Understanding Student-Centered Learning Redefining the Library Reflections on a Diff Icult Summer

Alumni Horae ST. PAUL’S SCHOOL FALL 2015 Understanding student-centered learning Redefining the library Reflections on a diff icult summer SIGNING IN AT THE RECTORY ON OPENING DAY / PHOTO: KAREN BOBOTAS, SEPTEMBER 2015 RECTOR An Understanding of One for Another The idea of empathy What I have noticed during this Fall Term is that has been much on this assumption about adolescents simply hasn’t held. LOUIS H. FOISY my mind of late as it Is this year different from others, or am I looking applies to our lives more closely with a focus on the concept of empathy? here at St. Paul’s. In just the first six weeks of the year, I have seen how Understanding an- our students have been remarkably open to under- other’s perspective standing the perspectives of others – as St. Francis is a precondition for put it, “seeking not so much to be understood as to our effective teaching understand.” Even more encouraging is that they of the young people in have translated this concept into action. our care. Knowing and respecting them as human During the first day of school, students named beings, in this incredibly rich period of their ex- the values by which they aspire to live this year. perience as learners, is the key to our success in Then, members of one club established a continuing teaching them lessons, both small and large, in the dialogue about how boys and girls experience the classroom and in their larger lives. School differently and how gender-based social Earlier this fall, I had the opportunity to hear a norms are created and maintained at the School – talk by Azar Nafisi, an Iranian expatriate author, and that to recognize those norms is to begin chang- best known for her memoir Reading Lolita in Tehran. ing them toward healthier relationships. One group Nafisi spoke powerfully about her latest work, The of students has created a Community Pledge – a Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books. document that has inspired healthy dialogue about What I particularly noted was her perspective about respecting others and our accountability to one being an intentional American. Nafisi is a U.S. citi- another as members of this community. zen not by birth but by choice – in her case, a very In our opening convocation, we heard the familiar thoughtful choice. As one with the opportunity to tale of the Good Samaritan, the archetypal Christ- observe our country first from a distance and then ian story of actively doing the right thing when from inside, Nafisi has remarked that the strength doing nothing is often the easier course. The Good of the United States does not reside so much in Samaritan is an early example of empathy by one the enduring mythology of the rugged, aggressive who not only understands the right thing to do, individual, but rather, to use her words, that “the but has the courage to do it. It is a story about nation’s strength was in its mandate to transcend empathy, about looking beyond one’s own needs, ourselves to serve each other” – that we are an and about how kindness means stopping in our empathetic nation. constant hurry and taking the time to try easing I would like to think that Nafisi’s idea applies someone else’s burden. seamlessly to St. Paul’s School. Empathy is the I invited all students and adults that day to re- foundation of our mission as we strive to encour- commit to living the values we promise each other age our students – and ourselves as adults – in the in the Honor Code and in the School Prayer and to service of others. consider how each of us can make this great school As you probably know, empathy is a difficult ethical even better, a place where our greatest success comes trait or social skill to foster in adolescents as they from the good we strive to do for others. work to find themselves and their place in the world. With the guidance of adults and the support of Conventional developmental psychology tells us that each other, our students will continue to develop high-school-aged students are more concerned with an understanding of one for another, and of living understanding themselves than with looking through more than ever within the foundational purpose of the eyes of others. our school. Michael G. Hirschfeld ’85 2 Alumni Horae Vol. 96, No. 1 Fall 2015 Features Alumni Horae 18 What is a Library? RECTOR by Matt de la Peña ’04 Michael G. Hirschfeld ’85 EDITOR With digital volumes now vastly outnumbering Jana F. Brown printed tomes, the definition of a library – and DESIGNER how the space is used – is quickly evolving. Cindy L. Foote EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Lindsay Bolduc 24 Learning in the New Millennium Leeann Doherty by Lucia Davis ’04 Sarah Earle Preparing SPS students for the future with Hannah MacBride student-centered learning is a top priority Michael Matros Kimberly Swick Slover of Rector Mike Hirschfeld ’85. Clay Wirestone Alumni Association Perspectives ADVISORY BOARD 4 Community Reflections Chair T. Brittain Stone ’87 SPS community members share their views Members on a difficult summer for the School. Sarah R. Aldag David B. Atkinson ’59 Brett A. Forrest ’91 Mary F. Karwowski ’04 William L. Kissick Jr. Departments Lockhart Steele ’92 Nancy E. Weltchek ’78 9 Letters 32 Community 10 Action 35 Formnotes Releasing the works of Bill Abb Published by é 53 Deceased The Alumni Association 12 Memories 66 Spotlight of St. Paul’s School Recalling the sacrifices of three From Whitey Bulger to the Boston 603-229-4770 SPS Korean War veterans bombing suspects, prosecutor [email protected] Jack Pirozzolo ’83 has handled Trustees of St. Paul’s School 14 Athletics many high-profile cases Astrophysicist Alison Crocker ’02 uses her mind and her body as one 68 Facetime of America’s best orienteers SPS Dean Lawrence Smith on following – and setting – the 30 Reviews trends in education The Expatriates by Janice Y. K. Lee ’90 Just a Bite by Curtis Karnow ’71 ON THE COVER: Rethinking the way Birth, Death, and a Tractor: Connect- students learn and teachers teach. ing an Old Farm to a New Family (Cover art: Thinkstock.com) by Kelly Payson-Roopchand ’88 3 PERSPECTIVES Community Reflections Over the last year, since word of a sexual assault A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH Helen Stubbs ’87 on the St. Paul’s School grounds has spread, the When I read Mike Hirschfeld’s e-mails last summer School and its culture have been scrutinized relating news of the Labrie case, it was like two worlds within our own community and by the worldwide colliding. I’ve spent the last 16 years supporting campuses on a national level to prevent high-risk student behaviors – media. Here we offer four perspectives on what substance use, violence, and sexual assault chief among St. Paul’s is doing to continue building healthy them, helping schools create comprehensive approaches community and how students, parents, and alumni that reflect the research base and engage in a change pro- cess that holds the greatest promise of success. Naturally, feel about the trial and the questions that have I extended an offer to assist. arisen over a number of long, challenging months After initial discussions prior to the 2014-15 academic year, I enlisted two colleagues from my network to support for the SPS family. a rapid response consultation, first examining SPS survey data on a range of behaviors and the campus climate of inclusivity, followed by a two-day site visit. We met with students, faculty, and staff from across campus, focusing our discussions with people serving critical roles in shap- Helen Stubbs ’87 ing student life. The recommendations we put forward The benefits of innovative focused on how SPS could develop more effective pre- bystander training vention programming for the current academic year – the issues requiring immediate attention – and farther reaching goals for improvement. One solution we introduced is an innovative program designed by my colleague, Alan Berkowitz, that helps people intervene when problems arise. Such bystander intervention programs are commonly used in college Joon Lee ’16 and high school settings. The key differentiator of this Engaging in model is the incorporation of social norms theory – the school-wide reflection idea that our behaviors are highly influenced by our understanding of what is normal or expected of us within our particular culture, environment, or group. Social norms prevention programs are grounded upon data demonstrating that most people are healthy in their attitudes and beliefs and want to do the right thing, yet they commonly overestimate the extent of unhealthy Amanda Morrison ’15 behaviors and attitudes among their peers. These Casting our school in an “misperceptions of norms” serve to reinforce unhealthy unfamiliar light behaviors and attitudes, while also creating barriers for people to intervene in problematic situations. In essence, this combined approach intends to create healthy culture and community, emboldening and en- franchising the healthy majority among us, while put- ting on notice those who may be unhealthy, destructive, Eric Jacobsen ’83, P’14,’18 or who reinforce inequities. Not wanting this to This model allows us to address a variety of problems define his son’s experience in school populations everywhere – substance use, hazing, sexual harassment and violence, mental health concerns, inclusivity and diversity, all of which are worthy of closer examination at SPS and other similar institutions. The research literature demonstrates that these challenges do 4 A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH Helen Stubbs ’87 not operate in isolation. Given their intersec- tions, we can use mutually supportive and reinforcing strate- gies to address them.

Load more