Lise's Lens: October 6, 2022
This week, Lise reflects on the work CSW is doing in the PACE Program and the celebrates the newly elected student leaders and the End-of-Mod Shows.
WHAT I’M READING
- David Brooks’ recent opinion piece in the New York Times “The Crisis of Men and Boys” reinforced for me the importance of the work CSW is doing in the PACE program. According to Brooks, we are facing serious issues nationally (and apparently globally as well) regarding boys and men. He offered a powerful articulation of the problem: "[...]There is something in modern culture that is producing an aspiration gap. Many men just seem less ambitious….Ambition doesn't just happen; it has to be fired. The culture is still searching for a modern masculine ideal. It is not instilling in many boys the nurturing and emotional skills that are so desperately important today. A system that labels more than a fifth of all boys as developmentally disabled is not instilling in them a sense of confidence and competence…"
WHAT I’M LISTENING TO/WATCHING
- I must admit that I watched in horror images and videos of the terrible impact of Hurricane Ian, especially in Cuba and Florida. Two weeks ago it was Puerto Rico—and we are just at the start of hurricane season. As scientists continue to offer explanations and solutions (some that go ignored), and others debate the role global warming plays in the intensity and frequency of these storms, my thoughts go to those personally impacted—those on the ground trying desperately to rebuild their lives amidst total devastation. It breaks my heart.
WHAT I’M THINKING/TALKING ABOUT
- Leadership at CSW comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s highly visible schoolwide; sometimes it happens at the classroom level in ways of engagement that foster excellence in others and enhance the experience for all. We just had our round of elections at school for a few of our key leadership positions, including Advisory Board, Community Service Committee, Curriculum Committee, IDEA Committee, J-Board, Sustainability Committee and Class Coordinator. I continue to be impressed and inspired by how our entire community engages in the democratic process!Our students also lead by sharing what they have learned—leading with vulnerability—especially in venues like our End of Mod Shows. Typically these take place the last Wednesday of the mod, but due to the holiday, this EOM Show will take place on Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. There will be access to the show in the evening (5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.) for those who can't make it in the morning.
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
The hashtags that accompanied this recent social media post summed up so much about CSW —#goodatgettingbetter, #learningtosee, #notaboutthefinishline. Our students learn to deeply engage with the process of learning (and of life!) in so many different ways every day.
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.