Today is Grandparents’ Day at Casady.
I love Grandparents’ Day. Many independent schools take one day each year to celebrate with the grandparents of students by having a performance, showing off class projects and generally observing all things good about grandparents being in the lives of children. I suppose part of my fondness for this day is the celebration of children and the wonder with which they start each new day. But I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a great excuse for me to reflect on my grandparents and how they have impacted my life.
Knowing all of my paternal and maternal grandparents and having them live no more than a mile from my childhood home puts me in fairly exclusive company. My maternal grandfather, Papa, died when I was in elementary school so memories are sketchy but I do recall watching plenty of Grand Prix Wrestling in his den with him. His wife, our Gaga, lived to almost 100 years of age and passed in 2007 having served as my Gin Rummy partner for many years. Nanny is my paternal grandmother who is still living in her own home. While she may not be quite as spry as she once was her days as a one room school teacher have spawned many great stories that I have absorbed and applied in my line of work.
Perhaps the one person who had the most significant impact on my life through my college years was Berton Warden Huestis – my paternal grandfather and the man I considered amongst my best friends growing up. I had the good fortune of living approximately 300 yards from Bert until I went away to college which afforded us opportunities for great chats, time in his darkroom and watching plenty of Celtics games in his basement! He was an insurance agent, professional photographer and former Mayor of our small Eastern Canadian city. The photo link shows Bert escorting Queen Elizabeth during her 1959 visit with Prince Phillip to our fair city (the woman directly over Bert’s left shoulder is Nanny). Bert was famous for being everyone’s friend and whether he knew it or not he was much more than that to me. He taught me how to treat people, how to listen and that while we should work hard and do all that we can in our time on earth – he didn’t take life too seriously. Bert’s laugh, actually it was more of a chuckle, is one of my favorite memories as I think back to our days at the summer cottage sitting by the river eating breakfast as the sun came up over the horizon – just me and Bert and his take on the world.
In many ways I believe that Bert helped shape who I am and what I do today. He showed me how powerful it is to help young people distinguish between right and wrong and how wonderful it can be to act as a mentor through both words and actions. In small ways, I hope I fill that role for young people in my position as a school leader, and certainly as a father to Xavier Berton Huestis. I hope that Bert is watching!
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.
My best,
Peter Berton Huestis
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Being Creative About Creativity
Next week (Nov. 15-17) the Creativity World Forum is coming to Oklahoma City. This is a unique opportunity for all of us to hear from the leading experts in their fields concerning the state of creativity in education and business. Speakers such as Sir Ken Robinson and Daniel Pink will discuss the need and importance of creativity in our daily lives. In education, preparing tomorrow’s leaders surely needs to focus on creativity more and more and standardized testing and rote memorization less and less.
Sir Ken Robinson asks an important question: “Are schools designed to kill creativity?” Regardless of your feeling on this issue is it not amazing that we even have to ask the question?
Tackling this issue involves analysis of traditional teaching methods, assessments and models. We must look inward as educators and ask tough questions of ourselves as we assess the priorities we have for 21st Century education. My hope is that the Creativity World Forum may help spark further conversations as we continue to move Casady into the 21st Century. In the mean time, I did a chapel talk yesterday and worked some creativity into the mix. Here’s how it went down:
I asked my beautiful wife, Betsy, to attend chapel yesterday with our 3.5 year old son, Xavier. I explained to the students and faculty that my talk would focus on our theme for the year, story, but also incorporate some creativity. One of my favorite moments of my day is when I have the opportunity to cuddle with Xavier in bed and tell him stories that I make up on the spot as he drifts off to sleep. Sometimes I make them funny (or at least I think they’re funny) and sometimes there is a lesson that I hope he absorbs but always…..the stories are original, silly and creative.
At chapel yesterday I asked my advisory group to join me on stage. They had some advance warning and even a little practice so they knew what was coming. We asked Xavier if he wanted us to tell him a story. He got to choose the topic (motorbikes) and then one by one, each of my advisees added to the creative story until the motorbike had come alive, gotten into Xavier’s bedroom, taken him to a candy store, stopped at a park and then returned Xavier to his house. It was a silly story and made no sense but the students were creative and entertaining and the scared little boy in the front row warmed up quickly and was asking for more by the end of the five minute story.
One of my favorite aspects of the exercise on stage yesterday was that it was unpredictable. The students had to think on their feet and present their creative ideas in a forum in front of their peers. One of the key messages I wanted students and faculty to take away from the chapel talk yesterday was that they are encouraged to find avenues to express their creativity. Maybe it’s in class, on stage, in athletics or at the debate tournament. Or maybe their expression of creativity will be in a forum unknown to us - it doesn’t matter. We also discussed how it is sometimes difficult and scary to step out and be creative in front of your peers but that the more we all do it the more accepted it becomes. If I can help encourage one or two students or faculty members to express themselves creativity in a safe and supportive environment I consider my time well spent.
The only down side to my chapel talk? I had a tough time topping that day’s story when I curled up in bed with Xavier last night….and he reminded me of that fact!
Sir Ken Robinson asks an important question: “Are schools designed to kill creativity?” Regardless of your feeling on this issue is it not amazing that we even have to ask the question?
Tackling this issue involves analysis of traditional teaching methods, assessments and models. We must look inward as educators and ask tough questions of ourselves as we assess the priorities we have for 21st Century education. My hope is that the Creativity World Forum may help spark further conversations as we continue to move Casady into the 21st Century. In the mean time, I did a chapel talk yesterday and worked some creativity into the mix. Here’s how it went down:
I asked my beautiful wife, Betsy, to attend chapel yesterday with our 3.5 year old son, Xavier. I explained to the students and faculty that my talk would focus on our theme for the year, story, but also incorporate some creativity. One of my favorite moments of my day is when I have the opportunity to cuddle with Xavier in bed and tell him stories that I make up on the spot as he drifts off to sleep. Sometimes I make them funny (or at least I think they’re funny) and sometimes there is a lesson that I hope he absorbs but always…..the stories are original, silly and creative.
At chapel yesterday I asked my advisory group to join me on stage. They had some advance warning and even a little practice so they knew what was coming. We asked Xavier if he wanted us to tell him a story. He got to choose the topic (motorbikes) and then one by one, each of my advisees added to the creative story until the motorbike had come alive, gotten into Xavier’s bedroom, taken him to a candy store, stopped at a park and then returned Xavier to his house. It was a silly story and made no sense but the students were creative and entertaining and the scared little boy in the front row warmed up quickly and was asking for more by the end of the five minute story.
One of my favorite aspects of the exercise on stage yesterday was that it was unpredictable. The students had to think on their feet and present their creative ideas in a forum in front of their peers. One of the key messages I wanted students and faculty to take away from the chapel talk yesterday was that they are encouraged to find avenues to express their creativity. Maybe it’s in class, on stage, in athletics or at the debate tournament. Or maybe their expression of creativity will be in a forum unknown to us - it doesn’t matter. We also discussed how it is sometimes difficult and scary to step out and be creative in front of your peers but that the more we all do it the more accepted it becomes. If I can help encourage one or two students or faculty members to express themselves creativity in a safe and supportive environment I consider my time well spent.
The only down side to my chapel talk? I had a tough time topping that day’s story when I curled up in bed with Xavier last night….and he reminded me of that fact!
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