Click here to listen to this week’s JAM – Learners Together, Learners Forever.
When a teacher asks a child what they should do when they are stuck on something – perhaps a 1st grader trying to learn to read, a 5th grader trying to design and build something in the Hub, or a 7th grader struggling with a complex math problem – we are coaching them to think in those moments about identifying the resources and tools they have at their disposal to help them get unstuck. As educators, we are teaching them how to learn – not just teaching them a skill or a piece of content – and the student’s increasing ability to identify and implement strategies to solve their problems is in many ways the most important skill we are teaching them throughout their time on campus. As we consistently note, we are educating them for a world and for jobs that in many cases do not yet exist, and so we must teach them how to be flexible, creative, disciplined, and resilient lifelong learners.
In some cases, one of the most effective strategies involves seeking additional help from someone else, perhaps a teacher, perhaps a classmate, perhaps another adult on campus, or even an expert on Youtube or someone in the broader community. One of the biggest problems in many schools is that the adults in those communities forget that lesson. In other words, they forget that in order to best achieve your vision and mission, you sometimes need to seek the experience and guidance of people outside your own classroom or school.
At Hillbrook, we have always been active learners, an adult community that prioritizes our connections with people both on and off our campus. As we have been building the high school, we have definitely sought out expertise from people who can help us design important pieces of our program.
Monday morning, for example, started off with a lively conversation with a safety and security consultant. He joined us to help us think through what we need to do to design and implement effective safety and security systems and protocols for our downtown campus. He talked with us about security officers, entrance systems, student and employee educational training, and the creation of structures to ensure students can take full advantage of the opportunities presented by our unique urban location. The consultant has worked with schools around the country and world, including a number of California independent schools. Bringing him onto our campus and tapping into his expertise is a critical step in ensuring we are ready to launch our new high school program next Fall.
Since we first started thinking about expanding from a JK-8 into a JK-12, we have actively asked questions and sought insight and advice. We visited schools throughout California and across the country, learning about what it takes to expand from a JK-8 to a JK-12 and also gaining insight into the practices and innovations at the best high schools in the country and across the world. We have partnered with leading educators, like Denise Pope from Stanford University, who have helped us as we have designed our schedules and built our educational program.
In the months ahead, we are excited to connect with three organizations – the Institute for Social & Emotional Learning, CogX, and Learning Courage – to design a critical piece of our program – the components connected to student well being and social emotional growth. These three organizations are helping us help students develop important self awareness and knowledge about four key parts of being human – how I learn, how I feel, how I relate, and how I care for myself. All of our founding teachers will be going through trainings with these organizations to ensure they are prepared to support each of our students as they grow and learn in the years ahead.
These are just a few of the experts that are working with us side-by-side to design and create an extraordinary high school experience that builds upon our more than 85 years of excellence at the JK-8 level. In the end, we recognize that just like our students we always can continue to learn and grow. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from philosopher and educator Eric Hoffer, “In times of change, learners will inherit the earth while the learned will find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”