A Historic Moment

Celebrating Martin Luther King Day, the Civil Rights Movement and the Inauguration of President Barack Obama

The School marked the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and the inauguration of Barack Obama with two all school assemblies. On Friday, January 16, the students participated in a multi-media story of the Civil Rights Movement that presaged the election of the first African-American president. On the following Tuesday morning, January 20, the students again gathered in the gym to view the oath of office live from our nation’s capital on a big projection TV.

The narration of the Civil Rights Movement at the MLK assembly emphasized four themes: 1) an inspiring story of resistance, struggle, and achievement of freedom and civil rights, 2) a commitment to non-violent resistance and struggle despite many provocations, frustrations, setbacks, violence, and tragic deaths, 3) participation by thousands of ordinary, humble and courageous people, blacks and whites, over many years, and 4) a story that is emblematic of the struggle that all people, all ethnic groups, and all minorities in a majority culture must go through, a story that resonates with all of us.

As I began telling the story, I asked the students to consider what was being asked of them today. I challenged them to see this holiday as more than a simple remembrance of past events no longer relevant to their lives. I emphasized that were it not for what others did before us, were it not for their courage and humanity, none of us would be here today enjoying the fellowship of the community of SFDS.

I prodded them to see themselves back in Montgomery, Memphis, or Birmingham. I hoped they would imagine how they would have felt, what they would have done, were they back at that moment in time. As the story telling progressed I repeated over and over again the question, “What would you have done?” “Would you have done what your grandmothers and grandfathers did?”

“Would you have walked to work and back again day after day for over a year during the Montgomery bus boycott? Would you have remained disciplined, respectful, and non-violent at the lunch counters despite outrageous insults and physical provocations? Would you have walked the gauntlet at Little Rock to claim the education that was rightfully yours?”

In between the story telling, the students saw video segments and we sang together. The sixth grade acted out the lunch counter sit-ins and the Little Rock Nine being escorted by the National Guard into Central High School. We concluded with a slide show that showed images of SNCC, Cesar Chavez, Bobby Kennedy, the Women’s Movement, Betty Freidan and Gloria Steinem, the American Indian Movement, Irish Need Not Apply, Gandhi, Harvey Milk, and the Fight for Immigration Rights. The final slide was Barack Obama. The story of the Civil Rights Movement is a not just a story about African-Americans, it is a story about all of us.

On Tuesday, Inauguration Day, the gym was decorated and a festive energy buzzed as the students filled the seats. As the events built to a crescendo the students cheered and cheered. They stood respectfully in their seats for the oath and the singing of “America the Beautiful.” Before they returned to their classrooms I reminded them of their obligation; the work of the Civil Rights Movement was not done. To honor the effort and humanity of their grandmothers and grandfathers, they were obligated to build a more inclusive community here at SFDS.

Teaching children about the injustices of the past is difficult and complex. There is the dilemma of superficiality (Dr. King was such a great hero and he loved peace.) versus a recitation of the violence, hardship, and second-class citizenship of the Jim Crow era. A vivid focus on the hardships of the past can actually cause children to worry about them today and take them very personally. For both those children who identify with the victims of the past and those who do not, the feelings of difference and pain can be disturbing. For young children who do not have a mature understanding of time and the concept of the past and who are very impressionable, a focus on past hardships is particularly complicated.

For these reasons, the retelling of the Civil Rights Movement did not show any vivid images of the harsh treatment the protestors received. In every anecdote, I described the courage and integrity of the ordinary people who participated and the glorious success they achieved. I hope children will learn that, yes, too often in our history we have excluded others from full citizenship, but just as often, through perseverance and common efforts, real progress has been made. I believe our children can learn that they too can confront injustice and make a difference towards more inclusion and more participation in the benefits our democracy has to offer its citizens.

The Golden Rule

I have been telling fables to students for many years and usually adopt one from Aesop. Occasionally I get blocked and can’t find a good fable. At one of those times this story, which I was told in childhood, surfaced vividly in my memory. I wondered why this story was so memorable to me. Why did it resonate so deeply with me from childhood to middle age?

After reflection, I realized how relieved I was at that age to learn that a teacher could be considerate and attentive to the needs of one particular and difficult child. The teacher in the fable seriously considered the student’s question, before responding kindly and with substance. The teacher neither ridiculed nor patronized the student. For me, a shy and anxious kid, in public school with many students per class, it was a revelation. I realized that maybe I didn’t need to be so frightened and anxious with teachers.

Children can be vulnerable and insecure. Sometimes these feelings result in rude or arrogant behavior. The teacher in the fable saw behind the arrogant presentation and sensed that the student really did want to learn. Her answer met the student where he was and began a learning process. This leads nicely to my version of the Golden Rule for a school.

First in the negative, "Never do anything to interfere with the learning of another student." For example, ridiculing an answer a peer gave to a problem, or running in the hallway.

Second, to stretch yourself, the affirmative: "Always act proactively to enhance the learning of others." For example, acknowledging and affirming a peer's answer to a complicated question.

Following are their statements about what the teacher could have said to the student standing on one leg. Also, click here to view The Golden Rule from a cross-cultural perspective.

Student and Class Responses:

Grade 1
Treat people how you want to be treated"
Thankfully, "always do what someone tells you to do" didn't get enough votes!

Grade 2
To treat others the way you would want to be treated.

Grade 3
Do unto others as you would have done to you.
Love your self; respect others; take care of the world.

Grade 4
Before you make a decision, think about it
Listen to your teachers

Grade 5
"Stand on two feet." She meant it as a metaphor.

Grade 6
Take the time to find your own answer; you can't learn how to be a good person in the time that you can stand on one foot.

Second place: Golden Rule: Put yourself in the other person's shoes.

Grade 6
Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. (Episcopalian:)
Go to school to learn, not just academics but how to be a learner.
Listen and you will be heard.
Be positive; don't try to trick people.
Trust your instincts.

Grade 7
Treat "others" the way in which you would want to be treated.

There is really no answer that applies to everyone. You have to look inside yourself to find the answer that will work for you. It will be different for everyone and you have to find that answer that applies to YOU and your life and happiness!

Teaching Students Behavioral Standards

“Two Teachers and a Student Standing on One Leg”
This afternoon was the first All School Assembly. We had all SFDS students from first grade to eighth grade together in the gym. As Head of School I am responsible for setting the tone and setting behavior standards for students. Therefore, after leading a few call and response cheers, (Day School is what? Dynamite!), I told the students a fable. I believe telling stories ignites the imagination and our emotions. We remember a story and its meaning far more than a lecture on the rules or a listing of the punishments for disobedience. This is the fable I told. It is inspired from a story in the Old Testament.

In a small village a long time ago there were two teachers whose reputations had spread far and wide. Students would come from all over the world to learn from them. Students would often have to compete to get into their school, sit in their classes, and listen to the wise teachers. Both teachers were helping young boys and girls become good people. Not only were the students learning science and math and how to read and write, but also how to lead an ethical and honorable life, how to do the right thing.

One teacher had a reputation for teaching a long list of rules and regulations. If the students could just learn all the rules and always obey them, they would always be doing the right thing. While it was hard for the students to learn all 512 rules, the teacher was very skilled at disciplining them and making sure they paid attention in class. She was actually quite intimidating. And the students did learn the rules and regulations.

The other teacher had a more discussion oriented inquiry-based instructional philosophy! Students were given complex situations and asked to decide what was the right thing to do. The students would sometimes disagree with one other and become involved in heated debates. This was hard and confusing for the students, but the teacher was skilled at helping them find common ground. And the students did learn to make decisions about what was the right thing to do.

One selfish and arrogant young person refused to go to school. His parents begged and nagged him to go. So, one day just to get them to stop nagging him, he agreed to speak to each teacher to see which school he might want to attend. He approached the two teachers and asked them, "If you are so smart, tell me all I need to know to be a good person while I am standing here on one foot.” Of course, his parents were very upset that he would be so rude to these two highly respected teachers in the community.

The rules and regulations teacher was shocked by the question and became very angry. She started yelling at the kid, screaming that it would take years and years of disciplined study to learn all the rules. Didn’t he realize there were 512 rules? She couldn’t possible tell him anything while he was standing in front of her on one leg. The student just stood there, hopping on one leg and waiting for an answer. The teacher, frustration mounting, started beating him and chased him away.

Then the student approached the other teacher and again, standing on one leg, asked the same question. “Can you tell me while I am standing here all I need to know to be a good person?” The teacher might have been shocked and insulted but she did not show it. She paused and scratched her chin. She also stood on one leg along side the student. She thought for a few moments. And then thought some more. “That is a very interesting question,” she commented to the student. “I’ve never really thought about what is the most important idea I could teach you.” She was very curious.

The student was having difficulty not falling down. His one leg was getting tired, and a pain was moving up his leg. But while he was still standing the teacher did give an answer. She said it all comes down to “ . . . , and all the rest is commentary, go and learn”

At the end I did not tell the students what the teacher said. Instead, I asked them to think about what the teacher could have said. I called on two girls and two boys to come and tell me what they thought. They came up to me from the audience and whispered their ideas in my ear. I did not tell the audience what they said.

At the end of the assembly, I asked each of the students to go back to their classrooms and discuss possible answers with their teachers. The classes will then choose the answer that best represents their group and e-mail it to me. At next week's assembly I will reveal all of their answers. I will also reveal what I would have said to the student on one leg, were I the teacher confronted by an arrogant but questioning young person.

I encourage you to have a family discussion about this fable using the following two questions as prompts:

What do you think the teacher said?
What other lessons can we learn from this fable?

Please post your reponses to these questions on this blog.

Standardized Achievement Tests

Standardized achievement tests provide important information to both the School and parents. However, we should be clear about what are and are not the valid implications of the information. Additionally a comprehensive assessment of the School’s curriculum and instructional program must include a variety of techniques, including standardized tests, analysis of a student’s portfolio of her/his actual school work, direct observation of teaching, and curriculum reviews benchmarked against state and national standards.

Summary Results of 2008 ERB Scores
The SFDS students consistently score higher than the group norm of students in independent schools. This year and in years past, on average SFDS students score between the 65^th and 75^th percentile compared to the ERB norm for students in independent schools. In other words, most SFDS students score above the 50^th percentile compared to independent school norms; about half of SFDS students score between the 50^th percentile and the 75^th percentile, and half score above the 75^th percentile compared to the independent school norm. A small percentage of SFDS students score below the 50^th percentile.

• This summary conclusion was observed by reviewing each subtest score for this year for each grade. I then compared this year’s scores to the scores of the grade level cohort from the previous two years (same students a year and two years younger) and the same grade level from each of the previous two years. The ERB provides an administrative summary providing average percentile scores for SFDS students and compares them to national, suburban, and independent school norms. Historically, suburban students score higher than the national sample, and independent school students score higher than suburban norms.

A Note about Percentiles and Statistical Reliability
A critical question is “What is a meaningful difference in percentile scores?” The answer to this question is a statistical calculation called the “Standard Error of Measurement (SEM),” and is defined as the extent to which the students’ scores would tend to differ if they were retested with a different set of questions measuring the same skills at the same level of difficulty. ERB publishes the Standard Error of Measurement for each subtest. When nearly all the student scores are bunched at the upper range of number of correct items – most of the students only miss a few items - then the SEM is large. Because nearly all scores in the independent school norming group are very close to each other, when the statisticians calculate the percentiles, small differences in items answered correctly create large differences in percentile scores.

Consider the following chart taken from this year’s 7^th Grade ERB scores in Reading Comprehension.

Student	A	B	C	D	E
Total Items = 37
Items Correct	30	31	32	34	35
Percentile	58%	65%	73%	87%	93%

The difference between the 58^th percentile and the 93^rd percentile is 5 items out of a total of 37. Student C who answered 2 more items correct than Student A is rated 15 percentile points higher. According to the Standard Error of Measurement, there is little meaningful difference between the 58^th percentile and the 73^rd percentile. If the student were to retake the test, he/she could score as many as 20 percentile points higher or lower.

In terms of classroom performance, there is little difference between the student who scored 58^th percentile and the student who scored 73^rd percentile. They both can read and understand the same level of texts.

What are the Appropriate Uses of ERB Tests?
Given the overall high performance of SFDS students and the statistical issues inherent in any standardized test, how do teachers and administrators use the test results?

1. We review the individual results to identify students who are scoring below the 50^th percentile of the independent school norms. Those students should be receiving supplemental instruction to enable them to continue to master the basic skills tested by the ERB’s. If they are not currently receiving assistance, we will contact the parents and discuss with them options for supplemental instruction.

2. We look for student scores that differ in a significant way from their classroom performance. Those can be students who score high on tests but who are having difficulties with classroom learning tasks, as well as students who score low, but are performing very well on classroom tasks. In each case we will review the student’s situation to determine how to respond appropriately.

3. We examine grade level trends on each of the subtests to determine if specific aspects of SFDS curriculum and instruction may need revision and improvement.

Basic Skill Mastery and Critical Thinking Skills
The ERB tests only measure basic reading, writing and math skills. They do not measure the ability to apply basic skills to solve complicated problems or reach a sophisticated understanding of a complex phenomenon. At SFDS, of course, we strive for both basic skill mastery and the subtle use of thinking strategies to understand human, social, and physical realities.

Consider the following learning task from the 5^th grade curriculum: At the end of a multi-week unit on Egyptian gods and goddesses, the students participate in a Council debating the issues plaguing the modern world: the war in Iraq, global warming, apple moth spraying, and education funding cuts. The students are asked to take on the identity of their god or goddess. They have been researching a specific god or goddess for several weeks and have written essays describing their character, religious purpose, and special powers. They have learned that all gods and goddesses often have contradictory character traits, e.g., love and jealousy. They must represent how their god or goddess might resolve the four current issues and not their own personal opinion. They must understand the current social and scientific dynamics of the current issues, craft an actual solution, and also be true to the character of their god. Finally they must reach a consensus decision with different gods and goddesses with different personalities and solutions.

Clearly being able to read a paragraph and accurately answer a question about its content is necessary to be able to gather information, but hardly sufficient to complete the learning task of the Council of the Gods and Goddesses.

Thank you for your attention to these somewhat technical descriptions. Please know that in many ways the teachers are attending to the learning capabilities of your students and providing thoughtful instruction to meet their needs.

The Power of Myths for Positive Purposes

How do we convince students to believe in their capacity to learn?

In earlier blogs I have argued that inherited talent is not a fixed capacity. All of us have the capacity to achieve high levels of performance in domains of knowledge that we are passionate about. The critical factor is sustained effort and strategically designed efforts. With sustained Deliberate Practice all of us can learn far more than we realize.

But that leaves the question of what are the antecedents of the capacity for sustained effort. I believe that for most of our students one of the answers comes from the insights of social psychology. Group identity has the power to shape behavior and performance. Positive role models, both as personal mentors and in the form of group identify play a large role in telling us what we are capable of doing.

Here is a story, part fiction, part fact.

A seventh grade girl comes home from school furious and upset about her math teacher. She screams to anyone who will listen, “He is such an idiot. No one can understand anything he explains in class. I can’t possibly do my homework.” Fortunately her wise old uncle is visiting. He is a retired math teacher and offers to help her with her homework

“I can’t possibly do the homework. There is nothing you can do. I’m just stupid in math,” she screams as she runs up the stairs to her bedroom and slams the door behind her. The whole house shakes from the slamming door.

The wise old uncle slowly climbs up the stair, knocks on her door, and talks to her from behind the closed door. “You can’t possibly be stupid in math,” he says. “You remember your aunt, (She had died seven years ago.) well she was very smart in
math. In fact she was an engineer.” The wise old uncle was actually stretching the truth. The aunt was good at math, just not quite an accomplished engineer.

From behind the door the uncle hears a faint, “Yes I remember her.”

“Well, you know how much of her personality and intelligence you have inherited from her! If she was good at math, then you cannot be stupid at math,” he persuasively argues. Again faintly from behind the door he hears, “Well o.k., but I still hate math!”

“That is fine,” the wise old uncle says. “ You can hate it if you want, but you know you can do it. Why don’t you come out of your room, and I will help you with your homework.”

The girl comes out, and within fifteen minutes the uncle was able to explain the work and the girl realized she wasn’t so stupid in math.

What do we learn about the capacity for sustained effort from this story? First, who we think we are has a huge impact on what we think we can do. As long as we think we cannot do it, we won’t work at it. When we are convinced that we can do it, and with the guidance of a skillful teacher, we will be able to work at it until it gets done. Both experiences, negative and positive, are self-reinforcing.

Second, who we think we are is “socially constructed.” All of us carry around in our heads ideas of what group we belong to and what we have inherited or learned from our group. These messages can be damaging when they come in the form of stereotypes that undercut our potential, such as “girls are not good at math.” “Russians are good at chess.” We often call these messages, stereotypes, and work to debunk them. However, the human psych is programmed to believe in group membership and characteristics, it is not enough to debunk negative messages. As parents and teachers, me must also consciously, explicitly, strategically, and consistently present to our children messages in the form of stories and role models that embody the capacity for accomplishment.

Because, the wise old uncle was able to socially construct a positive myth that enabled the young adolescent to believe in herself. He freed the girl from her defeatist self-perception and re-constructed a positive self-mage: she inherited a math talent. Should we not create the group identity that all SFDS students, because they are at SFDS, are “good at math” and therefore capable of high levels of accomplishment?

The Myth of Talent – Chapter 2

How do we learn the capacity for sustained effort?

In my last blog, I discussed the role of deliberate practice and sustained effort in achieving high levels of performance and accomplishment. This week I explore the fundamental importance of social inclusion and psychological safety in creating an environment where students can learn the capacity for sustained effort.

This blog discusses the rationale behind setting up student affinity groups at SFDS. To read more about student affinity groups click here.

Here is a story from my personal experience that helped me understand how the social context of a learning environment can dramatically influence one’s capacity for sustained effort. This is a true story.

The well-known author of Reviving Ophelia, Mary Phiper, was coming to town to give a lecture at the local college. As Head of School and advocate of empowering female students, I invited several female students to attend the lecture. They needed a ride, so I volunteered to do car pool.

As I entered the voluminous lecture hall, the girls saw some friends and scurried off. I was alone. I looked around for someone to sit with, noticing that I was one of only about a dozen males among hundreds of females. Everyone was talking excitedly in small groups about the upcoming lecture, eagerly anticipating bonding around a common purpose and commitment. I was feeling quite proud of myself, as an evolved, progressive male, for supporting female empowerment. Of course, I was anticipating all the praise I would receive for being supportive of women. (The male ego is a fragile construct.)

I approached a group of women to join the excitement about the event and receive some of that praise. The group simply ignored me. They turned away and didn’t even acknowledge my presence. I turned away, a little put off, and approached another group. The same thing happened. Then I tried making eye contact with some women colleagues I recognized. Again there was no eye contact and no acknowledgement of my presence. Clearly no one was going to talk to me, and certainly I was not going to receive that praise that I thought I deserved.

I was starting to feel anxious. My stomach got tight and my palms a little sweaty. No one was being mean to me. No one said anything insulting. I was just invisible. I got the message. I was not really welcome. They would tolerate my presence at the lecture, but I was not going to be included in any of the animated conversations. So I quietly sat down and accepted my appropriate place in this setting.

I listened attentively to the lecture, found the students at the end, and drove home. As I was pulling into my driveway, I realized I had no memory of anything Mary Phipher had said. I couldn’t recall a single idea or theme. My social isolation had impacted my short-term memory, and therefore prevented me from learning. Even as a highly accomplished middle-aged white male, known and respected in the community, my social isolation in this specific situation inhibited my capacity for short-term memory, which is obviously connected to sustained effort.

This brief encounter taught me a valuable lesson about the importance of psychological safety. If this could happen to me, what is the impact of a similar situation for a six-year old or twelve-year old in our school? Do our students who are a racial minority, family income minority, or in a family structure that is not the norm experience similar isolating messages in our school? Do we unintentionally send others a message that they are not welcome in our school community? If we understand that unintentional social isolation can have a powerful affect on memory, attention, and the capacity for sustained effort, don’t we have an obligation as a school community to make every child feel welcome?

It is the recognition that social isolation, intended or unintended, can impact learning, that forms the basis for organizing affinity groups in our school. This year we invited parents who identify as Asian, Latino, African-American, mixed heritage, or LGBT to have an informal gathering at school with each other and the Head of School. In these gatherings, participants talked about their common experiences as parents and the experiences of their children. While all parents said they and the kids’ experiences were fundamentally very positive, there were many stories of difficulties they faced because of their minority status. The time together and shared stories was affirming and energizing, serving as a sanctuary acknowledging that they were not alone. This affirmation and acknowledgement generates psychological energy and safety that builds the capacity for sustained effort when faced with an uncomfortable learning environment.

Last week we provided an opportunity for Upper School students of color to participate in affinity groups. In Advisory meetings all students were introduced to the idea of affinity groups and provided an opportunity to ask questions. Later in the week in Study Hall, students of color met in an affinity group to be together, to share common experiences, and to feel affirmed for who they are.

Knowing that social isolation and psychological insecurity reduces ones capacity to learn, we are forming affinity groups to help students affirm their identity and know that the School truly welcomes their whole self in this community. The intended result will be an increased capacity to learn at SFDS. For more information on affinity groups both in general and at SFDS please read a letter from Renée Otero, Director of Diversity at SFDS.

Stay tuned for a story about how the myth of inherited math ability can be used to generate sustained effort.

The Myth of Talent

How does a person reach high levels of performance and accomplishment?

The argument and ideas presented in this blog series will explain the role and importance of 1) deliberate practice, 2) sustained effort, 3) psychological safety and confidence, 4) relationship with an admired teacher, 5) group identity, and 6) social isolation or inclusion in achieving high levels of performance and accomplishment. These ideas were presented to the faculty of SFDS in my inaugural address in September 2007 and to a speech to the Upper School student body last winter. I believe these ideas have powerful implications for both the design of instruction and the social culture of a school environment.

How does a person reach high levels of performance and accomplishment? The first answer that comes to mind is likely, “You have got to have talent, and talent is essentially inherited,” Inherited talent is only a small part of the answer. Research on expert performance in a wide variety of professional fields demonstrates that most of us are capable of much higher levels of performance than we think; there are no inherent limits to our accomplishments. The limits we place on ourselves because of our sense of our talent have been proven to be artificial and often a self (not)-fulfilling prophecy.

I first encountered these ideas in an article in the New York Times titled "A Star Is Made" by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt. (New York Times, May 2006, Freakonomics) The authors analyze the puzzling phenomenon that most of the professional soccer stars in Europe were born in the first three months of the year. They discovered that in youth leagues throughout Europe, coaches routinely selected slightly older kids for their teams, mistaking physical maturity for ability. Hence, early in their lives these kids were selected to play on competitive teams, benefiting from years of practice and excellent coaching. The random factor of their birth dates (not inherent talent) gives them the opportunity to be groomed for elite performance and made into stars.

What does excellent coaching provide that leads to expert performance? Sustained deliberate practice. Deliberate practice means more than simply repeating a task over and over. Rather it means 1) setting appropriate specific goals, 2) obtaining immediate feedback, 3) correcting the performance based on the feedback, and 4) concentrating as much on technique as outcome. Research done by Anders Ericsson at University of Florida has demonstrated that many people can become experts in tasks such as short term memory, playing a violin, chess, software design, golf, and even surgery with years devoted to deliberate practice.

How might these concepts of sustained deliberate practice play out in a classroom environment? An instructor who is interested in helping students become excellent writers of compelling nature non-fiction, might first focus on opening sentences that grab the reader’s attention. Students would practice writing sentences and then get feedback from the instructor. That feedback would enable them to revise and revise again. Once they develop this expertise, the instructor would move on to another specific goal, such as “placing accurate detail in the context of ecological dynamics.” Again the path to excellent performance requires getting feedback, revising, and correcting. Over time the accumulated series of specific skills gets combined into an integrated performance. Of course, the requirement is devoting lots of time to practice and correction under the watchful eye and honest evaluation of an admired coach, mentor, or instructor.

The authors do acknowledge that devoting concentrated effort over extended periods of time is not that easy to do. They suggest that in order to devote the time, you must love what you doing. You can’t reach expert performance levels unless you are passionate about what it is you are practicing. However, our own experiences tell us that it takes more than passion. We know we can love to do something, but not always have the discipline to engage in deliberate practice. Have the authors just replaced the myth of talent with the myth of passion? Indeed, it seems they are suggesting that either you have the capacity for sustained effort or you don’t, once again implying that raw inherited talent (this time a talent for passion) determines the capacity for sustained effort.

I believe the capacity for sustained level can be learned. Next week I will tell some stories that illustrate how a relationship with a teacher, your psychological confidence, group identify, and sense of social isolation and/or inclusion powerfully affect your capacity for sustained effort.

Stay tuned.