Head’s column
Do you know John Hunter? John is a teacher, musician,
filmmaker and game designer who has worked with gifted children in public
schools since the 1970s. I had the privilege of meeting John Hunter and hearing
him speak at the recent National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
conference in Seattle. He is the creator of “The World Peace Game,” a
simulation he uses with his fourth grade gifted children that is the subject of
the documentary film, World Peace and
Other Fourth Grade Achievements. He describes
the game, as well as his philosophy of teaching and learning in a TED Talk that was voted the most influential TED Talk of 2011.
It’s ok. You can stop reading here and take a look at the
TED Talk. You will see why John’s presentation, which was an extended version
of his TED Talk, turned my day upside down. AMAZING!
As can see, John’s story is one of courage, creativity, and
humility. He is clearly a master teacher, a humanitarian, and a gentle,
compassionate man who is making a difference in the lives of his students. As I
reflected on John’s story, I couldn’t help but think of Seabury, and of how
many of the qualities that make him a great teacher are qualities that are also
at the core of Seabury’s faculty and program.
Relationships. John
recognizes that the key to great teaching is the relationship between the
student and the teacher. Learning involves taking risks, and when students know
their teacher cares about them, supports them, trusts them and believes in
them, they are much more likely to take on challenges with confidence. We experience
that every day at Seabury. Our children develop close, trusting relationships
not only with their own teachers, but with all of our staff. Our small classes
and close community allow teachers and staff members to really know their
students – their hobbies, their pets, their fears, the things that make them
laugh. In this age of curriculum standards and data-driven decision making, we
often get asked how we assess our students and make decisions about their
programs. We recognize that formal assessments are essential tools for
teachers. But we also know the value of knowing our children so well that we
know when they are worried about a sick family member and need a little extra
support, or what makes them laugh, or when they need a break, or when they can
be pushed to go just a little farther. The relationships that our teachers
build with our students give students the courage to take risks, to speak up,
to trust themselves, and to know they are cared for and respected by adults in
their lives - something that the SEARCH Institute has shown to be critical to the healthy social-emotional development of
children. Put more simply, Seabury students are blessed with teachers that
build trusting, caring relationship with them and because of those
relationships, our students can soar both academically and social-emotionally.
Real Challenges /
Real Experiences. The World Peace Game simulates world leaders working to
solve real world problems like global warming, resource depletion, famine, war,
water rights and more. John’s students
become immersed in the issues facing real world leaders and, because it is “real,”
are completely engaged in their learning. At Seabury, tying learning to real
experiences that our children care about is at the core of our program. As part
of their study of World War II in preparation for their trip to France, our
middle school students recently had the opportunity to interview residents of
Franke Tobey Jones Retirement Community who were involved in the war, either in
the field or on the home front. One of our students interviewed an army colonel
who was part of the D-Day invasion at Omaha Beach. Just the other day as students
were talking about the itinerary for the France trip, he asked one of his teachers
whether there will be time during their day at Omaha Beach for him to go to the
water’s edge and run up the beach to see what it might have been like for his
new friend, the colonel. That is learning that goes much deeper than checking
off a list of skills or meeting a particular standard. That kind of deep and
meaningful learning is at the core of what happens in every single classroom at
Seabury.
There are not many John Hunters in the world. I am blessed
to have met this humble, gentle, compassionate, incredible man. He continues to
inspire me and our whole staff who recently watched his TED Talk together. But
it was heartwarming to see that at Seabury, our students have opportunities
every day to experience the kind of passionate teachers and engaging learning
experiences that John’s teachers gave to him and that he provides for his
students every day.
Fourth-graders changing the world? I believe it - I work at
Seabury!
- Sandi Wollum
