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Great Schools Are Patient Places

Boys don’t learn subjects; they learn teachers. Great schools appreciate that all learning is social and that the best learning is achieved through relational teachers--educators who take the time to know and see exactly who their students are, not only as learners, but also as people. This is what Saint David’s teachers do. They see and appreciate a boy for who he is, and then work with him to draw him out to help him realize and, as our mission states, fulfill his potential. This requires patience.

The importance of patience is demonstrated throughout our program. Our eighth grade art history students have just completed their NBS Lectures, one of several experiences in our humanities course. Guided throughout by teachers Ms. Milligan and Mr. Burton, each boy researched a notable work by a renowned artist, then prepared a lecture and visual presentation that included in-depth analysis of such components as impact of the artist, iconography, color, and balance, among others. Their peers from Nightingale-Bamford School attend the lectures, which are judged by a panel of art experts, faculty members, trustees, and administrators.

The project, a perfect example of the "scholarly and creative" at Saint David's, requires the boys to refine the art of clear, concise, cogent writing and speaking. It demands a commitment of time to think deeply in analyzing and achieving greater understanding about the themes, impact, and significance of the artwork and artist selected. 

During the preliminaries, one boy remarked to me that there was so much preparation and time involved in researching and developing these presentations and then, suddenly, they were over in seven minutes. 

He was right. Isn't that life? Think about events - weddings, holiday dinners, sports games, other major events - the time dedicated to preparation and practice far exceeds the time of the actual event. In no way does this negate the value of the "product," but it points to the importance of the "process." Process requires patience. 

Earlier this season, at a meeting with parents new to the school, I asked, “What ever happened to patience?” Have you seen it lately--think public discourse, interpersonal interaction, the check-out line, customer service counter, same day delivery--Where did patience go? Not long ago, we viewed patience as a virtue. Today, it is nothing more than a romantic notion, anachronistic at best. 

However, great teaching, education at its best, takes time. It focuses more on the questions than the answers, the learners than the subjects, the process than the product. To be truly scholarly and creative requires healthy doses of patience. Our teachers know this, and they know their students as individuals, helping them to dig deeper, go further, understand better. This was evident in the level of confidence and achievement demonstrated in our boys' NBS Lectures.

In addition, if we are serious about building an even more inclusive and respectful community and society where all members feel respected, valued, and that all-important sense of belonging, we must take the time to see and hear others, especially those whose views, experiences, beliefs, or opinions differ radically from our own. We must be patient. Great schools are patient places.


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