by Nina Lopez, Head of School
Bixby School is humming this summer – Zac and Olivia have assembled the strongest team of summer staff that I’ve seen and camp activities embody all the essential parts of our school philosophy – play, exploration and curiosity-driven fun.
Summer is an important time here at Bixby. It is a time of celebration, reflection, rejuvenation and planning. Throughout the year we gather information and experiences; summer provides the time and space to take what we’ve learned to refine, create and let go of elements of our program based on what we learned. I really love the creativity and proactive nature of planning!
This summer, our entire team is reading The Culture Code, by Daniel Coyle. A shared reading offers common language and ideas to reflect upon and embrace (or reject). We chose this book because it focuses our collective attention upon a central premise of our school’s mission, that “it is important that kids learn at least as much about themselves each year as they do about academics.” In order for adults to create the conditions for kids to learn about themselves, we adults must also be engaged in the process of self-discovery; adults can not create an experience for kids that they have not experienced for themselves. A critical element of this experience is learning about ourselves in the context of others, and as part of a group. While our summer reading is unlikely to contain any “answers”, its purpose is simply to keep us focused on school mission to “discover [our] individual gifts as we prepare to make meaningful contributions to [our] world].” Indeed, this work is ongoing and a lifetime endeavor.
The ages from birth to 8 years of age are uniquely important in terms of how children form their sense of “self”, make sense of their world and their place in it. What happens for, by and with children at this early period of life lays the foundation for everything else that comes after. Thanks for inviting us to be part of your childrens’ journeys.
Happy Summer!