by admin on January 28, 2012
We believe that a strong work ethic is essential for student growth.
Succeeding in school, at a job, in a relationship, or at anything else in life has less to do with talent or luck than it does with good old-fashioned hard work. A strong work ethic is in fact the number one precursor to success. “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration,” said Thomas Edison. We believe that the greatest gift we can give young people is to help them develop the discipline, patience and persistence it takes to complete a task; to help those who dream big to fall in love with the process of work.
The kind of diligence that leads to achievement requires a willingness to endure disappointment, failure, fear, and pain without quitting. To tackle and stick with the “un-fun” parts of the process, the parts that are boring, frustrating, distasteful, and even humbling, until the job is done. Success is indeed sweet when we’ve worked hard to achieve it. But an even bigger benefit of a strong work ethic, of working hard and long to accomplish something we didn’t believe was possible to accomplish, is the confidence and self-esteem it builds.
by admin on January 21, 2012
We believe one way that knowledge and wisdom may be gained is through respectful, sincere, and rational conversation.
The therapeutic environment of The Family Foundation School offers students many healthy ways to learn, change, and grow. One of the most effective, in the 12-Step tradition, involves simple conversation. Conversing with others, telling stories and exchanging ideas can help a troubled teen work through his or her struggles by acquiring new information, knowledge and understanding. That’s the beginning of wisdom.
Each student here has a 12-Step sponsor whose job it is to listen, to ask questions, to guide the student’s observation and reflections, and to share his or her own experience, strength and hope. In conversing with sponsors, students learn about trust, openness and respect, and how conversations can both inspire and heal. They learn to speak what is on their minds and in their hearts, and to listen to what others have to say without judging or criticizing. The goal of such exchanges is not always to arrive at a specific answer or solution, but to experience “aha!” moments. To make connections, explore assumptions and generate ideas that can add to their store of knowledge and perhaps open the door to real wisdom.
