It’s Not Whether We Do Hard Things, It’s How We Do Hard Things.

There are a number of thought-provoking quotes I have heard over my first six months here at UVWS. One of my favorites was said by Julie Geoghegan. She was assisting a child with a challenging situation and supportively said, “It’s not whether we do hard things, it’s how we do hard things.”

At Upper Valley Waldorf School, teachers approach challenges not as obstacles—but as opportunities. Life will always present hard things, and our task as educators is to guide students in how they meet those moments. In the Waldorf tradition, we believe that creating clear structures and holding reasonable expectations creates a safe and nurturing space for growth.

When children encounter boundaries, they learn resilience. When they navigate expectations, they discover their own capacity for responsibility and creativity. These experiences build confidence—not by removing difficulty, but by teaching the art of meeting it with courage and grace.

As we move through this season, it is helpful to remember: the strength to do hard things is not born from ease, but from the steady rhythm of care, guidance, and trust in each child’s unfolding potential.

~Karen White, School Administrator