, rave about the food either in the canteen or their communal food. Do you think communal lunches at school might have enhanced your primary schooling?
Arty: I think this might have helped me with some skills such as sharing. And maybe only taking what you really need…
AF: Listen to you Arty, saying all the amazing insightful things! What about having more student numbers in your primary school and bigger class numbers?
Arty: It was really a shock when I found out that I had 28 kids in my class!! But it was good having a small class during primary, and then a shock having so many in my class now.
AF: How did you adapt?
Arty: It took me 3 – 4 weeks before I was talking to most people.
AF: Are you really happy at your school? Is it a caring school?
Arty: It’s a nice school…yeah. And teachers don’t tolerate bullying at all, no warnings, they’re straight onto it, so it’s good.
AF: Tell me about wearing a uniform, how did that transition go?
Arty: Errr!
AF: You don’t love that!
Arty: I don’t love it! (She discusses the traditional choices and how she thinks that the winter uniform is like carrying around a tent. She’s fine about the tie and the blazer – just makes her look like a business woman – it has shoulder pads!!) I’m complying and I haven’t got detention yet!
AF: Anything else you’d like to talk about with us Arty?
Arty: I wanted to say that during pastoral care and PE theory, we were working on healthy relationships and I didn’t listen to anything as they were just going over what I had learned in Prep at the Dharma School. And no one else knew about this and so I just sat there drawing. I was so shocked when one kid asked what does respect mean?!! Learning about the precepts at the Dharma School has really helped me in high school.
AF: In what way?
Arty: It just made me really aware of how other people might be feeling. And what’s the word…?
AF: Empathy?
Arty: No… social intelligence!
AF: Ok, so the precepts gave you social intelligence??!
Arty: Yes
AF: Interesting. I always think they guide our inner, emotional intelligence.
Arty: It does that as well!
AF: A lot of teachers have done a lot of work on the precepts and so it’s amazing to hear that what we know as school rules, has helped you in another way than we expected, as you go off into secondary school.
Arty: Also, our Reverence for Life precept…There was a spider in the classroom and everyone was going crazy about it.
AF: Oh, they killed it didn’t they!!
Arty: No they didn’t! Most people got up from their desks to move and they were in the corner and I knew that I was going to have to get the spider out. Oh my god, it’s just a Huntsman! And even the teacher wasn’t doing anything. The teacher said, ‘Just get a book and smash it!”, and I said, “Nooo! It’s just a spider.” So I had to get a piece of paper. It’s just a spider, it’s our friend! I took it outside – it was a cute, harmless, Huntsman.
AF: That’s so interesting… because we work to cultivate reverence for everything, we develop better relationships with most things. So you’ve got a healthier relationship with spiders and no fear, than most of your classmates?
Arty: Yes, they wanted to smoosh it and I said, “No, don’t get the Bible! Don’t use religion in that way!”. (Lots of laughter!)
Thanks Artemis, it’s been lovely having you back in the school with us for the day and seeing how well you’re doing!
