All School

March 31, 2016

I have a very strong-willed daughter. From the time that she was an infant, she possessed an independence many adults have yet to achieve. No matter how hard I tried to help her, she displayed a determination to do things on her own, whether it was taking those tentative first steps or learning to balance on and pedal a bike. As she enters adolescence, I have to continually remind myself that the very qualities that frustrate me now are the same ones that will serve her well as she makes her mark in the world.

Perhaps the greatest single piece of parenting advice I have ever received was, “Parent the child you have. Not the one you hoped for or dreamed of.” The challenge of parenthood is to provide the environment so that our children can be who they really are. It isn’t to remove obstacles, but to be by their side to support our children when they encounter them. Clearly, if they are running with scissors or juggling knives, we need to step in, but we parents must develop the wisdom to know when to intervene and when to let them learn on their own. It can be difficult to watch them makes mistakes as children that we, as adults, can foresee. Letting them learn through trial and error, however, is a powerful teacher. As our school psychologist, Dr. Steve Kahn, believes strongly in the power of experience. When I, as a parent, have asked for guidance in determining when to intervene with my own children, his response was, “Is there a cliff involved?” Read More

February 25, 2016

How do you promote and assess ethical and intellectual engagement? That is the question addressed in a recent report issued by Harvard University regarding the college admission process. It was the result of the “Making Caring Common” project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Through a series of recommendations to schools, students and their families, and higher education, the report directs the college admission process away from too much emphasis on academic achievement. Instead, it encourages a commitment to serving the common good and challenges our larger culture’s overemphasis on individual achievement. Read More

February 18, 2016

When I was a child, I vividly remember calling my grandparents on Sunday afternoons. They lived in the same state, but a couple of hours away, out in the country. We would each take turns unfurling the long, curly phone cord to tell them about our week, but only for a few minutes each, as we were admonished about the cost of long distance phone calls. The connection was often fuzzy, compelling the parties on either side of the line to shout, or at least speak unnaturally loudly, to carry our voices across the wire. Fast forward forty years to 2016 and we have a country in which most people carry phones in our pockets that connect us instantly, anywhere in the country, for a monthly fee, with relative clarity. Read More

February 11, 2016

It was bedtime in the Anderson home and Julia’s mother asked her to get ready for bed. Leah was unprepared for her daughter’s response. “No, Mom. I can’t go to bed. It’s windy outside and I have to go outside and do a science experiment.” Julia and her father bundled up to go outdoors to record the temperature. When she returned indoors, Julia went to work recording her observations and forming a hypothesis. But Julia wasn’t finished. She went out one more time to check the temperature to test her hypothesis in order to finish her experiment. Read More

February 4, 2016

As we begin re-enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year, I’d like to share an insight with you from Rowan, a Mounds Park Academy third-grader: “When there’s a problem, I think to myself, ‘I know how to work this out because my teachers taught me how.’ They teach us all these special things that get us ready for the world.”

Rowan, I couldn’t agree more. For more than 30 years, MPA teachers have engaged thousands of students in an experiential, college-preparatory education where critical thinking and deep content knowledge are used as the basis for developing essential skills in conflict resolution, perseverance, creativity, and collaboration. MPA teachers truly do teach the special things that prepare students for our changing world, and they do so with incredible passion and commitment. Read More

January 28, 2016

There are few opportunities to step away from my duties as Head of School. Last Friday was an exception, however. I had the pleasure of sitting back while sixth grader Ella Fruchterman took the reins as Head of School for the day. Won in the Best of MPA live auction, ‘Head for the Day’ is an opportunity for a student to experience what it is like to lead the MPA community.

It was a great day for me and I hope it was for Ella, too. I learned a great deal about Ella and what it is like to be a middle school student at MPA. Ella is a bright, cheerful student who enjoys her classes and loves her teachers. She is also an accomplished equestrian, placing nationally here in the United States and in Canada in a number of competitions. Ella is successfully able to balance the many hours necessary to train with her horse with her academic responsibilities. I think she is a good example of how MPA students are able to pursue their passions while challenging themselves intellectually. Read More

January 21, 2016

Never underestimate the power of word of mouth. Think about the last really good restaurant or movie you went to. Chances are you did so because someone you know made the recommendation. Marketing and advertising are important and social media has made both faster and easier. However, we ultimately fall back on the recommendation or endorsement of someone we trust. Read More

January 14, 2016

Did you buy a Powerball ticket? Multiple tickets, perhaps? A recent article in the New York Times included the following observation: “Jumping on the bandwagon is an age-old motivator of psychological behavior.” Stephen Goldbart and his colleague Joan DiFuria wrote in a Psychology Today article titled Lottery-itis!, “We want to be with the in-crowd, to be ‘part of the movement,’ not ‘feel left out.’” I’m not a gambling man, but I must admit that I have been sucked into the Powerball vortex with the possibility of being the lucky winner. In fact, I am writing on Wednesday so by the time you are reading this, I may be Minnesota’s most recent multi-millionaire. Read More

January 7, 2016

When I became Head of School, I moved offices from the south end of the building to the north. Practically speaking, it made a lot of sense given the suite of offices and the proximity to the Porter Conference Room and the Business Office. However, one of the most difficult sacrifices I made was giving up one of the best views of the school–the playground. I miss hearing the laughter and squeals of delight and witnessing the pure joy of children being children.

I recently read an online news story from Minnesota Public Radio about an educational reform movement in Texas that is re-instituting and re-emphasizing recess. While many schools cut recess time to make room for standardized testing and test prep, there is solid evidence that recess, playtime, and physical education are all integral to not just physical development, but social, emotional, and academic success. Read More