Lise's Lens: October 13, 2022
This week, Lise adds Nobel Prize literature to her reading list and thinks of the privilege we have at CSW. As we consider Indigenous Peoples Day she also watched a Ted Talk that explored the ways water has been colonized and explored the CSW Art Instagram.
WHAT I’M READING
- It's Nobel Prize season, and I’ve realized that for two years in a row I did not know the Nobel Prize winners in Literature. To me that's both good and bad. It's great that the Nobel Prize committee has a broader lens than I thought—but what does that say about my reading habits??? I'm now determined to read books by both years' authors and assess their messages. (If you’re interested in catching up on your own Nobel literature, here’s the full list!)
WHAT I’M LISTENING TO/WATCHING
- I watched this TED Talk by Kelsey Leonard (TEDWomen 2019) which was recommended by our Director of Equity and Inclusion, Rosanna Salcedo. In it, Leonard explores the ways water has been colonized and urges us to think about what can be done to decolonize our relationship with water. As we considered Indigenous Peoples Day and the associated conversations we’ve been having at CSW, Rosanna offered this mindset statement: "Be in good relationship with land and other living beings," and posed this reflection question: “What can I do to be in good relationship with water?”
WHAT I’M THINKING/TALKING ABOUT
- I am thinking about the privilege I have (we have) in being here at CSW. It's not really about the money side of privilege (although that’s certainly something to consider). Rather, I’m talking about the deep care and connection our faculty and staff have with our students. Every year I marvel at the transformations that can take place for young people when the environment is suited to them. We are stewards of a powerful approach to learning, and we work hard to continue to adapt progressive education to our times — it is a true privilege for me to work in a place where this happens continuously.I’m constantly inspired by the dance and magic that happens between student and teacher, and the outcomes that flow from it. For example, this weekend I read through the statements and drawings from the Analytic Geometry Class and was reminded about the conditions needed to do meaningful work. There has to be an element of choice and connection to the material at hand. From there, all other elements like time on task, drafts, iterations, etc. flow naturally out of a desire to perfect and deepen one's work. It’s a gift to be a facilitator of, and a witness to, this process.
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
- The images by and of indigenous artists on the CSW Art Instagram page are stunning, and their various stories are deeply compelling.
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.