Lise's Lens: January 11, 2024
This week I read about the disparities in reading skills in Massachusetts, reflect on our MLK Jr. Day Assembly, and watch Missy Elliott's induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
WHAT I’M READING
- As an educator and a linguist, I was fascinated by this Boston Globe piece exploring the way reading is taught in Massachusetts schools. The state, the article explains, “doesn’t require districts to use evidence-based reading instruction, built around decades of brain science about how kids learn to read. Structured literacy, as this approach is often called, teaches kids to consistently use phonics rules to sound out unknown words, and it incorporates lessons that build kids’ general knowledge to help them unlock meaning.” While students from educated, high income families find ways to get around this, students from less privileged backgrounds suffer and fall behind, no matter what town they live or study in.
WHAT I’M THINKING/TALKING ABOUT
- I am thinking about the amazing panelists we welcomed for our MLK Day Assembly yesterday on the topic of community organizing. It was so inspiring to hear from people with such fervor and passion for what they do. It takes a lot of hard work, determination, kindness, and selflessness to build an organization from the ground up, and I am proud that our school has been able to partner with these amazing groups. I hope our students came away feeling as inspired as I did.
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
- I recently watched as Missy Elliot became the first woman rapper inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I think it’s great to see music of all styles and backgrounds being recognized and honored for the value and richness they bring to culture. This honor coincides with what many consider to be the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop.
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
This past week, while students were still enjoying time off, our faculty and staff got together for a day of professional development, during which we learned how to think and strategize like a futurist. Here’s a photo of a few of us in action!
Campus News
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Photography Teacher Anne Rearick Releases New Book
Photography Teacher Anne Rearick has release a new book of photograpy, Gure Bazterrrak (Our Land). Published by the Deadbeat Club Press, the book will begin shipping this winter and will be available during Paris Photo at Polycopies, Porte de Solférino.Read More -
Anny '28 Wins International Film Awards
Read MoreThis past summer, Anny ’28, worked as executive director and cinematographer for two documentary films titled Shaolin Youth and Confined, earning multiple international awards for her efforts.Anny, a boarding student from China, spent her summer filming Shaolin Youth in the Shaolin Temple, a thousand-year-old temple, where she focused on different groups of Chinese teenagers, showcasing China's special martial arts program and the impact it can have on the growth of teenagers from low-income families. The film focuses on the stories of underserved families and troubled teenagers in rural China who are hoping to change their fate by learning martial arts, showing the dedication and love these teenagers have toward martial arts, and the influence martial arts can have on a person's growth. -
CSW Welcomes Students from Panama
Read MoreLast week CSW welcomed 12 students from C.A.D.I. Bilingual Academy in Panama, where our students spent some time during the mod abroad trip to Panama in mod 5 last school year! They were joined by C.A.D.I.'s Director and administrators. During their visit from October 17-21, 2024, they stayed with CSW host families and attended classes with student ambassadors. -
Mod Break Wilderness Trips are Back!
Read MoreMod break Wilderness Trips are back in action with the first one taking students to the White Mountains! During the 3-day trip, students were split up into two groups based on student preference. The introductory group made its foray into the Kinsman Mountains with History and English teacher/Wilderness Trip Guide Aidan Wang, while the advanced group tackled Mt. Garfield with Science teacher and longtime Wilderness Trip Guide Kevin Smith.
Meet CSW Students
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.