Enjoy Your Ice Cream
In the middle of preparation for graduation speeches, good luck notes and so on, I find that pretty much every one of these lines of advice holds a kernel of value - and in fact they are all worth listening to.
It's at this time of year that all those maxims and cliches show up: take each day slowly, remember tomorrow begins the rest of your life, you are the leaders of tomorrow, etc. Yes, the last few weeks of school bring out the best and the worst in terms of advice, especially to our older students.
What I find, in the middle of preparation for graduation speeches, good luck notes and so on, is that pretty much every one of these lines of advice holds a kernel of value--and in fact they are all worth listening to.
So here's the advice I always give at the end of the year: slow down, pay attention and reflect. How do you want your school year to end? Are there students you need to reach out to? Teachers? Family members? Do you need to write that note of apology you never wrote? (It truly is never too late). Do you owe it to someone to say the words you never said?
And, SENIORS, before that last day that you are all together, is there someone in your class you would like to say hi to? CSW is a small school and now is the time to reach out.
At this time of year I find myself beginning to eat ice cream cones (mocha chip is the best of flavors!). Thornton Wilder, who wrote "Our Town" said: "My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it is on your plate.” I never quite know what he means by this but I always add to his thought by asking folks to savor their ice cream, slowly enjoying the flavors of a warmer season.
So take these last few weeks slowly, think before you act, and leave CSW a better place for your having been here.
Pocket Change is a web diary written by Jane Moulding, head of school.
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.