Faculty Newsletter Winter 2007

California Association of Independent Schools Faculty Newsletter Winter 2007 STEPPING OUTSIDE THE KNOWN INSIDE: What I Did This Summer, Or Practice What You Preach Finding Mr. Potato Head Differentiated Instruction Makes a Difference Meditating on Mindfulness ...and more Faculty Newsletter Winter 2007 From the Editor robably “risk-takers” is not the first phrase we would use in describing ourselves and our profession. Rob Evans PP (Family Matters and The Human Side of Change), a former teacher himself, once compared us to “artisans in [our] separate studios, “doing work that is “idiosyncratic and unpredictable,” often requiring of us a talent for “spur-of- the-moment improvisation.” Frankly, those sound like attributes of risk-takers to me. Every day we step in front of our classes, or try a new activity we are, at least to some extent, venturing into the unknown. We may not be Xtreme athletes or venture capitalists, but unpredictability, improvisation, and training our sights beyond what we know to meet the needs of our students always involves the element of risk. Each of our authors in this issue tells a story about stepping out beyond the known in some way, whether in expanding their knowledge and skills in summer professional development work, then returning to classrooms to apply (and sometime teach their colleagues!) what they’ve learned, or initiating new programs in their schools. Sometimes this means we have to go beyond our personal comfort levels, as Cynthia Crass describes in her article about learning new acting techniques; sometimes it involves a hard look at our own practice, as Laura Holmgren, also a teacher at Polytechnic School, demonstrates. A week at the Exeter Humanities Institute, Betsy Mork, another English teacher from The Webb Schools, learned an exciting new way to structure class discussion, (plus a memorable metaphor!) which she not only used with her students, but taught her colleagues. Seeing that all his students were not equally served by his methods, Jonathan Shiller from The Carey School, learned a new one. With some degree of trepidation, three middle level administrators from Turning Point School instituted a new system of peer observation among teachers, but discovered in the success of it a powerful motivator. Patty Britton, Kristine Theodoratos, Sharon O’Callaghan explain how so. Richard Cushman from The College Preparatory School and Margaret Bowles from Viewpoint stepped out beyond our American culture to learn about – and from - another one. Richard did it without leaving home, and Margaret did it by making a passage to India. Each came away from the experience with new insight - which they share with us. Taking cues from the headlines and from a trio of other CAIS schools nudged Joan M. Sinclair from Mayfield Senior School into going to summer school, and inspired Josie Bahedry from The John Thomas Dye School to so some research on the value of the practice of mindfulness in education. Both are working on new programs for their schools. Finally, Gallia Vickery from Thacher, a math teacher who also teaches dance, having determined that dance competitions lack the camaraderie and spirit of sharing she seeks, shares her dream with us, and invites dance teachers to bring their troupes to Thacher’s new performing arts center in April. And between now and then to help her plan a brand new dance arts festival. Who says teachers aren’t risk-takers? Here at CAIS, we have an invitation for you, too. Come to our Northern Regional Meeting on Monday, March 19, 2007 at the Menlo School, or to one of a whole slate of Professional Days sprinkled around Southern California, and send us an article for the newsletter. The only risks here are that you might learn something – and help a CAIS colleague to do the same! — Sandee Mirell STEPPING OUTSIDE THE KNOWN California Association of Independent Schools Winter 2007 C o n t e n t s What I Did This Summer, Or Practice What You Preach ................................. 1 Structuring Writing Instruction Constructively.................................................. 3 Finding Mr. Potato Head................................................................................ 6 Differentiated Instruction Makes a Difference.................................................. 8 Peer Observation Supports Faculty Flock.........................................................10 Leaping Off the Pages of The Kite Runner....................................................... 11 Educational Passage to India.......................................................................... 13 Teaching Leadership....................................................................................... 16 Meditating on Mindfulness.............................................................................. 18 No Dance Competitions for Us!...................................................................... 21 CAIS Committees ...................................................................................... 23 Faculty Newsletter is published by the California Association of Independent Schools 1351 Third Street, Suite 303, Santa Monica, CA 90401 310.393.5161 fax 310.394.6561 www.caisca.org Faculty Newsletter Winter 2007 A veteran drama instructor challenges herself to learn new techniques What I Did Last Summer, Or Practice What You Preach by Cynthia Crass Polytechnic School [email protected] II have taught theatre at Polytechnic School since 1989. program, I was able to take a summer off from teaching Over the years, it has become increasingly clear to me that to participate in an intensive workshop in the Suzuki and the training I had in acting was not necessarily what my Viewpoints techniques, and it has changed the way I ap- students needed. I was trained primarily in several of the proach my teaching and directing. In addition to learning many techniques that descended from the teachings of these techniques viscerally, I discovered a great deal about Konstantin Stanislavski, the father of modern acting. These myself, and the way I process information and experiences. techniques are rooted in the pursuit of psychological real- The workshop ran for two weeks, four hours a day. We spent ism, and focus on interpretation and analysis. My students, the first two hours in Suzuki exercises, and the second because of the type of education they’ve had, are already two in Viewpoints improvisations. It was perhaps the hard- masters of analysis, and need little instruction in this. What est work I’ve ever done, partially because of the intense they are fairly oblivious to, however, is what to do with that physical rigor, and partially because it was so different from analysis – how to bring the ideas in their heads to some any other actor training I’ve experienced. sort of physical expression that an audience can actually Tadashi Suzuki’s technique is centered on a strong, see. physical core. My instructor, Stephen Webber of SITI Com- I have read a great deal about alternative techniques, pany in New York, asserted our first day that his goal was ones that focus more on the physical instrument of the to create “undismissable” actors. Through intense focus actor than on the psychological scrutiny of the character. I and energy, and a series of very idiosyncratic movements, have taken short workshops in some of these techniques, I discovered that I could only be successful through a sin- and have tried some of these techniques out on my stu- gular focus and direct connection with my audience. dents over the years, but because I hadn’t experienced The Viewpoints technique (as articulated by Anne them for any length of time, I was not terribly effective in Bogart & Tina Landau) is less straightforward, and it took articulating the purposes, or implementing the processes. me longer to warm up to it. In retrospect, however, I think Because of the generosity of Poly’s professional growth my misgivings had more to do with my own self-conscious- --1-- Faculty Newsletter Winter 2007 ness than with the difference of the would be com- style. Viewpoints focus on the actor’s pletely hypocritical “I could hear my voice telling awareness of Time and Space, push- to allow myself to ing actors to be completely aware of be passive, espe- my students the value of and in touch with what is around them. cially in light of such My instructor, Barney O’Hanlon, also a great opportunity! risk-taking, and I would be of SITI Company, claimed that his fo- The two weeks cus was on creating actors that have passed quickly; my completely hypocritical to a clear presence on stage. So, using time in class re- both techniques, I could become an quired absolute at- allow myself to be passive, actor with an “undismissable pres- tention and energy. ence” and I could help my student My time outside of especially in light of such a actors become the same. Awesome! class was spent in The workshop was attended by reflection about the great opportunity!” people from all over the world and discoveries made, from all facets of the theatre world – and recouping my playwrights, designers, directors, ac- physical energy. At tors, teachers, fight choreographers, the end, I felt confident that I had always changing, so you can’t just file etc. I must admit to a certain measure started a process that would never be them away as “done. The fact is that of trepidation upon beginning; over complete, and that was okay. This, in when I am practicing these tech- half of the students had attended this itself, may be the greatest lesson

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