Sorting Machines

Several years ago the Director of College Counseling and I met with a senior admissions officer at an Ivy League school.  At one point in the conversation she said, “If you want more Ivies on your college list, admit more talent.”  I don’t think I will ever forget that statement.  I understand what she was saying, and I certainly see the validity of her point.  But implicit in this statement is a rather cynical attitude about the value of teaching. 

It’s subtle, I admit, but still, unmistakable – don’t expect your teachers to do more than sort the wheat from the chaff. Insist that teachers throw out the challenges to the kids, and the school will eventually be able to separate the great students from the merely good ones, the athletes who will play in college from the others, and the great musicians from the rest. The role of the teacher is simply to challenge - challenge to the nth degree so that the school can properly sort the students in ways that make it easy for selective colleges to render admission decisions. 

OK, I admit that the above is only a partial truth, but that’s what happens when a school, almost unknowingly, acts as if its sorting function is the most important value.   There are lots of schools - private and public - that would never admit to this uncomfortable truth, but they exist.  Having teachers who inspire, teachers who care, teachers who make a difference, teachers who value students and search for their talents, takes a back seat to the sorting function.  Many of these “sorting” schools veil their ultimate goal with lots of talk about close student-teacher relationships, and there is probably enough truth in these statements to make prospective students and parents feel good about their choice.  But make no mistake; the highest value in the hierarchy of values at these schools is to sort. 

I love teachers and their power to make a difference in so many wonderful ways.  Even as I moved into administration, I was always in awe of the impact teachers had on the lives of students.  I was, to be honest, jealous of these great teachers even in my role as their supervisor.  To become a mere ‘sorting machine” is to denigrate this great profession and limit a school’s ability to value the multi-dimensional glory of each of its students.  May this never happen at Rivers!

Reaction to the Tragedy in Newtown

It's hard to put into words the emotions I have felt these past few days in the wake of the Newtown shootings - some combination of anger, fear, grief, sympathy, and sadness. I keep wondering what might have been missing in that young man's life that led him to act as he did. I wonder what can be done to prevent such an event from happening again.

I find my thoughts keep circling back to relationships. Here at Rivers our mission is to know and understand our students as individuals and help them become their best selves. Relationships are key to fulfilling that mission, and our teachers, coaches, and advisors are adept at connecting with their students, advisees, and athletes in meaningful ways. As we head into the new year and the inevitable resolution-making, I want to focus on being a better advisor; I want to be a better listener; I want to be a better mentor. I will urge our faculty - and you - to do the same. Make those connections with the people around you - those you know well, and those you could come to know better. Listen and respond. We will all be better human beings for it.

Relationships at Rivers: A Support System for Student Growth

Relationships are a staple of independent school education. Check out any school website, and you are sure to see statements about the close relationships between students and adults. Rivers is no different in its emphasis. However, our school goes a step further than many others, intentionally using the power of relationships to challenge and inspire our students to be their best. This essential Rivers quality was fully on display a few years ago at an Upper School faculty meeting in which we practiced giving feedback to students (played admirably by selected teachers) in the most effective ways possible. Our role-playing exercise highlighted the importance of honest, descriptive feedback directed to specific behavior.

These techniques have proven helpful in our work with students and advisees, but they only have impact because our teachers have established strong bonds with their students. Our advisor program and the connections advisors form with their advisees are direct examples of how relationships serve as the fertile ground that make student growth possible. In addition to frequent one-on-one interactions students have with their advisors, advisory groups meet at least once a week to review academic progress, discuss relevant topics and aspects of students’ lives, or just engage in casual conversation. Faculty members become mentors, role models, guides, and friends.

When students know that faculty members care about them, want them to be successful and value them as multi-dimensional human beings with an array of talents, interests, and personality traits, they will be more inclined to take risks, pick themselves up after falling, get out of their comfort zone, and pay attention to the feedback teachers give them.

In this week's Rivers web story you can read about a remarkable Rivers student, Bruna Lee ’13, who was the keynote speaker at the annual Steppingstone Gala. Her story is compelling, coming to the United States by way of Brazil with her parents who emigrated to Brazil from China. None of them could speak English. Her transition to Rivers was challenging, but adults kept reaching out to her, engaging her in conversation, and encouraging her to get involved. Today, Bruna is a true school leader, a great contributor to our community, and someone who is making a big difference. Moreover, she directly attributes her success to her network of supporters.

There are countless other examples of our teachers reaching out to students to make connections and then using those relationships to mentor their young charges and help them be their best. Relationships at Rivers are not just a "nice" appendage to the serious business of school; they are fundamental to our success with students.