Lise's Lens: October 31, 2024
This week, as Election Day in the United States looms near, I am thinking about the concept and practice of hope.
WHAT I’M READING
- There was a lovely piece that was published in The New Yorker a few years back that chronicles the efforts of seed keepers all around the world. These are folks who, despite the odds, keep their eyes on the future and on knowing that there will be a time when we need these seeds for sustenance. And this has been true for hundreds of years.“From the beginning, farmers must have realized that by saving a certain portion of the seeds from the previous year’s crop, they could insure themselves of a future harvest,” the article explains.I find this practice incredibly poetic. To me, these seeds are representative of hope. In these times of uncertainty, don’t forget that you, too, can hold on to precious seeds of hope, and bring them forth when they are needed. I believe that our students will be the ones to perpetuate this hope, spreading what they have thought about and learned here at CSW to keep our humanity in a positive forward motion.
WHAT I’M THINKING/TALKING ABOUT
- Like so many others, I am thinking about Election Day here in the US. When times are tricky and vulnerable, we lean on hope. But where does hope come from? What gives us hope? What gives our students hope? As educators, I believe we have a responsibility to foster and nurture hope in our students. By definition, educators are hope builders, who teach students how to see beyond the short term, by providing them with the context of the past and exposing them to the vast potential of the future. In the days ahead, it is critical that we remember this role, and keep the flame of hope alive in our students, even if some of us may not be feeling particularly hopeful ourselves.
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
- I am watching our students. I watched them dance at the amazing One-on-One Dance performance last week, and I watched them run at the cross country championships yesterday. I am watching our seniors, as they navigate through the demands of college applications, and I am watching our younger students as they find their way here at CSW, building friendships and discovering new passions. I am also watching how all of our students support each other and the big and small moments in which they find joy. It is a gift, a privilege, and a duty to watch our students in this way.
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
I was fortunate to join other parents and guardians on a wonderful activity led by our very own Tom Evans — creating a “Wall of Hope and Love.” Here is a photo of what was created. Be sure to stop in and take a look!
More News from CSW
List of 5 news stories.
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.