Hello, Friends!
This summer I read Erika Christakis' book The Importance of Being Little. In that book she describes how she and her husband had a friend who was a sociologist come over to babysit their 4 month old, and how her skills as a sociologist helped them learn to observe and understand their child differently. She writes:
But it's not necessary to be a famous sociologist to cultivate good observational abilities. First, we need to develop a mental state that a British psychoanalyst once described as having 'no memory, no desire.' This is the art of suspending preconceived expectations and assumptions about a person in order to understand where he is coming from, what he is thinking, and what he is feeling...to see a child fully, we have to allocate the time and space to observe.
In the Lower School Critical Friends Group, we strive to find ways to allocate time for observation in our teaching lives, to practice suspension of judgment together as we learn to listen more deeply to our students and our colleagues, and to nurture habits of reflection with one another. It is ongoing and intentional work, and we hope you consider joining with us in this reflective community.
Each year we hold an introductory lunch gathering where we invite interested faculty to ask questions and learn about the CFG, and to set our calendar for the coming school year. Whether you are curious about our work or are already a CFG participant, we hope you can join us on Wednesday after the morning portion of our LS Faculty meeting (around 12:15). Pick up your lunch from the dining hall and meet in the Charlton Room in Morris House (I've submitted a calendar request to reserve the room--I'll let you know if we have to change venues for any reason).
If you are interested in the CFG but can't attend Wednesday's lunch, please let me know so I can make sure we have your calendar feedback or know to keep you updated on future meetings.
Also consider talking to someone who has participated in the LS CFG about their experience:
Tina Akehurst
Tracy Arensberg
Deborah Bridgnell
Beth Breiten
Carole Burton
Lauren Endicott
Tonya Griffin
Kristen Haferbecker
Dori King
Claire Kucera
Kirstin McAuley
Erin Moulton
Asha Sathyaraj
Janet Schilling
Rachel Taylor
Colesie Tharp
Chris Thompson
Alysa Williams
Hope to see you there!
Kirstin
