A word from Facing History and Ourselves
by Marty Sleeper, Associate Executive Director, Facing History and Ourselves
As a former school Principal, I have always believed that the most significant attribute of any school is that its students feel known as individuals. Nothing can be more distressing for a student in the school than to feel a sense of anonymity. But when the Principal greets students each day by name and with an engaging question or comment; when teachers, either in or outside of their classrooms recognize and engage the individual interests, talents, hopes and learning styles of their students; when every student feels there is at least one trusted adult in the school community to whom she can turn to voice a concern; such anonymity is dissolved and hence, it is these elements that are the best barometers of the health of the school community.
Two months ago, I made my first visit to the Facing History School as part of the annual Facing History and Ourselves Board retreat.
I had already sensed what could only be the caring nature of its learning environments from my observation of a group of the warm, informal, yet respectful interactions between students and teachers when they came to the Facing History Headquarters building in Brookline last spring at the end of their tour of local colleges. Visiting the school itself on that early November morning more than affirmed that judgment as I walked through the corridors, acknowledged the friendly and welcoming greetings by students, looked into classrooms and overheard brief conversations between staff and students. One can always tell a lot about the teaching and learning that goes on in those classrooms as well as the atmosphere of the school itself by what is displayed on the walls of those corridors. The corridors of this school exhibit student work which clearly mark sound teacher expectations for the individual growth of those students as well as their impressive accomplishments.
Later that morning, I attended an important panel of school administrators talking about the work and the challenges of their schools. They were all informative, but the contributions by Mark Otto, Dean of Student Affairs, were particularly notable as he described the Facing History School’s efforts to ensure that each student recognize, respect and realize her individual potential was a fitting cap to the visit and left no doubt in my mind that this is a school community that truly cares for and believes in its pupils.