November 1st, 2024
| From the Head of School: Thoughts on Teaching & Learning, November 2024 Each November I cannot help taking stock of the things for which I am grateful. By November, the school year is in full-swing, and it becomes ever more evident that I have so much that makes me grateful. This year, this exercise is a little easier for me because I am back in the classroom teaching an Upper School course. I am teaching Human Geography to a group of Upper Classmen. This is where I started in my career. When I was a brand-new teacher at 23-years-old, I began by teaching history to seniors just five years younger than me. (For whatever it’s worth, that was back in 1977!) It’s been a joyful way to spend part of my time this school year, and it has been a delight to be in the classroom sharing ideas and learning with my students. What strikes me is how prepared for life these students are. Human Geography is the first period of the day, and my students arrive ready to learn each and every day. They know how they learn best and are proactive about their studies. This group does not have to wait for the teacher to tell them what to do—they know, and they work confidently and autonomously. Because geography—both human and physical—deals with the world and the people in it, we have had the opportunity to ponder some of the biggest questions that affect societies today and throughout history. I am grateful to spend this semester being a partner in learning with these students, but more importantly, I am convinced that their futures are bright. These students indicate to me that children at Selwyn are still growing to become curious, capable adults who can identify problems and make them better. Our collective future is better off for that. I have been incredibly fortunate to be working in classrooms and schools for nearly fifty years. This year, thanks in large part to the students I get to teach each day, I find myself just as grateful as I was when I first started back in 1977. Best, Deb Hof Head of School |
