I still remember the brightly adorned cardboard and construction paper choo-choo train that Mrs. Beaulieu, my Kindergarten teacher, made to welcome -- or lure -- us to our first day of school. Having it to play in immediately captivated us five year olds, and before we knew it, our imaginations were transported, our mothers were gone, and we were conveyed to a new world. While education was not too flashy in the early 1960‘s, our teacher knew that the attitude toward learning that she helped us develop would determine much.
Years later, I came across these words in a book published in 2005: “It may be that the most important mastery we achieve early on is not the mastery of a particular skill or a particular piece of knowledge, but rather the mastery of the patience and persistence that learning requires, along with the ability to expect and accept mistakes and the feelings of disappointment they may bring.” These words from Life’s Journeys According to Mister Rogers capture what Mrs. Beaulieu and some of my better elementary school teachers focused on and knew. They also allude to some of the most powerful basics The Country School seeks to inculcate within its students: the lessons and attitudes of learning how to learn.
As the new school year begins, it’s worth remembering that the establishment of these fundamental habits of mind is amongst our most important work. While I would add the ability to learn from one’s mistakes to Mister Rogers’ list of key habits to master, the fact is that beyond basic reading, writing, math, and reasoning skills, it’s very difficult to predict exactly what facts our students will need to know when they emerge from school into the wider world. That’s why we focus on developing lifelong learners, on nurturing positive attitudes, on ensuring that the basics are mastered, and on partnering with you to raise good people.
Our teachers and I know that we have embarked on some of the most meaningful work that exists. It’s the track Mrs. Beaulieu set me on many years ago, and I’ve been in school every September since. The 2009-10 school year will transform our children in remarkable ways, but perhaps the most subtle though pervasive and powerful influence will be the attitude toward learning that we help to further. I look forward to helping guide this exciting and engaging journey, and I welcome you all back to school.