Lise's Lens: March 6, 2025
It is hard to believe that we have already arrived at the End of Mod 4. And what a mod it has been! In addition to enjoying amazing performances by our students, I have been thinking about how lucky I am to work with the team that I do, and trying to squeeze in time for some reading — specifically Ai Weiwei’s graphic memoir, Zodiac.
WHAT I’M READING
- I haven’t read many graphic novels (let alone graphic memoirs!) but the ones I have read have stuck with me. The first was the Persepolis series by Marjane Satrapi about growing up in pre-revolutionary Iran. Then came the March series by Congressmen Lewis (soooo wonderful). Now I am reading Ai Weiwei’s graphic memoir, Zodiac. I discovered Ai Weiwei through my son when he was in 5th or 6th grade. It was June and I was finishing up the school year with faculty meetings and had no child care and camp hadn’t started in Baltimore so off he went to New York to spend the week with his cousin and his artist aunt. When he came home, he was buzzing with excited stories of a “really weird, confusing, scary art show” by a Chinese man named Ai Weiwei. The opportunity for me to see one of Weiwei’s works came knocking a few years later at D.C.’s Hirshorn museum, with the “According to What” exhibit. It is perhaps one of the most powerful and transformative experiences I’ve ever had with modern art. Reading the memoir now, it’s been fascinating learning more about his family, the history of China, and the symbols of the zodiac. And here’s a fun fact: his first-ever show took place in NYC was at a gallery owned by a CSW alum!
WHAT I’M THINKING/TALKING ABOUT
- I’ve been thinking about this poem, “Sometimes, I Am Startled Out of Myself,” by Barbara Crooker. Boy did this resonate with me! I love this image of the wild geese, and how the leader knows when to let another step in, and how the other geese don’t see that as failure but an opportunity to support the voyage, all in the name of getting to the destination. At CSW, our mission is our destination and our values are the way we get there. But no one person can carry us through alone. We must, and do, work as a collective team, and I am truly fortunate to have the best team to share the journey with.
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
- There has been so much to see, hear and experience at this end of mod. The Collaborative Theatre Ensemble class wrote, directed and performed an original piece of theatre inspired by Rube-Goldberg machines. Yes, you read that right, and it was as provocative, sophisticated, and creative as it sounds! I am so proud of all involved. I was also amazed by the Chamber Ensemble’s performance of pieces by Mozart, Bartok, and Copland, in addition to an original piece by our own Harvey Li ’25, which was inspired by his four years here at CSW. This last piece was especially moving to see. And of course, I am still on a high from last week’s incredible Dance Concert. I am so so proud of our dancers and choreographers.
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
Students in KB’s “Big Book: Moby Dick” class took a field trip to the New Bedford Whaling Museum this week! I loved this photo of a group of students inside an anatomical model of a whale heart (to size!)
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.