Mike's Letters

National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
 
Last week, several of us from RDS had the opportunity to attend the annual NAIS Conference, which was held in San Francisco this year, with over 4,000 independent school leaders and teachers from around the country.  The conference had its share of big-name speakers and educators: Arianna Huffington, Carol Dweck, Kip Fulbeck, and Tony Wagner - to name just a few. 
 
Of the presentations I attended, there were two that really stood out.  The first was by Reveta Bowers, Head of School at The Center for Early Education, a school in LA that offers a pre-school - 6th grade program. Reveta was riveting in her speech, which, among other things, included a family history of when her parents lived in Greenwood, Oklahoma, and through the Tulsa riots of 1921, all the way to their move to Los Angeles and the adoption of three Korean orphans into her immediate family.  Reveta-her own roots including African American, White, and Native Amercan heritages-has always been the pillar of integrity and sees opportunity where others  see crisis, left us all inspired.  That day Reveta was being honored with the only award given out by NAIS-The Diversity Award.  Her professional life as an educator since 1972 and her leadership in education and diversity throughout NAIS schools is a testament to a professional life built on commitment and integrity.
 
Juan Enríquez, the founding director of Harvard Business School's Life Sciences Project and an entrepreneurial geneticist, walked us through the various codes of genetics and technology, and how they are changing our future, and the future of education, right beneath our feet.  He talked about cows in Brazil and goats in Massachusetts that have been bred to produce milk that fights certain types of cancer.  No ordinary goats and cows: each sells for just over $1,000,000.  He had the full audience of 4,000 intellectually engaged for the entire 60 minutes, which seemed to fly by.  At the end, however, he warmly embraced his audience of educators.  Speaking personally, he took a minute to thank all of us who represent NAIS, and in particular his alma mater, which he described as "an independent school that took a chance on a teenaged kid from Mexico that could speak but not write in English."  After a pause he then added, and I paraphrase here:  I am here before you today, in large part because of that experience in an independent school.  Thank you for what you did for me, and for what you continue to do for others.
 
Over the three days, I was struck by how distinct all the NAIS schools are from one another. The word "independent" does indeed resound loudly through the whole of NAIS.  But in the end, it was Juan's closing remarks that reminded us all in attendance that at heart we share the same goal, I daresay a humanistic goal, that is, through the hard work of learning and studying - from history, to math, to ethics, to arts, to athletics: our students transform themselves.  And as their teachers, we too transform ourselves.  This is one of the shared tenets between humanistic psychology and educational institutions. 
 
On Wednesday, as I greeted some of the second graders upon their return from a fieldtrip, via ferry, to the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco for hands-on science that included the petting of actual sharks, I was flooded with images of the day before, when I accompanied the entire middle school to the Lawrence Hall of Science to explore the "What is Race?" exhibit.  At that moment I couldn't help but think back to Reveta and Juan's presentations.  As I watched the second graders tumbling through the Gallery I wondered: Which of these students is the next Reveta or Juan?  And deeper, I wondered, are we preparing them to discover their own authenticity and sufficiently inspire them to trust themselves as they mature into adults?  That is, when it's all said and done, that is what Reveta and Juan represent:  adults who act with passion and belief beyond themselves because they trust their authenticity.
 
With the NAIS Conference in the rearview mirror and the second graders scrambling about, my response in that moment, was, and still is, a resounding "Yes!"
 
I hope to see you all on Saturday evening at the annual RDS Auction, where we celebrate together the wonderful school and community that we have built: Redwood Day School.
 
Mike

January 29, 2010

One of the many reasons institutions create and maintain traditions is to handle the events that are, at times, otherwise overwhelming. Graduation and Step-Up are both good examples, as the literal change from one grade to another and the huge step from middle school to high school are too pregnant with emotion to handle gracefully without the container of tradition. 

This was as evident last Wednesday during our annual Dr. Martin Luther King Oratorical Festival, which this year occurred one week after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. This year, our RDS tradition was cast into sharp relief against the situation in Haiti and, more deeply, was a time for healing and empowerment. 

On Wednesday morning, the gym was packed - parents and guardians ringed the outside of the Assembly, and a panel of judges sat at a table in the back, in clear view of the participants. The air crackled with excitement, nerves, and anticipation. It is always moving to hear and see our students perform powerful speeches from the past, as well as material of their own. (And in keeping with the spirit of our school, we had many, many participants - both from the Lower and Middle Schools.) All of this energy was even more profound given the context of Haiti. That is, one week after the earthquake, hearing our students give voice to hope, resiliency, and faith inspired us to feel our power within as we looked outwards, towards Haiti.
 
At the conclusion of the Assembly, two of our parents who were born in Haiti - Yvy Eze (mother of Adamma, 2nd grade) and Isabelle Salgado (mother of Gabriel, 4th grade, and Daniel and Julian, K) - spoke to the crowd. First, they deeply thanked the school community for all that we are doing to send assistance to their country of origin. Second, they thanked us for the opportunity to share their experiences of Haiti. Finally, they made Haiti real and personal for us. Especially for our students, the newspaper photos and television footage are a few steps removed, but having two parents speak directly to them made the abstract real. Since the assembly, Yvy and Isabelle have shared their deep and personal knowledge about Haiti in smaller assemblies and in classrooms, discussing the country's strong sense of resilience and strength, throughout a very turbulent history. They have also showed the students many images of this beautiful country, allowing them to see a country beyond the destruction of the earthquake. This has resulted in some beautiful and poignant conversations. Deeper though, Isabelle and Yvy have helped to inspire our students to find creative ways to make a difference to the victims of the earthquake.  As testament, to date, our RDS community has already contributed more than $28,000 to help the people of Haiti. In many instances, this money has come right out of children's proverbial piggy banks.
 
And now we are seeing our students take action: from a bake sale in the Middle School - proceeds of which went to the Red Cross - to the Lower School student who approached me with the idea of donating the unclaimed items from our Lost & Found, to students donating a portion of their Bat Mitzvah gifts. Our students are engaged in making a positive difference. 
 
As time unfolds, we will move our students away from the direct donation of cash to thinking about more hands-on ways they can help. Our goal is to find ways that involve them more directly - where they can feel how their direct efforts make a difference. This will continue to provide much-needed aid to Haiti, as well as deeply embed in our students the knowledge and experience of making a difference, which is something we expect them to hold onto and nurture throughout their lives.
 
My dad always used to challenge me with a couple of old clichés that I'm sure we all heard growing up and that many of us still use today with our own children: "Make lemonade out of lemons"  and  "Every cloud has a silver lining - find it!"  (My dad liked to put his own spin on things.)  Given that the earthquake disaster in Haiti is beyond the ken of most of us, the challenge is to face this tragedy head on and to make sure that it does not overwhelm our children during these crucial phases of their development. I believe we, as a school, are on that path.
 
Have a restful weekend,
 
Mike

January 15, 2010

On Wednesday morning, an RDS parent left in my mail box an article from the Wall Street Journal, "Before You Gossip, Ask Yourself This...," by Jeffrey Zaslow. Two hours later, at our All-School Assembly, a third-grader announced that there was a lot of name-calling going on in his grade and it needed to stop. In the spirit of these synchronistic events, I want to share with you some practical advice from Zaslow about helping our children avoid the practices of gossip and name-calling, as our third-grade student so eloquently and responsibly requested.
 
In his article, Zaslow focused on the three questions that we have all heard and probably too easily have forgotten when it comes to gossip and name-calling. This wisdom has been passed down through the ages by various spiritual and religious groups. Before you say anything that borders on gossip or name-calling, you need to ask yourself three questions:
 
1.      Is what I'm about to say kind?
2.      Is what I'm about to say true?
3.      Is what I'm about to say necessary?
 
Your responses to these questions will unerringly guide you in what to say or not say. No deep philosophical inquiries here, just the facts.
 
That these questions are so simple and concrete means they are effective with both concrete thinkers (lower school students) and those entering or already in abstract thinking (middle school students, faculty, staff, administrators, parents, guardians). These questions ring true for us all.  
 
As a parent/guardian or teacher, posing these questions with our students caught in the act of gossip or name-calling is much more effective than simply telling them to stop, or worse, launching into lengthy lectures - especially lectures that are emotional. Instead, asking these questions invites them to judge their words and thoughts for themselves, rather than defend their actions to an adult.
 
Deeper still, when we connect these questions to their internal compasses, we strengthen their integrity.  "So you know that what you said was unkind (or not true or not necessary) and you still said it. How does that feel?  Was there a part of you that knew you shouldn't say it before you did? (Hint: There always is!)  Good.  Next time I suggest you listen to that part of yourself before you say anything like that. It'll help you avoid feeling the way you do now."
 
The bottom line is that we know all kids flirt with name-calling and gossip-it's part of growing up, for better and for worse. Our goal is to help them learn for themselves that this is not a desirable way to conduct their lives. My hunch is that if we all have these conversations-in many cases, over and over again-students will not feel the need to make announcements about name-calling at assemblies. And on this point I'm crystal clear: this can only happen if we work together, school and home.
 
Sometimes it's just three simple questions, coupled with boundless perseverance and patience, that can make all the difference. Think about it. Better yet, give it a try.
 
Have a wonderful weekend!
 
Mike
 
PS:  In the spirit of the power of words, I invite you all to the annual RDS Oratorical Festival on January 20 at our All-School Assembly.  Also, take the time over this long weekend to have some conversations with your children about the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I can think of no better role model and reinforcement of the three questions described above than Dr. King.

December 11, 2009

In five more school days, we will take a two-week break for the Winter Holidays, and we're all looking forward to it -- faculty, staff, students, parents, and guardians. It's a welcome respite from the daily rigors of life at school.  It's also a great time to reaffirm family and traditions we have during this time of year. (Speaking of traditions, I strongly urge you and your family to attend RDS's first-ever Celebration of Lights on Thursday, December 17. It promises to be a rich tradition that will grow and deepen every year.)
 
The break allows some of us extra time to spend with our kids, visit with friends, family and other loved ones, and maybe even to get away. Yet the holidays are often a time of added stress and pressure for many: shopping, decorating, parties, family gatherings... With the pleasure these activities bring, there are often intermittent bouts of friction in many families. That is, with high hopes and expectations, stress is a natural fallout. And at a time when we are often more homebound than normal, it is not unusual for us to push one another's buttons.
 
Today I write to urge you to reconsider the power of apology if these moments occur in your family.  Unfortunately, it is too easy to assume that others hear your implicit apology or to assume the other person is fine with what has happened, as evidenced by their silence and apparent need to not talk it through. Do not be fooled.
 
In an experiment by Dan Ariely, "The End of Rational Economics" (Harvard Business Review, July-August 2009), researchers hired an actor to interface with customers in a local coffee shop. The actor asked customers to find matching letters from several sheets of paper and promised each $5 for completing the task. Upon completion, he handed them a stack of singles and had them sign a receipt -- and he "mistakenly" overpaid them by two, three, or four dollars. The results were quite depressing: only 45% of the participants returned or acknowledged the extra money. A sad comment on society unto itself - and the subject of future letters I am sure.
 
In a variation of the first experiment, to test what they called the "annoyance" factor,  the actor received a phone call from a friend about pizza in the middle of his conversation with the coffee shop customer. The call lasted 15 seconds. At the conclusion of the phone call, he simply continued with his instructions to the customer. The focus of the experiment was to see if and to what extent this rude treatment affected the honesty of the participants. The results were shocking: only 14% of these participants gave the extra money back!
 
In a final variation of this experiment, and the topic of this letter, the actor - after receiving the phone call - offered a quick apology for the interruption and continued with his instructions. With this simple acknowledgement, the honesty jumped back up to 45%! 
 
All to say, if you want to live with the your own best selves and those of your children during this break, be sure to acknowledge your inevitable missteps during this hectic season.  Don't assume they understand your stress and have heard any implicit apology you have offered. They need to hear it and to see it with eye contact. Best of all, as you model this, they will pick up on your lesson and learn to accept responsibility and to offer appropriate apologies for their own transgressions, thus assisting you in living through your own best-self during this holiday season. The ultimate gift that keeps giving.
 
Have a nice weekend.
 
Mike

November 20, 2009
 
Earlier this year, PE teachers Tanna Hall and Jase Turner approached me about doing an interactive lesson with their colleagues, and last week they got their wish. We ended our Wednesday All Faculty/Staff meeting early and, much to the surprise of all in attendance, headed over to the gym. As I announced our destination, I also cautioned those furtively glancing at the back door that this meant everyone - it felt like I was at home announcing that we would all clean the kitchen!
 
A short while later, we reassembled in the gym, though truth be told, if one of our classes took this long to move from the library to the gym, the teacher in charge would be having a conversation with the class. We skipped over that conversation in favor of focusing on the task at hand - almost always the smart choice.
 
Coaches Hall and Turner met us with smiles and encouragement as they motioned us to have a seat on the bleachers. We were instantly transformed into attuned students as they described our activity: Medic.
 
For those of you not familiar with the game of Medic, it's a combination of team dodge ball and freeze tag - only wilder and more woolly than either. If you get hit by one of the many balls in play, you must drop to the ground until your team's medic touches you. There is only one medic per team so once that person is hit with a ball, and subsequently is out the remainder of the game, it's just a matter of time before the other players are eliminated, as well as any realistic chance of victory. For a more colorful description of this activity, ask any RDS student; it's one of their favorites.
 
Just about everyone participated, and those who did not shouted inspirational cheers to their colleagues, comments like: "Keep breathing!"  "Duck...  sooner!"  "I can't believe you missed!"  It took about 30 seconds for all of us to get what the students have been telling us all along: Medic is a cool game! It requires agility, communication, hand-eye-coordination, aerobic fitness, peripheral vision, quickness, strategy, teamwork, and a positive attitude. At the conclusion of our game, which took 10 - 15 minutes, Tanna and Jase left us with one simple observation: "Nice to see that everyone is breathing hard and sweating. This is what PE is all about at RDS."
 
Moments later, walking out of the gym and comparing notes, I couldn't help but notice the improved moods and outlooks across all our faces. It also made me again realize how important physical activity and PE are to our students. Recess is not a luxury for students, it's a necessity. And PE is one of the places where students get to explore a wide range of physical activities as they also experience the joy of movement and benevolent competition, especially under the tutelage of top-notch educators like Tanna and Jase.
 
Finally, since this is the last Friday Folder before Thanksgiving, hold on to the spirit of Medic - it might be a great family activity after dinner and before dessert. It's also important, throughout the upcoming break, to make sure your children have plenty of activity and outdoor time. If you're brave, you might even ask them to teach you a few of the other PE activities they have learned at RDS. Have a wonderful holiday!
 
Mike

November 6, 2009

Letter from Head of School Mike Riera and
Middle School Coordinator and Facilitator of the Faculty/Staff Diversity Strategic Plan Committee Jeanne Coyne Song

“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”  Barack Obama

The above quote by President Obama is an apt description of the RDS process and commitment to diversity.  The path we are on is not straightforward—it meanders, has more than its fair share of switchbacks, and sometimes even a few dead ends.  It also has moments of inspiration and clear vistas of breathtaking beauty.  And always, we are better off for making the journey.  With our Diversity Strategic Plan, we invite you to join us, no matter your pace. That is, we invite you to travel with RDS towards our vision of becoming an even more inclusive and welcoming community, balancing the tension and reaping the creativity between “intimate” and “diverse.”

Towards the end of Mike’s first year as Head of School, he asked a diversity consultant about creating a diversity strategic plan for RDS. The rather blunt response was “RDS is nowhere near ready for a plan of this scope and magnitude.”   Just over four years later, we are proud to say that RDS is not only ready for a comprehensive diversity plan--we are indeed on the verge of making it happen, which is the reason for this week’s letter: to get the community caught up on our progress and to solicit your feedback on the most recent draft of the plan. 

When you read the plan, you will notice first that it is directed towards and effective at the visionary level.  That is, it is essential for the community to understand and believe in the big picture before getting caught up in the operational goals of how we will make all of this happen.

Here is the journey we have been making since October 2007, when RDS hired Frances Kendall, Ph.D., to do a climate study, which took place in the spring of that academic year. The results were shared with faculty, staff, board members, parents, and guardians in the fall of 2008 at a series of after-school and evening meetings.  At that point, six faculty and staff came together to take on the daunting task of writing the first-ever RDS Diversity Strategic Plan. Since then they have met regularly, with much extra time put in over this past summer.  Frances Kendall has continued to consult with the group, which has been facilitated by Middle School Coordinator Jeanne Coyne Song. 

This fall the first draft of the plan was completed and shared with the Diversity Committee of the Board of Trustees, and shortly afterwards with the entire Board of Trustees, for critical feedback. That feedback was then incorporated into a second draft version, which was in turn shared and discussed with faculty and staff, which brings us to the present. 

This link leads to the current draft of the RDS Diversity Strategic Plan on our website. We invite all parents and guardians to take some time to read this document.  You have the opportunity to learn more about the plan directly from the committee members by attending one of two informational meetings listed at the end of this letter.  Your feedback can come back to us via an online survey (look for a link by email next week) and/or a drop-box in the School’s Gallery.

Once the committee members have all the feedback, they will look for themes and ideas to include when they write up the action items that will bring the plan to life. The final draft will be presented to the Head of School for acceptance, after which he will work with the committee to create a process for oversight, planning, timing and accountability of the action items.

How we form, implement, and evaluate the operational goals derived from this plan is of vital importance. This process must keep the plan alive, durable, flexible, and purposeful. We imagine the final process will include a small committee working with the Head of School and Department Heads to formulate a set of clear, measurable goals on a regular basis to build into the plan. And in the spirit of inclusion, these goals will be made public, as well as the successes and setbacks in implementation. 

The direction and work that the Diversity Strategic Plan will set forth is profound and appropriate for such a robust school as RDS. We are ourselves a diverse community that has come together for a singular purpose felt everyday in the hallways and on the grounds of our school: the well-being of our children—the future generation of our great nation. To some this plan will seem grandiose, to which we say the foundation of our country is built upon the shoulders of those who looked around and had the courage to say: “it could be better.”  To others, the plan will seem to fall short, to which we say: the journey of 1,000 miles starts with one step, and to which we add, “and continues, step after step.”

As parents, guardians, and educators we have the responsibility to participate in making RDS an even more inclusive school. Our children are growing up and being educated to be successful and courageous members of a global community. We cannot stand in their way.  In the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, “be the change you wish to see in the world.” Read the plan. Turn in your feedback. Have your voice heard and counted.

Please join us for one of these community information meetings.

Tuesday, November 17, 6:30-8:00 p.m.   
Lower School Multipurpose Room           
6:00-6:30 p.m. Pizza & salad provided       
*Childcare provided for school-aged children.  Please RSVP to:  DiversityCommittee@rdschool.org

Tuesday, December 1, 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Middle School Multipurpose Room
8:00-8:30 a.m. Light refreshments provided

Yours in service,

Mike Riera & Jeanne Coyne Song

RDS Community and the Parents' Association

October 23, 2009

There were no empty parking spaces and Sheffield Avenue was lined with cars. The weather was divine and spirits light. Boys and girls scurried up the climbing wall - some moved faster than an elevator while others cautiously took their time, each pausing long enough to acknowledge their record from the previous year. Students raced out of the jumpee only to get right back in line. Baskets were shot, and balloons were tossed. Parents and guardians mingled, introductions ensued. Children and adults moved freely about with just enough activity to keep everyone engaged but not overwhelmed.  Each hour was marked by a wave of kids with the same soccer jerseys leaving and passing another wave of different colored jerseys arriving.
 
In short, it was the Annual RDS Parents' Association Picnic. And as in the past, it was a wonderful event - a hallmark of our community.
 
Underlying the success of this event is a core RDS value. It's not just that the picnic is fun and the food is good. It's not just that the activities are varied and engaging. It's not just the opportunity to meet new families. Actually, it's all of the above plus something else that binds all this together: we enjoy one another and we value community.
 
Community does not just happen of its own accord, nor can it easily be manufactured. Community, in the case of RDS, emerges from the fabric of each of us and occurs because it is important to us. It is also intentional, and at RDS one of the constants in this arena is the work of the RDS Parents' Association. Over many years, they have worked behind the scenes to ensure and honor community.  The RDSPA is made up solely of volunteers that include those new to RDS and those who have been here almost since the School moved to Sheffield Avenue. The blend is beautiful: tradition with innovation; history in the present; wisdom with creativity. 
 
While the RDSPA Picnic is a longstanding tradition, the RDSPA also makes room for the new. Just last week, Prism showed It's Elementary, a film that addresses anti-gay prejudice and provides caregivers with pragmatic ways to talk with children about gay people. After the screening, 35 RDS parents and guardians had a wonderful discussion about the film, the issues presented, and the challenges therein.  It was another example of community in action.
 
Just around the corner is the annual Book Fair, which kicks off with a singular RDS event: the Book Bug Boogie. During the Book Fair, we reaffirm our commitment to literature, as a school and as families. At the Boogie, we affirm our understanding of middle schoolers and their need to take risks in a safe community, while at the same time relishing the joy, humor, and inspiration they bring to their various performances. 
 
All to say that the RDS Parents' Association is on fire! The activities are participatory, varied, complex, and reflective of the "intimate, diverse community" that is RDS. Heartfelt thanks to all the families that comprise the body and leadership of the RDSPA and all that you do in making "community" much more than a word.
 
Have a great weekend.
 
Mike

October 8, 2009

Letter from Head of School Mike Riera and
Director of Learning Services Toby Mickelson

Over the years you have heard lots of advice on how to help your children with homework: make sure they have a clean and clear space in which to work; be present; let them do their own work; be patient; be more patient.  In the end you have discovered, more or less, what works and what does not.  Today we want to point out a slightly different take on helping with homework, one that has to do with recognizing the underlying learning that is at play.

When it comes to learning it’s not nearly as straightforward as many think. Let’s start with a simple question: What needs to be in place for learning to occur?  What do you come up with?

For certain, you need attention, and ideally a little motivation as well.  But is that enough?  Not really.  You also need some sort of instructor—an actual teacher, a book or video, or an event that causes real reflection.  But even with attention, motivation, and a teacher, there is no guarantee that learning will occur.  As an example, think about your experiences trying to learn something that you never quite mastered: a foreign language, a musical instrument, or calculus.  You gave it your attention, you were motivated, and you had a teacher, yet it never worked out as you had hoped.  What was missing?
 
In an earlier Friday Folder we announced that one of the foci this year is learning and teaching, in that order.  To this end, the RDS faculty and staff spent a morning before the school year began examining learning and one of its foremost barriers: information overload. It happens more often and more quickly than most of us realize. Think about the last time you tried to help your child with homework.  Remember that funny look on their face or perhaps their arguing with you or your advice?  That was probably information overload.  Lots of times in our efforts to help our children we give them way too much information, which leads to what we call acting out or misbehaving

Two of the primary tenets of learning  - learning purpose and organization - are disturbed when there is information overload. Learning purpose refers to what is being taught, and this must be spelled out clearly and concisely to students: “Today we will learn how to add two, single-digit numbers.”  “We are learning to recognize words with a silent e.”  “Today we are going to effectively learn how to recognize and avoid split infinitives.”  (With due respects to William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White.)  The second tenet of learning, organization, means that students must organize the information in such a way that it is available to them when needed and on an ongoing basis.  That is, if they take in the information without organizing it, they haven’t really learned the material, which is akin to our attending a lecture that we found brilliant and several hours later only being able to remember one or two salient points.

Many non-professional educators slip up by having an unclear or too ambitious learning purpose, and most falter when it comes to helping their children or students organize the material just taught.  Some activities that assist in the organization of new materials include: writing or saying it in your own words, a few minutes of silent reflection, time for questions and engaging discussion, teaching the information to another student.  

In seventh and eighth grade math, Jim Rendle helps students to organize information by having them self-assess their mastery over a concept by demonstrating success in three areas: 1.  Solid assessment score; 2.  Ability to describe the process of what they have learned; 3.  Ability to find and describe a mistake in someone else’s work.  To succeed in these three areas, students have to take in the information and organize it on a deep level.

Okay, by now many of you are glad that you aren’t teachers. We write about this today to point towards another way that you can be helpful to your child in their homework.  That is, much of what students do as homework is reinforcing and organizing learning that took place during the school day.  To best assist your children, here are a few tips:

1. Look at the homework and try to give words to the learning purpose.  Engage your child in this.   “Is this about x?”  Let them correct you, and ideally each correction helps the learning purpose get more specific.  Persist until you find a phrase that you both agree on.
2. Help them to organize the material: “Tell me in your own words when to use el or la in Spanish.”  “Draw a picture of the game you were playing in P.E.”   “Teach me how to multiply fractions.”

Be patient with yourself if you take this on.  And if you do, you will notice that helping out with homework may become more peaceful and friendly over time.  You will be less judgmental about your child’s actual success and speed in completing their homework. As you are more curious about the learning purpose of the assignment, your child will naturally become more engaged, both with the work and with you. You will also have a much better sense of what they are learning in school, which in turn is a foot in the door to other tangential conversations.  

Finally, in the spirit of organizing information, please go talk about this letter to somebody, or better yet, teach it to someone who has not read it!

Have a great weekend.

Mike and Toby

September 25, 2009

One of the challenges in any school is thorough communication of all that goes on in the different grades and classrooms over the course of a year to its various constituencies—parents, guardians, faculty, staff, trustees, students, and interested families. That is, as a parent/guardian you generally have in-depth information and experience on one or two classrooms at a time, and at best, a cursory sense of the grades not yet experienced. At RDS, one of the overarching goals of the Friday Folder is to give everyone a better sense of our philosophy and what goes on day to day at the School, along with all the logistical information you need to know.

Besides the obvious and valuable green benefits to going paperless, our shift to an electronic, web-based newsletter was based, in part, on the goal of more comprehensive and varied communications. As you have no doubt observed, we have been adding recurring sections to the Friday Folder. The first new section we introduced was Learning Spotlight, which focuses on a specific moment of learning and teaching in the classroom. Our goal is to bring the learning and the expertise of our faculty to everyone’s attention. The second, Greening, is designed to keep you abreast of all that we are doing throughout the campus and in the classrooms to teach and implement environmentally-sound thinking and practices in our community. The third, Honoring, was created to share with parents and guardians a vital and mission-driven ritual practiced at RDS—in classes, at assemblies, and during faculty/staff meetings: honoring. While you will see some of these sections intermittently, Honoring will appear each week, which speaks volumes about how much our parents, guardians, and other family members contribute to this community.

This week, we introduce a fourth recurring section, Diversity Spotlight, which is a re-designed version of last year’s Diversity Corner. In this feature, which we will publish every four or five weeks, you will find entries from teachers about an aspect of diversity that was part of a planned piece of curriculum or arose during discussion on another topic. (Please note: due to space limitations we can only give teachers one entry.) We are presenting these stories because we believe that one of the most effective ways to describe what we mean by diversity is to show you what we actually do.

In creating the Diversity Spotlight:

1. We want everyone to have a better sense of the range and depth of diversity education happening at RDS during any given period of time.
2. Through your knowledge of what is happening in the classroom, you will be able to engage your children in follow-up conversations that otherwise might not have occurred
3. You will see the multiple ways our teachers define and make use of the concept of diversity, which in turn will help you to see how this diversity work deepens our students’ thinking, as well as hones their critical thinking abilities.
4. You will also see how this work permeates our thinking at RDS and works towards creating the “diverse, intimate community” to which we aspire.

One of the side benefits of our new web-based Friday Folder is that we can archive these new sections. Thus, six months or a year from now, anyone wanting to know what RDS does in terms of diversity or environmental education and practice will have numerous, on the ground examples to read and learn from. Finally, through these sections, we will all develop a deeper understanding of the rich educational work that our teachers are engaged in with your children, on a daily basis.

Have a great weekend.

Mike

Special Honoring: As many of you know, last Friday was Malia Connor’s last day as RDS Receptionist due to scheduling conflicts that came up this year. We honor Malia for her four years of service to the Redwood community and wish her the very best. She will be missed. Thank you, Malia. Stepping in to help out in the Front Office this week and next is Tiffany Brown. Please stop by and say hello.

Septemebr 11, 2009

Learning from our mistakes is not automatic, but if we are willing to take a hard look at them, there is the opportunity for growth. The airline industry learned this in their efforts to reduce crashes attributable to pilot error.

From 1940 to 1990, no matter how much the airlines tried, they were unable to lower the percentage of crashes attributable to pilot error: 65%. However, beginning in the 1990’s, this percentage began to drop radically to its current rate of approximately 30%. In fact, the drive to the airport became much more dangerous than the flight on a commercial airline. What happened?

Essentially, it was the advent of the flight simulator, which allowed pilots—in a safe environment—to experience a wide range of in-flight troubles and to learn from their reactions. That is, according to Jonah Leherer, author of How We Decide, “Instead of memorizing lessons, a pilot can now train the emotional brain, preparing the parts of the cortex that will actually make the decision when up in the air,” (pg. 252). It was how pilots debriefed from their flight simulations that made as much a difference as the actual exercises themselves. Each decision was scrutinized from a variety of angles, even the good ones. This type of review is intellectually and emotionally draining, but highly productive.

At RDS, we have our own institutional annual debrief, and while not nearly as comprehensive as what pilots go through during flight-simulator training, our annual Parent Survey is thoroughly discussed, reflected upon, and learned from by all of our Department Heads.

Every spring for the past six years, we have asked parents and guardians to complete a Parent Survey about their experience at RDS. Over my time here, that information has been incredibly useful in making mid-course adjustments as well long-term improvements—sometimes in the areas of program and curriculum, other times in improving how we communicate what we already are doing. Like the data confronting airline pilots, the information isn’t always easy to read. In part, this is because besides the quantitative results, the Department Heads and I read each and every single comment a parent or guardian writes—usually twice. We first discuss the survey at our spring retreat, when we look for patterns, unexpected areas of concern, and communication issues. In August, we get together at a second retreat and create some goals for the year, in part based on the feedback gathered in the Parent Survey.

This year, in addition to our own internal work with the survey, we had an outside consultant analyze the data. Below are a few of the consultant’s key findings (based on 187 completed surveys by RDS families), and some of the resultant initiatives we have at the School for the 2009-2010 academic year. As you will see, some are directly related to the survey while others are not.

Key Findings

• Overall satisfaction with RDS is at 96%
• 94% of respondents feel RDS has a strong reputation and 90% enthusiastically recommend the School
• 90% or more of parents and guardians agree:
  • RDS has a ‘broad, engaging curriculum’
  • RDS attends to the ‘emotional needs of children’
  • RDS’s mission statement accurately reflects ‘the culture of the school’
  • RDS attends to the ‘developmental needs of children’
  • RDS does a good job of ‘exposing students to multicultural perspectives’
• 94% understand and support the need for fundraising at RDS

The findings show RDS in a strong position as an educational leader in the East Bay, and as always there are areas for improvement. One of the pieces that surfaced in the Parent Survey was the question of academic rigor. In reading these comments, it seemed as though there was an assumed “either/or.” Either the curriculum is rigorous, or it is developmental. The reality is that it can be and is “both/and.” I hope my letter in last week’s Friday Folder and some of what you are hearing at the Back to School Nights bring to life this connection of rigor and developmental education. In fact, they are inseparable. At the same time, we will work this year to better point out where and how the rigor occurs at RDS. It’s not always an easy dynamic to spot; for example, we know that rigor is not as simple as a seventh grader sitting at a desk with a pile of books next to her while she works into the wee hours of the night. That is usually just overwork, which more frequently leads to exhaustion rather than intellectual growth. Rigor is a much more complex phenomenon.

An example of rigor that comes to mind right away was middle school science teacher Lindsay Sandzik’s seventh-grade digestive project last year. She broke the students into groups of four. They were all responsible for memorizing the anatomy and function of the digestive system by rewriting the lyrics to a popular song. The students chose the song. In addition, they had to sing the song (some groups even chose to play instruments as well) and make a video to show to their classmates. This project required the intellectual effort of learning the digestive system, social cooperation in working together, taking risks through performance, and all the inherent ups and downs of filming and editing a successful video. And there was much more between the lines - if you remember anything about your seventh grade year, I need not say anymore! That was a project that exhibited rigor in multiple facets.

As we move forward into this year, we have reflected on the past in our planning: through the Parent Survey; conversations with faculty, staff, trustees, parents/guardians, and students; observations in and out of classrooms; and discussions with other schools. We have learned a great deal, which has led us to engage in three initiatives.

1. Teaching and Learning: Building on the work we have done with All Kinds of Minds, we are digging in deeper to what it takes to educate students successfully. Beginning with our summer reading, Why Don’t Students Like School?, and on into our in-service meeting with neurocognitive specialist Chuck Ahern, we began the year with an investigation of what needs to be in place cognitively for learning to occur. Learning Services Director, Toby Mickelson, and I are building on this by leading a year-long seminar for 14 teachers, helping them to make use of the relevant research and insight from neuroscience and psychology. We do so as a way to deepen our ability to work with a diverse group of learners in each class and grade level. That is, we aim to engage, prepare, and inspire each student at their highest level of ability on any given day.
2. Diversity: While 90% of families surveyed are satisfied with the level of multicultural exposure at RDS, we know that we must go further. We must deepen our understanding of and work with diversity. Beginning with the focus groups in the spring of 2008, our Diversity Plan is moving along and will be vetted with trustees, faculty/staff, and families this fall and finalized shortly thereafter. The purpose of this plan is to build diversity into the operational structure of RDS. The SEED group is in its third year with 13 active participants. They meet monthly as a group to study diversity and connection through shared readings, films, and dramatic performances. Our faculty and staff of color continue to meet once a month as an ongoing affinity group.
3. Green Council: Comprised of faculty, staff, parents, students, and trustees, this committee is already making inroads on school-wide environmental education and practice. From the creation of a strong recycling and composting program to our green Friday Folder, much is already in place—with more to come.

I share all this with you to let you know the key findings from the Parents Survey, as well as how we use this information. Further, I want you to know a bit more about the three initiatives we will be focusing on for the year. In sum, we are in great shape, and there are areas we continue to work on and move forward in. Or, as my dad used to tell me: “Self-satisfaction is a sure sign that your forward progress is about to stop.”

Have a great weekend.

Mike

Earlier this week Ryan Helton sent me the link to an article from the NY Times: “Let the Kid Be,’” by Lisa Belkin, where I first read the phrase “free-range parenting.” Lenore Skenazy came up with this phrase to describe an approach to parenting that is not fear-based and that extols the virtues of a much slower pace in raising our children. As summer quickly approaches, I can think of no better advice.

Come up with your own version of free-range parenting this summer, just be sure to include lots of downtime for the kids; a little boredom that eventually leads to bursts of creativity and engagement; a liberal bending of the rules that allows for more laughter and silliness; and a few more breakfasts for dinner throughout the next couple of months.

Your children, our students, have worked hard these past 10 months and they need some time to assimilate all that they have learned and to re-energize themselves. They also need to have their imaginations stretched and their curiosity engaged.

Or, as the famous Zen master Shunryu Suzuki once wrote (Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind) about control: “To give your sheep or cow a large, spacious meadow is the way to control him.” So let’s give our children plenty of room this summer.

Finally, remember, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Or in this case, what’s good for your child is also good for you.

See you all at Step-Up next week!

Mike

May 15, 2009

As our end-of-the-year festivities pick up speed, now is also the time when we plan and think about the next school year. As we reflect on curriculum and program each year, we continually seek ways to deepen our commitment to our core values as a school. This year, we have thought much about RDS in terms of our community and the environment. In this regard, we have a few changes planned for the upcoming year that we anticipate becoming part of the fabric of our school.

Since early this year, we have been researching what it will take for RDS to become a greener and more environmentally sustainable school. We have met with the Parents’ Association’s Green Committee, faculty, staff, and trustees, and worked with Deborah Moore, a nationally-known consultant who has had great success in helping schools become green. Through this process, we have learned a great deal, and this spring formed a Green Council that will advise us on how to achieve the general goal of becoming a more environmentally aware and responsible school. The committee is comprised of faculty, staff, parents, trustees, and students, and is led by our Director of Enrichment and After-School Programs, Meredith Spencer. As we move forward, Deborah Moore will continue to consult with the Green Council, which convenes its first meeting next week. We will keep the community apprised of our advances through the Friday Folder, the website, and other—green!—methods.

Next year, we will also assertively move towards more electronic communication and phase out much of our paper usage. Friday Folders will be distributed online in both divisions, with a limited number of paper copies still available in the Gallery. Progress reports and middle school three-week reports will be electronic. The Student Handbook will also be distributed online, in a downloadable format.

In line with our environmental objectives, we have also reviewed what we cover in middle school science and, to this end, will incorporate the study of the environment into next year’s sixth-grade curriculum, with even more in-depth environmental studies in eighth grade. The capstone of these curricular changes is a shift in the eighth grade outdoor education trip. For the past six years, students have gone to Washington, D.C. for a week of exploring history in our nation’s capital.

Next year, the trip will be to Catalina Island for a program offered jointly by Catalina Island Camps and the Ocean Futures Society (founded by Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of Jacques Cousteau). The focus is on the environment, and the trip is meant as the final piece of increased curricular attention on issues of sustainability. Through the inspirational natural environment of Catalina Island, students will learn and experience how they can make a positive difference in living more sustainable lives. Team-building challenges and activities will include: an introduction to basic snorkeling skills and using them to study the kelp bed ecosystem; an ecology hike in which students will search for endemic plants and animals and discuss the impact of humans and introduced plants and animals on the island ecosystems; education on sustainable living through conservation, recycling, reuse, and alternative energy; experience with gardening and composting; and one of the highlights, a night snorkel complete with underwater flashlights.

In terms of our ongoing work on diversity, the Diversity Strategic Plan Committee has been meeting all year and next fall will solicit feedback from the community on the working document they are creating this spring and summer. The effort of this committee is an outgrowth of the nineteen focus groups we conducted in the spring of 2008 and has been guided by our consultant, Francie Kendall.

As expected, the committee’s work is already initiating changes in the School. That is, one of their early draft recommendations was to look at what holidays the School celebrates and how we celebrate them. As a direct result of this reflection, next year we will inaugurate César Chávez Service Day on March 31, 2010. On that day, the entire school – K-8 students, faculty and staff – will devote the first half of the day to service in our community; in the afternoon we will reconvene at RDS to discuss our experiences and to learn more about César Chávez and his life’s work.

We have also made both a date and venue change to our largest single community event: Winter Concert. Next year’s Winter Concert will be held at Kofman Auditorium on February 11. The change of venue ensures that our entire K-8 community can gather in one place to celebrate our rich tradition of musical performances. The change in timing falls more in line with our curriculum as it gives students and teachers an additional seven weeks of study and practice, and creates less disruption around the already-shortened month of December.

Finally, I would like to thank all the parents and guardians who took the time to complete our annual Parents’ Survey. Over the spring, the department heads will read every comment and discuss them as a group. This will inform our work over the summer and the goals we set for next year. In addition, I will write a Friday Folder highlighting some of the results of the survey—qualitative and quantitative. With that said, we can already say that the key quantitative aspects of the survey as reported back to us by our statistical consultant are quite favorable: 96% satisfaction with RDS, 92% satisfaction with the Mission Statement, and 90% satisfaction with the exposure to multicultural perspectives. And, of course, there is much insightful feedback that points the way to continued improvement as a learning community, which is the main reason we conduct this annual survey. So again, thanks for taking the time and energy to share your experiences with us.

Have a great weekend,

Mike

May 1, 2009

We all recognize the behavioral pattern associated with our children when they are going through a growth spurt. A few days before this leap, they get moody, clumsy, and impatient. Sometimes they consume huge amounts of food and other times they barely touch their pasta. With time, we come to understand the pattern: this particular constellation of behaviors means physical growth in the next few days. And the reality is that the growth typically occurs over the course of one night. That is, growth hormones are released during sleep so our kids can literally grow up to 1/8th inch over the course of a night. Looking at our children at breakfast or on the ride home after one of these physical spurts, we may chastise ourselves for not paying closer attention. We think to ourselves that the explanation must be that we are not looking closely enough to have noticed this change. But the reality is that all the precursors for growth were in play all along, though just out of our view.

Stretching this concept of growth spurts (pun intended) better informs us to what happens in our children during these last couple of months of school: learning spurts. All year long they have been taking in new information, learning and refining skills, and clarifying their self-identities. To date, learning has often been three steps forward, one step back. But in May and June, this pace shifts. Now instead of steps forward, students frequently take leaps forward. The kindergartener who goes from a non-reader to a voracious reader over the course of a couple of weeks; the guitar player who makes the leap from open chords to bar chords seemingly overnight; or the struggling rope-jumper who is suddenly doing multiple trick jumps. It is education at its most beautiful.

As with physical growth, the learning growth throughout the year may go unnoticed for periods of time. In the spring, it is suddenly on display for all to see. And frequently this growth is inspiring: the art and music shows, the songs at assembly, the plays (the first ever RDS musical!), the newfound ease with math problem sets, the sporting events, the science fairs.

As you take in the array of public events this spring, be sure to pause long enough to reflect on all the growth—physical, intellectual, emotional, and social—that has occurred in your child and her peers since September. Really take it in. Then, be sure to let your child see the effect their learning spurts have had on you. This attention is the glue that solidifies and helps our children internalize all this growth. And a bit later, stop by and let their teacher know what you have seen. They will appreciate this more than words can ever convey.

Have a great weekend!

Mike

April 17, 2009

Our guest writer today is Thelma Lancaster, Cooking & Computer Teacher; Chief Interstices Director

This is a torrential query in computer lab. It pushes my buttons, so I have been reflecting and mulling over why it has such a powerful impact on me.

As parents, we want to help our children. When they are very young, we support every footstep, literally and figuratively. We are so engaged in the process of helping, that it is difficult to step back and evaluate what is truly “helpful.” In the computer lab, a kindergartener’s challenge is to follow logical sequential processing, moving from one step at a time to five-, six-, seven-part instructions. The help-rules posted are to first think, second look at the board at the written instructions, third ask a neighbor, and fourth ask the teacher. Time and again, the students turn immediately to me, because I am an adult and they are in the habit of mind to seek answers and validation for each step from an adult. It is my struggle too, not to immediately answer. True help is to let them continuously push the envelope of their own abilities to figure it out. By helping them at each individual step, I am robbing them of their potential to truly learn.

When teaching cooking, I also see this dependency. Rather than rassling with challenges, with the scope of an entire recipe, students just want the answer: “what do I do next?” The anxiety of confusion strips them of the joy of working out a complexity. We do them such a disservice to solve their problems, ease the path, “help.” This place of muddled search, trying different solutions, doing it yourself, is the foundation to the brilliance of humanity. Again, as parents, we want them to do it “right.” So we don’t have them wash the dishes because they won’t be clean enough. They don’t make complicated food because they might do it wrong. The power of mistakes and imperfect production as a positive learning tool is lost. Our parental feedback to their efforts too often is noticing that the dish is not clean enough, rather than celebrating their long arduous path to achievement. In six months they will have clean dishes; it is our job to support the struggle, not clean the plates.

When we validate each step a child makes, they become emotionally dependent on that input for every process. They look to others as key arbiters of their learning. Intrinsic motivation, desire to figure something out for oneself, perseverance through imperfect products and joy in independently discovering the next step: these are the true goals of helping launch a life-time learner.

This parental codex, to pull back and back and back, continues for a lifetime. The failure to launch of twenty-somethings is our legacy of “help.” When my twenty-something son asks for advice, “what should I do next,” my best response should be to support his decision-making. I must admit, advice slithers out of my mouth, even as the blood drips from trying to bite my tongue. But I am trying.

Thelma

Today's guest writer is Ray Wilson, Upper School Director

March 27, 2009

“Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children.”
Sitting Bull, Sioux Chief

This quote has resonated with me throughout my educational career because of the profound charge for intentional collaboration among everyone who has the ability and position to influence children. Working in schools is the optimal place for such partnerships to take place. Whether it is the classroom teacher, administration, staff, parents, or coaches, each has a responsibility to think beyond themselves and to look ahead at the future. It is apparent that in doing so, students must be given the space and tools to be an active participant in the shaping of the world in which they inhabit.

Children have the capacity to meaningful impact the world in which they live, and the world in which they will inherit. By dwelling on the latter, it is amazingly clear that all schools have the distinct opportunity to prepare students for what lies ahead by creating experiences that aim at helping students begin their journey to discovering their sense of purpose and how, through their talents and resources, they can positively make a difference in the world.

As we plan for our high school, preparing students to be active in their community is an integral part of the curriculum. Integrating programming that promotes sustainability and eco-literacy, four-year financial planning, and philanthropy programs, RDS upper school students will be able to creatively address the demands placed upon them by the world they will inherit. More importantly, through continuous dialogue amongst all involved in the partnership, students included, a genuine understanding and willingness to work together will make our upper school a vibrant and cohesive educational community.

Many of the elements of the upper school community described above are a continuation of the dynamic K-8 program at RDS. For example, as our lower school students worked together on the Good Cents program, it became clear that a rich conversation emerged about the positive impact their decision made on society, and specifically the homeless, through their decision to support the East Oakland Community Project (http://www.eocp.net/).

As a community, we are definitely working towards a common goal of being the best we can be to support our children. There is a distinct energy on campus, embedded in the laughter and supportive exchanges between adults and students, that illustrates RDS students are engaged, prepared, and inspired to be our future leaders.

So in the words of Sitting Bull, “Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children.”

See you around campus!

Ray Wilson
Upper School Director

Today's Guest Writer is Jeff Weiler, Chief Financial Officer/Asst Head of School

Most kids look forward to summer vacation. For some it’s a time for travel, others look forward to summer programs. Middle school kids in particular relish the thought of sleeping in, no homework, and the virtually unfettered opportunity to text friends and “hang.”

But it’s still March. Other than parents contemplating summer programs, most summer thoughts are daydreams that don’t entail serious planning. Most, but not all.

The Business Office does more than pay bills and collect tuition. We also take care of the physical campus. And with 360 kids and 70 adults active in 50,000 square feet of space on nearly four acres of land, there’s a lot to take care of.

Our summer planning starts about a week before school opens. That’s when we realize that, once again, we’re not going to get through our entire list of projects. Sure, the big items got checked off, but there are always more “nice to do’s” than time to do them. For example, last summer we wanted to repaint the locker rooms, but time ran out. Like the Brooklyn Dodgers of old, our battle cry is “Wait until next year!”

March is when serious planning begins. There’s the routine stuff, like scheduling fire sprinkler testing and fire marshal inspections. Assigning rooms for summer programs is always tough, because we typically paint about half the rooms every summer and won’t know which ones will really need work until later.

And there’s the less routine stuff. Painting and general maintenance just keep things going. Capital projects are permanent improvements, and every summer we aim to start at least one project that will produce lasting benefits. They can be grand and impressive, like new buildings, subtle, like landscaping, or almost invisible, like energy-efficient lighting or upgraded boiler controls.

So what lies ahead for this summer? We’re assembling suggestions now, and the final list won’t be locked in until the Board approves the list in May, but we’re mindful that the economy is rocky and that grandiose schemes are going to have to wait for another time. Thrift is in, so we’re going to continue our focus on smaller projects that can save energy and water, or that help kids do a better job recycling.

Small things can make a big difference in a teacher’s life, and no teacher has ever had enough storage. Especially in the lower grades, many teachers end up shuttling boxes of materials from home to school to home, all year long. Building teacher storage isn’t a glamorous project, but it’s one that may be appreciated more than many larger projects.

So if you’re ready to start thinking about summer, think about Redwood. It’s not just teachers and administrators who have brilliant ideas. The old saying is that sometimes you can’t see the forest because of all the trees in the way. When it comes to improvements, sometimes folks working in schools can’t see the trees because of all the darned leaves.

Shoot me an e-mail if you have an idea, or if there’s a facilities question you’ve been itching to ask. It may only be March, but it’s time to start thinking about summer.

Sincerely,

Jeff Wieler

February 27, 2009

During our Wednesday All-School Assembly we witnessed an inspired performance by a Chinese Acrobat Troupe from Beijing, China. I’m not sure that I have ever seen our audience—K through 8, faculty and staff—so rapt for an entire program. The five performers dazzled and bedazzled the crowd from start to finish. From gymnastics, to foot juggling, to board balancing on a rolling pin, to unicycle riding - these performers had it all.

For all of us it was not only the gravity-defying feats and the incredible displays of both strength and flexibility that stood out, but also the ease with which they performed each act. Both were equally impressive. The performers were the epitome of grace.

Throughout the rest of the day, I caught myself replaying the images of their performance, searching within my body for what it might feel like to try some of these feats. (Yes, all of us who work in education, like your children, have active imaginations!) Walking the playground I watched as students attempted to recreate aspects of the performance, some within the guidelines of acceptable behavior, some not. Some students grasped marginal success, others not. All to say the acrobats’ performance lingered long after they left campus.

At the conclusion of the day I was in a meeting with administrators and staff. Over the previous two months we had had the assignment to observe one middle school teacher in action. (We had observed lower school teachers in the fall and will observe specialist teachers in the spring.) In this meeting we were debriefing on what each of us had observed and what we had learned about teaching middle school students. The conversation was also interspersed with moments of laughter as our own middle school years, often unexpectedly, bloomed in front of us.

At one point during the discussion, I found myself repeating and savoring some of the words I had heard more than a few times in descriptions of our middle school teachers: vulnerable, humorous, flexible, strong, risk-taking, authentic, quirky, limit-setting, connected, and honest. Yes, I thought to myself, these are the qualities necessary to succeed with middle school students. For example, some aspect of vulnerability in a teacher is necessary to gain students’ trust. That is, vulnerability resonates with all middle school students because they themselves are so vulnerable. Furthermore, as a result, and for better and worse, they have finely-honed radar for vulnerability in others. If one pretends not to be vulnerable they never connect, but if one is too vulnerable they pounce. Humor is another example. Only the teachers who can authentically laugh at themselves can invite students to look at themselves and their own behavior through a humorous lens.

Walking to my car at the end of the day I realized that acrobats and teachers require some of the same qualities for success, though in slightly different measure. The acrobat needs to be physically flexible, while the teacher needs to be psychologically and socially flexible. The acrobat needs incredible body strength, while the teacher needs the strength to continually hang in there on lessons and students. The acrobat needs to connect with the audience to gather support and encouragement to accomplish gravity-defying feats, while the teacher needs to connect so the students will open themselves to new ideas and new places within themselves.

But most of all, like ducks swimming in a pond, acrobats and teachers need to move gracefully and effortlessly through the water while just below the surface, out of eyesight, they are paddling like mad. And neither the acrobat nor the teacher can let the audience see how hard they truly are working or the magic is lost: A tough and beautiful balancing act, for acrobat and teacher alike.

Have a great weekend, and be sure to ask your children about the assembly.

Mike

February 6, 2009

The keynote speaker at last Saturday’s Parent University, Stanford professor and author Dr. Denise Pope, was a breath of fresh air for all in attendance. Her information was clear, informative, research-based, and above all else, useful.

She covered a range of topics in her keynote and her follow-up workshop, but I want to focus on just one of her main ideas: PDF. (And no, I don’t mean Portable Document Format.) This acronym is meant to help parents and guardians create a healthy environment for their children, and it stands for adequate Play time, Down time, and Family time. To put this in perspective, research shows that the average child has lost 10-12 hours of free, unstructured playtime since 1981.

Play time means unstructured play. This is when children shoot baskets, build forts, make a drawing, play tag or hide and go seek with friends. The key is that it is not structured, which means it’s not practice for soccer team or piano lessons. It’s time when children create their own play.

Dr. Pope gave as an example Steve Jobs, who was a tinkerer as a child. According to a former neighbor, he was always building things and experimenting in his garage, and not often with successful results. This same neighbor, when recently recounting this story, wondered what would have happened to Steve Jobs had his parents not allowed him all this playtime and instead had insisted on lots of extracurricular scheduling: flute lessons, test prep courses, travel teams.

Down time is the time kids need to wind down from an earlier activity—during the week this is often what they need when they get home from school. Every child is different in how they unwind: for some it’s a favorite television show, for others listening to music while laying down, and for others a favorite computer game. The key is that these are transition activities. For instance, playing on the computer when a child gets home from school is the transition between the structured time of school and either unstructured playtime, family time, or homework.

Family time is just that, time with the family. This means time engaged with family, not just passively watching the same television show together. Research has shown that the ideal (and what makes the biggest positive differences in the lives of individual family members and the family itself) is 20 minutes of check-in time with the whole family at least five times per week. Often this happens at dinner, but it is by no means limited to family meals. That is, you can be creative: in the car together or on a family walk. Already I can hear a few readers of older children lamenting, “I’ve tried this but he doesn’t want to check in with me. All his responses are one word no matter how good my open-ended questions!” Have no fear, he’s listening and he knows you are interested, which, when it’s all said and done, is probably just as important, if not more, than the content of what he says. Your actions are saying you care and you are there for him. This counts!

For more information on Dr. Pope and her research, visit her website: http://www.challengesuccess.org/Home/tabid/688/Default.aspx

Finally, huge kudos to Helena Weiss-Duman and her team of RDS parent volunteers for hosting yet another terrific Parent University. And as in the past, the non-RDS parents/guardians who attended went out of their way to compliment the School on the quality of the event and to give deep thanks for being included.

Have a great weekend.

Mike

January 23, 2009

January 20, 2009
(Comments around RDS the Day After)

I felt really excited when the man (Supreme Court Justice Roberts) said “Mr. President.” He did it, he did it! I don't just speak for myself when I say that it made everyone feel really happy.
—5th grade

There is a president who looks like me!
—K

It's the first inauguration I've ever watched.
—6th grade

I liked that in his speech that President Obama said "all the people" instead of "all men" when he was talking about Martin Luther King's speech.
—3rd grade

It was a big step up. There are arguments that there is still a lot of racism in America. But today many people came together to go in the same direction.
—6th grade

I hope that people can marry whoever they want.
—K

It was a very exciting day because he is the first African American president.
—5th grade

I liked seeing all the presidents there.
—3rd grade

I saw Jan's son sing! (Brandon Johnson, who is in 7th grade, sang with the SF Boys Chorus. RDS 7th grader Devi Panagos also sang as part of the SF Boys & Girls Choruses.)
—1st grade

He seems honest, and that means he will tell people how things really are, even if it’s ugly or unpleasant
—7th grade

I hope he will give to and help those of us who are less fortunate. I hope America can become a leader and friend to all countries - except the unjust.
—7th grade

I felt really amazed that our first black president is here and that we could have change in America.
—5th grade

It was very historical and inspiring.
—8th grade

I hope he helps the banks to have money for everyone.
—K

I thought I'd be bored but I wasn't. The speech caught my interest.
—6th grade

I hope that people don’t fight anymore.
—K

I liked that lady who sang. (Aretha Franklin)
—1st grade

Such a great speaker!
—7th grade

Part of Martin Luther King’s dream came true because he talked about whites and blacks singing together and they did.
—6th grade

The speech rang true to his promises of hope and change.
—8th grade

I liked the rhymes Rev. Joseph Lowery made.
—6th grade
(“Help us work for that day when black will not be asked to give back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right.")

I hope that President Obama works us out of the recession.
—7th grade

He is our 1st black president so he made history.
—8th grade

I was really excited that Barack Obama was going to be president and it was cool to get to school at 7am and watch it on a big screen.
—5th grade

The speech was inspirational.
—5th grade

How much will he change the world? I think he really will.
—5th grade

I'll always know where I was when I was 14 and we elected the first African-American president. That's really cool.
—7th grade

It was amazing. It showed change in our nation and how everyone can come together to make a big difference. I liked watching it at school because it felt united watching with my friends.
—8th grade

And a new tradition every four years, watching and discussing the Presidential Inauguration (no matter the political party) was started at RDS.

Have a great weekend.

Mike

January 16, 2009

As RDS continues to refine our place in the East Bay world of independent schools, the word that keeps coming up is “interdependence.” Rather than simply being a great independent school in Oakland, RDS is striving to become a great school that is an integral part of the East Bay, such that we both come to depend on and learn from each other.

This is most obvious in how we have shifted some of our service learning and community service components. In the lower school, for instance, we have worked closely with Good Cents to support different East Bay agencies over the past couple of years: the SPCA (www.eastbayspca.org) two years ago and Oakland Technology Exchange West (www.otxwest.org) last year. In the middle school, each grade this year has already done a clean-up of the Berkeley Marina. In addition, each grade will be spending a day at the San Francisco Food Bank as volunteers and to understand the science of food production and the math of efficient food distribution. Over the last couple of years, the School has also donated library books to neighborhood schools, worked to clean up Lake Merritt, collected food and winter coats, and even collected used sneakers for recycling.

In addition, in the last couple of years we have chosen to honor the faculty/staff during the holiday season with donations -- to Heifer International last year and this year, closer to home, to Oakland Fire Department’s Random Acts. We have also contributed to Good Cents.

As you can see, over time the focus has become more local with a goal of having a greater impact on and connection to the East Bay.

In our various expert presentations to parents and guardians, we have opened and designed many events to and for the greater East Bay community. We host the K Conference each spring, which focuses on the transition from pre-school to kindergarten, specifically the developmental changes in children and the subsequent changes in the classroom and in the home. Just last week we hosted our first College Admissions Panel, with Admissions Directors and personnel from UC Davis, Stanford, St. Mary’s College, Northeastern University, and Goucher College. The crowd was comprised mostly of parents and students from Oakland and Berkeley. Earlier in the year we hosted Emergent Thoughts, a night focused on the latest developments and research on high school education. In addition, for the past three years, the RDSPA has coordinated Parent University, which we open to the entire East Bay community. We are becoming known as an educational resource for parents and guardians in the East Bay.

We do all this with a goal of even more interdependence, largely because we want a true give-and-take relationship with the community from which we have grown and continue to grow. We know that with more knowledge people make informed decisions in their lives and with their children, which makes the RDS community, and the entire East Bay, stronger.

Have a great weekend.

Mike

December 4, 2008

In these past few weeks, we have been privileged to have an unusually large number of student performances. From the silly to the inspiring - it’s all been wonderful.

We have had two Lower School talent shows (two because of the large number of students who wanted to perform) and witnessed an incredible array of talent: jump roping to making funny faces; instrumentals to lip synching; breaking boards to singing while hopping on one foot; roaring like a tiger to original musical compositions. A couple of weeks ago, the middle school presented the Book Bug Boogie, that included a scene from Hamlet, an improvisational piece, an original song, and editorials on some of the books for sale at the Book Fair.

There is no doubt that talent and the desire to share that talent resides in abundance at RDS. Two weeks ago, middle school students and their drama teacher Vince Faso put on a production of Hamlet. Students transformed the MS Multi-Purpose Room into a theater, and anyone who saw the show was both impressed and inspired by their production. From acting, to set design, to stage management: students were firing on all cylinders.

This recent outburst of performance led me to reflect on just what is happening at RDS, and for me, it’s as much about the risks kids are taking as it is about the actual performances. That is, why are our students so able and willing to get up in front of their peers and teachers and perform? Is it because we just happen to have an unusually talented student body? While that may be true, I don’t think it explains the phenomenon. As I wrestled with this question, I came upon the obvious solution that was staring me in the face from the start: the RDS teachers. More specifically, the relationship our teachers forge with your children.

Our faculty are not only terrific teachers in their areas of expertise, they are also finely skilled at connecting to their students and exerting their influence in some profound, subtle, and growth- instigating ways. For instance, they know what to say to the student who is quietly considering taking a risk and they know when and how to say it. They also know when to push, when to encourage, and when to back off -- all skills that grow from knowing and paying keen attention to their students.

I know this because often when students take risks and perform, I notice at least one of their teachers or coaches perk up, and at some point during or just after the piece, make a profound type of eye contact with their student. More than an “I see you” connection; more like “I see who you are becoming” connection. Even deeper, the eyes of your children say right back to their teacher, “Thanks, I know.” This, of course, is when eyes glisten, chins quiver, and students grow.

So the next time your child takes an unexpected risk or makes a leap in growth, be on the lookout for the teacher or coach with the misty eyes, and if you spot him or her be sure to acknowledge what they have done. This kind of recognition completes the circle and fuels our teachers and staff to continue inspiring our students’ growth in myriad ways.

And if you are in the mood for an inspiring RDS performance this weekend, remember that our jazz and rock bands are playing in Jack London Square on Sunday at Barnes & Noble as part of a fundraiser for the Student Exchange Program (SEP). While you’re there, be sure to buy some books if you can; a minimum 10% of sales go to SEP.

Have a great weekend.

Mike

November 7, 2008

For the past four years, I have had gym duty every Thursday, and it has grown into one of my favorite times of the week. Each week, middle school students are anxiously waiting at the door, waiting for the welcome wave, at which point they burst into the gym at full speed. No such thing as a warm-up. Much more like a cheetah that hits full speed in three strides. And here’s a big hint as to why I enjoy this duty so much: when the kids burst into the gym, more often than not they don’t have a destination in mind. They are simply running to run. And always with smiles, laughter, and some gentle jostling back and forth.

This is middle school play at its best. During this twenty-minute free period, multiple games are played, simultaneously: basketball, soccer, dodge ball, wall ball, volleyball, jump rope, and tag. I think of it as organized chaos. And the organizing factors are fun and play. Rules are unimportant. For instance, in basketball, the out-of-bounds lines are ignored and people walking or running through the game are simply avoided—or not. And even if someone does take a fall, 98% of the time they are back up on their feet within seconds, and always with a huge smile on their faces.

Teams are divided up randomly such that athletes and non-athletes, boys and girls, all participate. After all, when the goal is fun and play, being the best isn’t the determining factor to sides and who is invited to play or not. And people join in and exit games as they choose—usually when there is more fun to be had elsewhere.

There is also a critical social factor to this play. Who sits with whom while ostensibly watching others play, but really working at securing their social spot with a group of friends. There is also the question of where you have your conversations with one another. Many happen in the bleachers, but just as many take place sitting on a pile of mats in the corner or standing in a circle at midcourt. So at times the social goal is to create new connections and strengthen others, while at other times it is to be seen with a certain group of peers—hence having the conversation at midcourt.

Of course there are also the intermittent flare-ups, when someone bumps a little too hard or when words shift from joking to teasing. In these cases, seldom does the adult have to intervene directly. Typically the students resolve the issue quickly and get back to the play at hand. And when they get stuck, a raised eyebrow or walk in their general direction usually suffices.

Over the years, I have also watched as lower school students make the transition into middle school, and specifically into the gym on Thursdays. It’s a rite of passage, of sorts. For example, there are the explicit rules: no eating, no hitting, etc.; but it’s more the implicit rules they struggle to comprehend: do you need permission to join an ongoing game? Can a sixth grader play with a seventh or eighth grader? Do you have to be good at sports to play? They all figure it out without anybody having to explain the hidden rules to them, and here I get to watch their social acuity and awareness develops right in front of my eyes.

Given the normal hyper self-consciousness that develops in middle school students, this daily twenty-minute reprieve is welcomed by all with open arms. And it is at times like this that we get to see the free-spirited child within our students unleashed in full glory.

As a Head of School who also trained as a developmental psychologist, gym duty is about as good as it gets. So next Thursday when you sit down to lunch think about me in the gym, with a big smile on my face watching your kids play and grow.

Have a great weekend!

Mike