During a student-led Fun and Bonding Day for Grade 4 on the theme of Wizard of Oz, the campus was buzzing with energy. Students proudly presented their work and projects to parents, explaining models, story settings and characters and creative ideas with great enthusiasm. As I walked through the 15 classrooms, I found myself naturally focusing on the organisation of the event – whether presentations were structured well, whether learning outcomes were visible, and whether the students were confidently demonstrating their understanding of the story and interacting with the parent community.
The Wizard of OZ tells the story of Dorothy, a young girl who is swept away by a cyclone from Kansas to the magical Land of Oz. To find her way home, she follows the Yellow Brick Road to meet the Wizard of Oz, making friends with the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion along the way. Each friend hopes the Wizard can give them something they believe they lack -a brain, a heart, and courage. In the end, Dorothy learns that her friends already possessed these qualities within themselves, and she discovers the power of home and self-belief.
After the event ended with a colourful cultural show wherein the plot of Wizard of Oz was brought to life by more than 150 students and after most families had left, I noticed one father still standing quietly near my office. His daughter was a gentle, reserved child who rarely raised her hand in class and often avoided participating in assemblies or group presentations. I assumed he wanted to discuss her academic progress or perhaps seek support in improving her confidence.
Instead, he spoke with visible emotion and said, “Ma’am, this is the first time my daughter stood in front of people and explained something without fear. She practiced for days at home because she didn’t want to disappoint her teacher.”
He paused for a moment and then added words that stayed with me long after the conversation ended: “Children may forget marks, but they never forget how school made them feel about themselves.”
That single statement shifted something deeply within me as a school leader. At that point in the academic year, much of my attention had been directed toward assessment analysis, curriculum timelines, benchmarking data, and performance targets. I was constantly thinking about measurable outcomes and academic growth indicators. While those elements are undeniably important, his words reminded me that the true impact of education often lies in the invisible transformations we sometimes overlook – the hesitant child who finds her voice, the anxious learner who begins to believe in herself, or the quiet student who finally feels seen and valued.
What struck me most was that the father was not speaking about grades or marks. He was speaking about confidence, dignity, and belonging. For him, that FAB Day had not simply been a showcase event, it had been a turning point in his daughter’s self-belief.
That interaction reshaped the way I approached leadership conversations with my teachers. I began encouraging teams to look beyond achievement data and intentionally notice small but meaningful indicators of growth – participation, resilience, collaboration, curiosity, and confidence. During classroom walks and review meetings, I started asking not only, “What are students learning?” but also, “Who is finding their voice? Who feels empowered? Who is beginning to believe they can succeed?”
Over time, this perspective influenced several phase practices. We created more opportunities for student-led presentations, collaborative projects, and platforms where even quieter children could participate in ways that felt safe and encouraging. Teachers became more intentional about recognising effort, improvement, and courage alongside academic excellence.
Much like Dorothy’s journey in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the “Unexpected Voice” experience was a reminder that the most important transformations are often internal and quietly discovered. Just as the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion already possessed intelligence, compassion, and courage within themselves, the shy Grade 4 student also carried confidence and potential that simply needed the right environment to emerge.
That parent may never fully realise the impact of his words, but his quiet reflection became an important leadership reminder for me: schools are remembered not only for the standards they achieve, but for the confidence, identity, and sense of possibility they nurture in children.
Prabha Sundar – Headmistress-Phase 2
