Point
Notes
FEBRUARY 2011
A Newsletter from Susan B. Lair, Ph.D., Head of School
with Merin Porter, Director of Marketing and Communications
The Trouble With
‘Good Enough’
It’s been said that “it’s easier to change the course of
history than a history course.” This quote has been attributed to many people, but regardless of its original
source, the point it makes is still valid today. It also begs the question: Is there really something wrong with our
school curricula that necessitates change? My answer, in a nutshell, is yes.
You see, our current system of education
education Sir Ken Robinson, the “production-
the needs of the future could result in an
was founded in the intellectual culture of
line” mentality that used to be effective—
entire generation of kids who fail to make
the Enlightenment and established at the
time of the Industrial Revolution.* In other
separate subjects, grouping children by
the grade in the global economy because
age rather than by ability, a commitment
they can’t think their way through an
words, it was designed to foster deductive
to finding the “one right answer” through
abstract problem, work in teams, distinguish
reasoning and a knowledge of the classics
deductive reasoning—is a large part of
and was built with an exclusively economic
the reason that the students produced by
good information from bad, or speak a
language other than English.**
premise in mind. The system evolved in the
today’s American schools are lagging behind
late 1800s and early 1900s, at a time when
in the global educational scene. And the
Robinson suggests that the best way to
many children left the realm of academia
one thing that truly used to set Americans
address this problem is to develop our kids’
after elementary school to start working, be
apart—our creativity—is being squashed out
capacity for imagination and to connect
it on the family farm or in the factory. So, in
of our students through the standardization
them with their true talents. I agree, and
looking at the public education system of
of testing and curricula. Admittedly, that
would add that in order to create critical
that time, you see a junior-school tier that
system works at some level, but how does
thinkers who are equipped to deal with
was designed to provide a large blue-collar
it work for the students who are better or
challenges on a global scale, schools need
workforce with the ability to perform basic
more interested than their same-age peers
to step away from programs based purely on
reading, writing and arithmetic. Secondary
in certain disciplines, or who learn better at
fact memorization and short answers, and
education was meant to cultivate a group of
different times of the day, in small groups or
begin to teach not so much for recall as for
people who could do administrative work,
even on their own?
understanding. They also need to heavily
and universities were established to cultivate
invest in a liberal arts academic program—
the “newsmakers”—the doctors and lawyers
As it turns out, not very well. Despite the
complemented by art, music and drama—
and judges who needed to make decisions
approximately $38 billion spent on Texas
where inductive reasoning and creativity play
that broadly affected culture and policy.
public education each year, Texas public
key roles.
school students are still ranked No. 49
That system worked in 1900, but how does it
nationally in verbal SAT scores (492) and
I’m happy to say that St. Francis’ emphasis
work in 2011? According to world-renowned
No. 46 on math SAT scores (502). Our
on creativity, enrichment opportunities and
expert on innovation and creativity in
inability to change and realistically address
critical thinking gives us an advantage over
continued
The Trouble With
‘Good Enough’ continued
many of our peer schools—but the right and
responsibility of great schools is the audacity
to question whether “good enough” really is.
In a few decades, there are likely to be entire
industries that we haven’t even imagined yet,
requiring skill sets that don’t yet exist. How
does a school have any hope of preparing its
students for that type of future? The hope lies
in the fact that a few things will be the same:
Adults who succeed will need to be able to think
both creatively and critically. They’ll need to be
passionate about doing their personal best. And,
of course, they’ll still need to know how to read
and write well.
For these reasons, we’ve decided to begin
St. Francis Spotlight
The Reverend Robert Wismer, Senior Chaplain
“Education is a matter of the mind, the heart and the
soul.” As the core of the Reverend Robert Wismer’s
own teaching philosophy, these words also reflect the
message he espouses in his classes on religion, the Bible
and ethics at St. Francis. The school’s senior chaplain
since 2002, the Rev. Wismer—or “Father Bob,” as he is
affectionately called— says he most enjoys watching
“the light” go on for students as they begin to grasp an
idea or truth, as well as “seeing them begin to understand
how religion affects the real world they live in.”
our curricular improvements in the areas of
language arts and social studies. The aim? To
Since answering God’s call to fill the chaplain position at St.
transform those St. Francis disciplines from
Francis, Father Bob has been involved with every grade level
“good enough” to great, making them model
at the school. He says his ultimate goal in the classroom is to
programs with the help of progressive research,
create an interactive atmosphere: “a place where students can
while using national standards as a guidepost.
question and challenge, share their thoughts and feelings, and
To that end, we plan to move forward with
feel safe enough to be honest.” By conveying to each student
curricular assessments in 2011–12 by forming
that he or she is created in God’s own image, he strives to
committees, sending out parent questionnaires,
demonstrate the “infinite value” of all people. All lessons, he
talking with universities, and looking at
explains, flow from this fundamental knowledge.
practices at the world’s best schools.
Formerly a rector at St. Helen’s Anglican Church, Vancouver, Father Bob has also been
As a result of these efforts, our programs will
active in such organizations as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a resource ministry for
begin to foster in our students even higher levels
Christian university students wishing to make an impact on their schools. He has led
of creative thinking, inductive reasoning and
countless Sunday school classes, vacation Bible schools and Confirmation courses, as
complex problem solving—all while forcing us
well as youth groups and summer camps. In addition, he has developed adult education
to do a better job of modeling these qualities
programs and has even coached in local high schools.
ourselves! There will inevitably be some
discomfort involved as the familiar “good” gives
Not content to rest on his educational laurels, Father Bob says he works hard to keep his
way to “great” new ideas and processes, but we
own Biblical and theological studies current. He holds a master of divinity degree from
owe it to our children to provide them with an
Regent College, as well as a master’s degree in the New Testament from McGill University
education that prepares them to succeed in the
and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from McMaster University. In his personal time,
global marketplace of the 21st century and goes
Father Bob enjoys reading about history and spending time with his family. From grabbing
well beyond simply “good enough.”
dinner and a movie with his wife to playing family games, watching his twin sons play
*Changing Paradigms—How We Implement Sustainable Change in Education, Sir Ken
Robinson, RSA/Edge Lecture, 2008
**How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century, Claudia Wallis, Sonja Steptoe and
Pat Bassett, NAIS, 2009
Point Notes
football, playing music with his daughter or “having great discussions” with his oldest son,
he is happiest when he is sharing of himself with others. I’m certain you’ll agree with me
that St. Francis could not do without him!
is published throughout the school year by St. Francis Episcopal Day School (335 Piney Point Rd., Houston,
TX 77024, www.sfedshouston.org). Its purpose is to provide Head of School Dr. Susan B. Lair with a direct communication link to
the school‘s parent community. Produced by the Department of Marketing and Communications.