Jane's Pocket Change: The Nature of Education

As we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King this week and look to the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States, I am thinking about the broad nature of education. 
As we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King this week and look to the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States, I am thinking about the broad nature of education. 

At last week’s open forum for parents on matters of social justice, diversity and inclusion, our conversation ranged wide – from intellectual diversity and our definition of social justice, to the importance of heartfelt engagement about effective civil discourse, listening to each other and the conviction that true, deep engagement results in learning from others’ point of view. The mothers and fathers that gathered together with us on campus last Thursday evening were enthusiastically searching for something that might inspire their children to take pause, listen and learn from their own passions and the deep convictions of those we may not always agree with. We often recoil at the mention of things that we feel we can never agree with. This kind of listening is difficult, and requires a kind of discipline that is not always easy to access.

Dr. King talked about “intelligence plus character.” Perhaps that is what we aim for at CSW? We certainly know that finding one’s voice, seeking action that improves society and believe that diversity creates stronger, better discourse are important elements of our school community. We also know that this is a hard journey, for our students and the adults alike. What I heard last Thursday evening and what I read and see in my small sphere of research are messages about hope, conviction and activism, all of which I believe is worthwhile work – necessary work – that we must not abandon. 

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Pocket Change is a web diary written by Jane Moulding, head of school.

The Cambridge School of Weston is a progressive high school for day and boarding students in grades 9–12 and PG. CSW's mission is to provide a progressive education that emphasizes deep learning, meaningful relationships, and a dynamic program that inspires students to discover who they are and what their contribution is to their school, their community and the world.