Professional Development Day at GDS

Last Thursday afternoon and evening and all day Friday, the faculty and many staff joined together to listen to Jaimie P. Cloud of the Cloud Institute as she spoke at our annual IOI (Improvement of Instruction) workshop.

Jaimie's topic was Education for Sustainability and she brought a wealth of technical and educational information for the group to consider as GDS begins taking on the serious topic of sustainable practice.

After we gathered at the Koury Convention Center on Thursday afternoon, Jaimie introduced "The Fish Game" simulation. In this exercise, we all participated in an interactive, interdisciplinary activity that combined systems thinking, ecological systems, and economics for a deeper understanding of our role in moving toward a more sustainable future - a future where everyone could live well and the fish stock would be sustained.

The game was played in groups of six or eight people with each playing the role of fisherman. Each fisherman took turns fishing from the ocean in the middle of the table. After each fisherman had taken a turn, we counted how many fish were left and grew the remaining stock at a 25% rate. No group made it past three rounds before eliminating all the fish. After several tries at limiting each fisherman's catch, some groups were able to figure out how to sustain the stock of fish so that everyone could remain employed. It was not easy to do.

Thursday evening found us enjoying some wonderful wines, a delicious dinner and a presentation by sculpture Frank Russell, who has created all of the fish sculptures found outside the south entrance of the Lower School wing. Frank spoke about his background in art and the work that he is currently doing. He went on to speak at length about the design and idea behind the "globe" that is now featured on the lawn between the Lower School and the Administration building.

Friday morning, we all returned to the school and met in the Dillard Gym where Jaimie spoke at some length about how we measure quality of life and what indicators we might use. The rest of the day was spent identifying issues surrounding the creation of sustainable environments and engaging in activities.

I found the workshops both engaging and educational. There is much work to be done in creating a more sustainable outlook, and I'm glad that we have begun the journey. Our students and their children will greatly benefit from the steps we take today.

Talented Faculty

In 1973, Judy Arnette joined our Upper School faculty as a quiet, reserved, Phi Delta Kappa Latin teacher. At that time, she was also introduced to guitar and Blue Grass music. She has spent the last two decades developing herself as a Latin teacher, musician and song writer extraordinaire.

Last night, Linda, my wife, and I had the pleasure of gathering with Judy's many friends in her backyard to hear her and her group, Steel Magnolia's, perform. Judy's voice is warm and inviting, and her music is delightfully engaging.

We have many talented singers and musicians on the GDS faculty and staff. And, most of them have entertained us in the Theatre lobby before faculty meetings, performed in concerts as a member of a school ensemble, or have sung in Mixed Review, the all-school choir.

It is always a pleasant surprise when I discover that one of our teachers or staff has such a talent. Perhaps, you have had the same experience in knowing someone as an acquaintance or colleague and then finding out that they have an incredible artistic gift. For me, who loves music though I have struggled to learn guitar and hold my own in choir, it brings a deeper appreciation for the dedication and talent that my colleagues have developed.

From the embracing smile and joy that Judy shared with us last night, I know that she is leading a fulfilling life through her love of music and the many friends she has made through her performances. I know that others, like Judy, are leading lives enriched by connecting with others who share a passion and love for something beyond their professional lives.

How grateful I am that we have so many "Judy's" who model for our students a life filled with artistic grace.

Summer Reading for our Staff

This past summer, each division was asked to choose a book to read that would support their work in helping children to learn. The administration and Board of Trustees also chose to read and discuss books that would further their knowledge. I thought that you might enjoy learning more about the books that were selected. Lower School: The First Six Weeks of School by Paula Denton and Roxann Kriete The First Six Weeks of School is part of the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching and learning. It is a very teacher-friendly book, targeted for grades K-6. Along with our study of differentiated instruction we are discussing effective strategies for instruction and classroom management. This book describes essential habits and procedures to put in place during the beginning weeks of school in order to maximize learning throughout the rest of the year. The book communicates effective establishment of expectations, rules, procedures, and structures to foster an orderly and cooperative learning community. A deliberate and systematic schedule is communicated for teaching students to function with autonomy in a classroom full of freedoms, responsibilities, and choices. The book focuses on four prime factors: 1) a climate and tone of warmth and safety; 2) teaching of the schedule and routines of the school day and expectations for behavior in each of them; 3) introduction of the students to the physical environment and materials in the classroom and the school, and how to use and care for them; 4) expectations about the ways we will learn together in the year ahead. Middle School: Middle School teachers had the option to read either Ishmael or My Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, and/or Last Child in the Woods, Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, by Richard Louv. Quinn won the $500,000 Ted Turner Tomorrow Fellowship for Ishmael, the largest prize for a single literary work in history. Ishmael is taught in thousands of schools. It also inspired Pearl Jam’s album, “Yield”, and the major motion picture “Instinct.” (My Ishmael is very similar to Ishmael thematically, except that it offers a dialogue between a 16-year-old girl and Ishmael, the gorilla.) Quinn offers a way of thinking that calls the reader to consider an amazing paradigm shift that represents a challenge to the “human” being the center of the world. The imaginary dialogue between a gorilla, Ishmael, and the human, is convincing, profound, and extremely challenging to the commonplace thinking of those of us who have “adapted” to the Mother Culture, our world as we mostly know it. The distinction between the Takers and the Leavers in human history is carefully drawn-out by Quinn as a way to determine what cultural/lifestyle orientation is in harmony with the survival of living things on earth and what has taken us down the road of destruction, including self-destruction. Quinn also alludes frequently to the change in the development of culture when we began to “lock-up” our food supplies; this represents an important real and symbolic point from which increases in conflict among humans and with the “natural order” began. Quinn’s thinking has helped us to begin some important discussions in Middle School about curriculum, teaching methods, relationships, leadership, and common interdisciplinary themes. Louv has offered a much more “practical” and “graspable” challenge about the needs of our students, their parents, families, and ourselves relative to the time that we allow for imagination, creativity, interaction in and with nature, how we structure (or over-structure) time, and how good teaching and learning happens “indoors” vs. “out-of-doors.” The Middle School faculty has set the goal during this school year to communicate with our families about Louv’s work. We will be encouraging parents to read Louv’s book or some of his articles. We will likely schedule one or more opportunities to sit with parents and discuss the implications of Louv’s contentions regarding “nature-deficit disorder.” Upper School: Activating a Desire to Learn, by Bob Sullo Activating a Desire to Learn presents the theory of internal motivation as an alternative to education’s time-worn external motivational reward-punishment model. The book outlines humans’ need to: connect, be competent, make choices, and have fun. It uses a combination of theory and case studies and provides guidelines for integrating the principles of internal control/motivation with standards-based instruction. Administrative Staff: A Whole New Mind, by Daniel Pink A Whole New Mind describes the growing importance of “right-brain” thinking, which deals with creativity and empathy. Pink's premise is that creative thinking which incorporates design and social/emotional concerns will dominate the future as we move from a society of scarcity to one of plenty. He points out that this is already happening when stores like Target and Wal Mart stock electronics, appliances and clothing from "upscale" famous designers. He claims that more and more people are looking for aesthetics and functionality in what they purchase and use. The implications are that we need to design curriculum that supports students in developing greater “right-brain” skills. Board of Trustees: The 10 Lenses, Your Guide to Living & Working in a Multicultural World, by Mark A. Williams Mark Williams is the founder and CEO of The Diversity Channel and works with organizations throughout the world on issues of diversity and multiculturalism. His book offers ten lenses that he believes people use to view issues of race, culture, national, and ethnic differences in this country. He devotes one chapter to each lens as he describes such views as the Assimilationist, who believes that everyone should act like a true-blue American; the Culturalcentrist, who believes that a person’s race or ethnicity is central to their personal and public identity; the Meritocratist, who is sure that if you have the abilities and work hard enough you can make your dreams come true regardless of race or culture; and the Victim/Caretaker, who believes that because of bias they will never succeed.

Parents As Heroes

Last week, newspapers around the country ran an article on the results of a survey conducted by The Associated Press and MTV that asked young people to name their heroes. The AP and MTV reported 29 percent of those surveyed chose their mothers, 21 percent named their fathers and 16 percent picked their parents without specifying which one. That totals 66 percent, representing quite an impressive showing by parents.

Based on the relationship I, apparently incorrectly, assumed that I had with my children, I would not have predicted such a good showing. Could there be more going on between my children and me than I suspected? It's exciting to think that the teenage morning grunts and the abbreviated answers given during dinner might actually be meaningful expressions of respect and awe.

Maybe this is life's reward for remaining constant to my role as a parent and not yielding to my young adult's whims and passions. Perhaps, my children do respect me for holding the line with them, enduring their rapidly shifting moods, abbreviated communiques and often aggravating ways of telling me what they are feeling.

In the survey, one young woman from New Bern, N.C. chose her parents as her heroes because, "They're really hard workers, and they've done everything in their power to make sure my siblings and I have everything we've needed. They're just good people."

Is it possible that our teenagers will emerge from their self-absorbed cocoons appreciating all that we do for them? If so, I now feel much better.

In fact, that's a good enough reason to celebrate tonight at dinner and have hamburgers, my son's favorite food, for the third time in a row. I'll even "hold the greens."

Diversity Leadership

As part of our on-going work in creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive school community, the Board of Trustees and the Parents' Association leadership were invited to attend a one day workshop last Friday led by Tracy Brown.

Board Chair, Ed Cone, joined me in opening the gathering by stating, "The case for diversity is straightforward: our mission is to prepare students for college and life beyond. Our city, county, nation and world are not homogeneous places, and our school should reflect the reality of our dynamic, interconnected culture by attracting qualified students from a broad range of backgrounds. Widening the talent pool from which we draw will improve the quality of a GDS education."

Ed couldn't be more right, and I am grateful to the leadership that he and the Board are bringing to this important topic.

To learn more about the workshop, please visit Ed's Board Chair Journal.

The Kids Arrive!

Standing on the sidewalk in front of the theatre this morning watching everyone arrive, I noticed that the seniors had painted The Rock, marking the start of their last year at GDS. They did a good job. And,with what must have been a flourish, they also added some streaming decorations to the trees. I enjoyed the green and gold papering the most...

Following graduation last June, the kids disappeared, faculty departed, and the pace slowed. Today, that all changed and the campus became re-vitalized with an excitement and passion that only kids can bring. It feels good to have them back.

I spoke at the Upper School and Middle School opening assemblies, sharing some Robert Fulghum wisdom from his book, "All I really know I learned in Kindergarten." Fulghum provides good rules for life, and you might consider reviewing them with your children, no matter what their ages.

• Share everything.
• Play fair.
• Don't hit people.
• Put things back where you found them.
• Clean up your own mess.
• Don't take things that aren't yours.
• Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
• Wash your hands before you eat.
• Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
• Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint sing and dance and play and work every day some.
• Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that. Respect the roots and shoots that others have grown.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands, watch out for traffic and stick together.

After meeting with the upper divisions, I visited classes in the Lower School. I didn't share any of Fulgham's wisdom but instead, told them some jokes. Ask your child what a snake's favorite subject is in school (hisssstory) or how monsters get to school(on goul busses). They may not remember the answers, but it will be a fun conversation.

I'm excited about the year and feel revived having the kids back. The pace on campus is picking up steam, and it's going to be a great year!

New Parents and Students

It's always exciting to open a new school year, and I especially enjoy meeting and greeting new parents and students. They bring enthusiasm and energy along with a desire to be involved and gratitude that their child has been accepted.

At the New Parent reception yesterday, one of the more effusive parents asked if I knew what the community "buzz" was about GDS. I asked her to tell me and she said, "the best education in Greensboro!"

Standing in the theatre lobby, where I have seen students produce tremendous drama and musical productions, where 120 members of the faculty gather each month, where the Parents' Association leadership meets in support of the school and where we held the reception for our graduates just a few months earlier and looking out the window to the field where the soccer team was practicing I paused and thought to myself, "Yes, it is!"

That was a very nice thing to hear and a reminder of why I love GDS and meeting all the new parents.