Contemplations from Kim: The Purpose of School
By Kim Wargo, Head of School
Before we can learn something, we have to acknowledge that we have something to learn. We have to bump up against the realization of “I don’t know.” And, the moment of “I don’t know” is usually uncomfortable.
Click here to listen to an audio recording of this month's column.
The Purpose of School
“At my old school, I only felt like I belonged at recess. At Lab, I feel like I belong all the time.”
A Lab parent recently shared this unprompted quote from their child, who is a student in our Lower School. This feeling of belonging is a centerpiece of what I believe school should be.
Before learning can occur, human beings must feel a sense of safety. A sense of safety comes from knowing that we are seen, valued, and accepted for who we are - in other words knowing that we belong.
Why is belonging so important to learning?
Before we can learn something, we have to acknowledge that we have something to learn. We have to bump up against the realization of “I don’t know.” And, the moment of “I don’t know” is usually uncomfortable.
Learning requires us to open ourselves up to new information and new perspectives. Learning requires us to be vulnerable. We have to let our guard down and admit that we are grappling with ideas and concepts previously not grasped, understood, or even identified.
Human beings generally find it difficult to be vulnerable if they don’t feel that they belong. When we are in a situation where we sense external judgment - when we’re worried that we don’t measure up in some fundamental way - our guard goes up.
When we don’t feel the sense of safety that comes from belonging, we are inevitably resistant to new information or situations because we are forced to admit an inadequacy or a deficit - whether of knowledge or skill. Admitting a deficit in a situation where we feel judged as lacking is almost impossible.
That’s why a sense of belonging is a critical foundation to learning. And it’s why at Lab we are committed to creating an environment where differences are embraced as advantages.
I see evidence of this philosophy - and its outcomes - all around me.
On Wednesday night, I attended our Middle School Performing Arts showcase, which also included a few appearances from some of our Upper School students. I think I can say without exaggerating that there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience. I know for sure, at least, that my eyes weren’t dry.
The reason for my tears was the clear illustration of how much our students have internalized the importance of belonging - and how that sense of belonging results in their ability to be unabashed self-advocates.
The show alternated between dramatic (and comedic!) vignettes and show-stopping musical numbers from the hit musical, The Greatest Showman. There were many lyrical lines that resonated deeply with what I believe is important about school - and especially about Our School.
But perhaps none hit closer to home for me than these from “This is Me:”
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown 'em out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me
This song embodies the core beliefs of Lab. Learning differences aren’t something to be hidden or ashamed of. Learning differences are part and parcel of who our kids are, of how their brains work. Our students’ learning differences are part of what makes them unique.
When, as a person, you understand that your greatest challenges are also the foundation of your most unique strengths, you are equipped to stand tall and show the world what you’re capable of; you are ready to be a self-advocate.
I have recently been in correspondence with a Lab alum, Logan Johns ‘22, who is now a junior at Howard University. Logan reached out to share his blog site, which prompted our e-mail conversation.
Logan shared his current career goal, as a multi-media journalist:
“As a photojournalist, I will advocate for creating art that aligns with my values. I may use my self-advocacy skills to work with magazine, print, or online editors, ensuring that photos are selected thoughtfully to avoid biased portrayals of marginalized communities. The focus of my career will be on the fair and authentic representation of people of color in the media, and I will use my self-advocacy not only to advance my work but also to amplify the voices of those often ignored or misrepresented in newsrooms.”
Logan shared that the self-advocacy skills that he learned at Lab were a critical part of his journey to this professional aspiration:
“The Lab School was instrumental in helping me to develop my self-advocacy skills. So much so that by 12th grade, my mom joked that she thought Lab overdid it! In all seriousness, as a "lifer" at Lab, I started learning self-advocacy from day one. Lab works so hard at helping us understand how best we learn and what we need in order to succeed that when you meet someone who isn't meeting your learning needs, it only feels natural to speak out. From advancing my education to building my career, I rely on the self-advocacy skills I developed at Lab in every aspect of my life.”
The thing is - developing that level of confidence in one’s self is the purpose of school. School isn’t just about teaching content. In fact, after three decades in this business, I would argue that teaching content is in some ways, the low-level part of what we do. I think this is even more true in a time where content is ubiquitous, at our fingertips, available 24-7.
School is about learning how to discern what’s important in a world of unending content. School is about teaching students how to ask the right questions from an endless sea of information. School is about ensuring that young people are equipped with enough self-knowledge and self-confidence to enter a world that is increasingly complex and changing at an exponential rate.
School should be about putting students in a place of “just right” challenge and support - so that they can THRIVE as learners and grow into the fullest version of themselves - a version that, first and foremost, allows them to advocate for who they are, what they want, and what they believe in.
I believe that this is the essence of Lab. We are a place that empowers our students to embrace who they are. And, beyond even that, we are a place that empowers them to help the rest of the world embrace the fact that differences are what make them extraordinary.
How do I know that we are doing this? Easy. It’s in the experiences of our alumni, like Logan.
And it’s in moments like this:
At the end of last night’s show, 60+ Lab students - ranging in age from 10 to 18 years old - stood on the stage together, and through song and dance made a clear and unequivocal declaration:
“We can live in a world that we design.”
Please enjoy this video and audio production from our Performing Arts students and teaching artists.
With all the best wishes for a joyful and restful Winter Break and an excitement for the journey ahead at Lab and beyond,
Kim Wargo
Head of School
