As you are probably coming to realise, I like to think deeply about education and in turn how our learning community can be better served. Specifically, how to make a Somersfield education the catalyst to unleash the unique promise and potential of every student so that they may begin to explore and actualise how they will contribute to a better world. The traditional school model is a relic of the industrial era and what worked for us (or not) when we were kids is not what will best serve students of today as they navigate the dynamic complexities of the 21st century. It is our task and imperative to seek approaches to learning that will prepare them to take on this complexity.
I am a huge fan of the Stanford University d.school Design Thinking process - empathise, define, ideate, prototype, test - as it wonderfully articulates a growth mindset approach and underscores the need for schools to serve as laboratories for learning. Many of the attributes we wish to cultivate in our students are interpersonal and character related - kindness, empathy, active listening - all of which are best nurtured in a caring, supportive community. This is Somersfield. We have a unique opportunity to create the ultimate learning ecosystem here that will serve the needs of our students and the world which they will steward. With purpose and passion, we will share what we learn on this journey - both our successes and setbacks - in support of progressive education in Bermuda and beyond. A lofty ambition you may think but I can assure you, the stage is set - all we need to do is channel the pioneering spirit of the founders of Somersfield of 30 years ago and continue to dream big.
Antigen testing reminder
It has been brought to my attention that the completion rate for the twice weekly antigen testing has fallen off with the return to school this week. I know it is easy to fall out of a routine following a break but could I request that everyone recommit to twice-weekly, on Sunday and Wednesday evenings, and to upload the results to our website
Thanks to your efforts and those of our sister independent schools, the government is gaining confidence in the efficacy of antigen testing to keep schools open. Your continued support is critical as we negotiate for more flexibility moving forward. Thank you in advance.
I’ll finish this week’s Friday Thoughts with an excerpt from my recent reading. Welcome back!
Peter
The human mind is not like a desktop computer, designed to hold reams of information. The mind is a flexible problem solver that evolved to extract only the most useful information to guide decisions in new situations. As a consequence, individuals store very little detailed information about the world in their heads. In that sense people are like bees and society a beehive: Our intelligence resides not in individual brains but in the collective mind. To function, individuals rely not only on knowledge stored within our skulls but also on knowledge stored elsewhere: in our bodies, in the environment, and especially in other people. When you put it all together, human thought is incredibly impressive. But it is a product of a community, not an individual alone. Steven Sloman and Philip Fernback, The Knowledge Illusion: Why We Never Think Alone, London, Macmillan, 2017, p. 8 (as quoted in Alex Beard, Natural Born Learners, London, Orion, 2018, p. 253.
