Head's Blog

 

If you haven't been paying attention, COVID case counts and hospitalizations are dropping precipitously and vaccine distribution is accelerating. The arguments for optimism around COVID are grounded in reason, and for the first time in months, there seems to be hope. We simply need to be vigilant - wear a mask and get vaccinated. It’s more than a shot for you, it’s a shot for those you love too. From hugs shared with family, to maskless gatherings with vaccinated friends, to working out, or dining out, the ever-present worry which for some has been overwhelming will begin to dissipate.  By getting vaccinated you will help those who are overwhelmed and you’ll gain some of your pre-pandemic life back. We all will. Can you imagine that?

 

I've never felt entirely at ease during holidays. When I was a younger man, early in my teaching career, I would travel, often choosing to fly on Christmas Day. Going home brought up difficult emotions for me, and I didn't yet have the skills to handle the tension and my reactions. Thankfully, through practice, patience, and an abundance of compassion from my family, it's now my turn to extend that compassion, and to be of service to my kids and my wife.

 

I'm with my wife and kids in Upstate NY right now. I arrived late last night after four days of driving, self-contained and self-resourced, in order to isolate myself in my car. Interstate 5, to Interstate 40, to Interstate 81. SoCal, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York. Only stops for gas, for quick one mile runs around truck stops or frontage roads, and to sleep in isolated, rural cabins. Not exactly the great American road trip.

 

But in some ways maybe it was.

 

This morning I re-read an article on unschooling by Molly Worthen titled, "When You Get Into Unschooling, It's Almost Like a Religion: The movement might help us deal with the problems posed by remote learning," from The New York Times.  

 

Core values of unschooling include following children's natural curiosity and questions, doing away with textbooks and tests, and stripping away even the school building itself. If this sounds like Synapse it is no coincidence. The belief of the movement, and of our school, is that students don't need to be externally motivated to learn. As a school without grades or standard assessments, we know this to be true and see this at Synapse every day.