Agents for the Good

Chapel lies at the heart of a Saint David's School education. When I visit alums across the country and ask them what they most valued at Saint David’s it is, inevitably, their time in Chapel that hits high, if not highest. Whether listening to a moral lesson delivered in a personal story laced with values, reflecting quietly, being present with peers and teachers, or participating in the ambiance and routine of Chapel’s simple service, our boys treasure the Chapel experience. Chapel Talks are typically given daily by a teacher or an alum.

Each year in the spring, consistent with our school-wide goals of increasing the boys’ oral presentation skills, interdisciplinary study opportunities, and cross-grade integration, we work together across Religion, English, and Library/Research departments to teach a Seventh Grade Signature Unit of study entitled Agents for the Good.

An important component of Agents for the Good is the Chapel Talk, which I teach. Seventh Grade boys and I work together over a five-month period to critique and define characteristics of an effective Chapel Talk and develop one targeted to a specific audience. Each boy then delivers his Talk, employing effective public speaking skills. The Chapel Talk must clearly present a central lesson or moral that incorporates elements of the school’s mission, a chosen Bible passage, stories, or anecdotes from the boy's research on a person of any or no faith tradition who is or was an “agent for the good.” The boy then needs to connect all of this with something personal, original, or interesting that would relate his message to the audience—a tall task to say the least!

Yesterday, we held the first of this year's Agent for the Good Chapels, delivered remotely via videoconference. Given the uncertainty of the times in which we find ourselves, Colin J.'s topic, "Faith," which focused on World War II veteran Desmond Doss, couldn't have been more relevant. Doss was an army medic who, because of his faith, refused to carry a gun. He is credited with saving 75 lives in The Battle of Okinawa when he risked his own life to save his troops, because he had the faith to do so. Colin's talk reminded us that faith gives us the fortitude to embrace our talents, to take chances in life, and to remain true to our convictions, confident that in the end we will be supported and loved.

I look forward to all of the boys' Chapel Talks this spring, for messages like these resonate strongly. So many Agents for the Good walk among us right now--in particular, the myriad health care workers and first responders who are giving of themselves tirelessly, each and every day, for the good of others.

Resilience in the Teaching of Languages

Above: The Nerf microphone ball enables boys learning remotely to hear their classmates well. The pandemic has challenged educators to reinvent and reimagine units of study to keep learning engaging, regardless of how it is delivered. The following article, written for Saint David’s Magazine by our Modern Languages Chair Dr. Victoria Gilbert and Lower School Spanish teacher Flor Berman, addresses how this was done in the Spanish immersion language program at Saint David's. Ms. Berman and Dr. Gilbert, recipient of the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers' Ruth E. Wasley Distinguished Teacher Award, presented on the topic at NYSAIS’s Flexible Classroom Conference last summer. How Spanish Classes Have Bounced Back Resiliency implies an ability to bounce back, but as teachers working with the youngest learners in the school, we would reframe resiliency as the opportunity to reimagine. Whether boys are learning through a face-to-face experience or through the med

The Role of Faith in Social-Emotional Learning and Psychological Well-Being

The following article by our School Psychologist, Dr. Michael Schwartzman, appears in the current issue of Saint David's Magazine : During one of my first observations in a Saint David’s classroom 15 years ago, I witnessed two first grade boys in a verbal altercation. Although it was contained just between the two boys, their observant teacher had them talk it through and then shake hands on being in a better place for having done so. I was very impressed, and still am, with this approach that the school takes many times throughout the day. It helps establish a firm idea of how to behave, especially in social situations where emotions can be stirred and run high. Through this experience repeated consistently day in and day out, better, more productive ways of engaging become increasingly integrated by the boys as they develop socially and emotionally in interaction with each other. As the School Psychologist, I spend a lot of time thinking about the touch points for student and t

Storytelling Demonstrates Understanding

Their time had arrived. As the lights dimmed in our Otto-Bernstein Theatre, the astrophysicists, a mix of jitters and excitement, awaited their opportunity to share insights and stories about the workings of the universe. Which planets might support life? Is there water on Mars? What are Dwarf Planets? "Let's take a look at our closest neighbor, Venus," invited one presenter, before revealing that the planet - while ideal in proximity - has surface temperatures of 900 degrees F: "Imagine - standing on the surface would be like being burned alive!" Later that same day, in our Graham lunchroom, early 20th century immigrants of all ages from Italy, China, Ireland, Russia, among other countries, waited, with hope and determination, their turn to be interviewed for admittance to America. It wasn't going to be easy. They would be asked pointed, potentially life-altering questions by various processors. "What's that cough? It doesn't sound good,&qu

David O'Halloran, Headmaster - Saint David's School, New York City

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