faith and practice Friends Education at Moses Brown School
Faith and Practice Quakerism, or the Religious Society of Friends, is an historically Christian religion that holds that there is an Inner Light in each of us. With this comes an innate capacity for goodness and an opportunity to nurture that capacity in ourselves and one another. While Quakerism asserts that there is something sacred in each of us, it claims no privilege or access to spiritual truth and invites people of all faiths to discover their own path to the divine. Friends understand truth as a process of continuing revelation. As a Friends school, we believe that this search for truth is best done in community. This pedagogical approach can be seen in Harkness discussions, project-based learning, group projects, Meetings for Worship, and in student/teacher relationships based on mutual respect. We hope this Faith and Practice booklet will help make clear the testimonies and beliefs essential to our identity as a Friends School, and we invite you to join us as we strive to live them every day. Galen Hamann, Director of Friends Education
“Because our world needs ethical leadership, education must provide the rising generation of children with an ethical core, an unshakable foundation of integrity that fosters respect, the non-violent resolution of conflict, and the desire to make a positive difference in the world. These themes speak directly to our historic strengths as a Friends school and are in alignment with Moses Brown’s mission – to inspire the inner promise of each student and instill the utmost care for learning, people, and place.” Matt Glendinning, Head of School
THE INHEREN OF
Friends education celebrates the unique gifts of each child, seeks truth in all its forms, and aspires to instill a bold sense of purpose in learning. Because Friends believe that every person has a sacred Inner Light, every child contributes to the learning process. Children learn in both Meeting for Worship and in the classroom that every voice is important, including their own. Their self-confidence grows, and they become comfortable taking risks, stretching their learning, listening to and appreciating a multitude of perspectives. Every child in a Friends school is seen for the wholeness of who he or she is, and is nurtured in mind, body, and spirit.
“As a Quaker educator, I enter a classroom saying: since each of these 15 students has special gifts and talents, how can I help each of them develop and use their unique abilities? That is a very different approach from asking: what can I teach them about international relations today?� Don McNemar, Moses Brown Trustee and Quaker educator
NT PROMISE OF EACH CHILD
MEETING FO
The Quaker religion has no dogmas, creeds, or sacraments. Rather, Friends believe that everyone has access to Truth, and that we all have the potential to minister to one another. As part of our Friends tradition, all students participate weekly in Meeting for Worship, an opportunity to gather in silent reflection and share thoughts with the community. Each individual is entrusted with responsibility for the success of the Meeting. Some may worship or pray, some may ponder a personal problem or joy, some may try to connect with a higher power. Others may simply listen and enjoy the power of silence. Students and faculty routinely comment about how they appreciate this space to pause and reflect as a community. Alumni frequently cite their experiences in Meeting for Worship as among the most powerful memories of their school days.
“The purpose of Meeting for Worship can be explained as: gathering in silence to seek a deeper understanding of what lies in our hearts, a greater awareness of the spirituality of life, and a clearer direction for our lives.� Lee Quimby, Educator
OR WORSHIP
PEACE
We believe: Conflict is a natural part of human nature that provides opportunities to build relationships through peaceful resolution. We engage in creative and collaborative problem-solving. Violence of any kind is not tolerated. We must learn about and understand war and its impact in order to create a more peaceful world. We live: Everyone has the right to be heard, even when our truths differ. In lower school children learn to identify when they are angry or hurt, to articulate their feelings, and to achieve peaceful, respectful resolution. Older students are given the chance to practice saying what is not easily welcomed in class, Meeting for Worship, and upper school forum. Students are encouraged to suggest what needs to be changed and to find ways of addressing the problems they perceive. On our campus, we have a Peace Garden for people to reflect, walk the labyrinth, and have quiet conversations. Every year we celebrate the International Day of Peace by designing flags that represent wishes of peace for the world and hang them all over campus. In fifth grade the students work with the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence and earn a certificate in peaceful conflict resolution. The English Department offers a War Literature elective for seniors that engages with local veterans.
E
“Though many times students question the place of war literature within our Quaker school, because conflict exists, it is important to examine its impact on those who fight and those who are victims. Reading fiction and nonfiction about the effects of war in a classroom setting demonstrates our need to care for those damaged by conflict and the role of literature in healing and educating.� Abby Phyfe, Upper school English teacher
COMMU
We believe: We are a community of learners where all members have an equal responsibility to seek, share, and help others along the way. We expect to gain new insight from others’ experiences or perspectives, whether younger or older. We seek the collective wisdom that comes from hearing and appreciating all voices in our community, and can put our own needs aside in the interest of serving the needs of one another. Grounded in a foundation of trust, faculty and students partner in collective and cooperative decision-making.
“Throughout my years at this school I have consistently reminded myself and my friends that we are all here to support each other in all circumstances. The Quaker testimonies related to integrity and community have made any difficult situation that we have encountered easier to manage.” Maddie Gorgi ’17
We live: Harkness discussions honor the individual and the group by requiring commentary from every student in the class. Teachers are willing to be vulnerable and share in the learning process with their students. All faculty, staff, and students gather four times a year for an all-school Meeting for Worship led by students. Once a month, 3rd–5th graders participate in Mix It Up Lunch, talking with classmates with whom they might not ordinarily sit with. Upper school students tutor middle school students in their free time. An alumna returns to campus to share her craft as a newly published novelist.
MUNITY
INTEG
We believe: Truth and authenticity are paramount. We seek to be true to ourselves and others in our social and academic endeavors. We stand up for what we believe is right or just, even in the face of external pressures. Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching. We recognize that making a mistake is a key part of the learning process and an opportunity to grow. We live: Children are encouraged to discover and speak their own truths. Our community members hold one another accountable for bringing out the best in one another. We expect students to act and speak with respect and honesty. We help each child become the whole person he or she is intended to become. Students in the upper school who serve on the disciplinary committee seek responses to situations in need of disciplinary action that respect both the individual and the community. In all three divisions, we are committed to developing the skills our students need to be active, ethical decision-makers in the global community. On our sports teams we strive to respect our opponents, officials, and teammates, no matter the outcome of the contest.
“The ideas of integrity and voice are so valued, maybe even the most important piece of being an MB community member. Students are encouraged to speak their minds, respect other people’s values, and be true to themselves: these ideas are the foundation of Friends education.� Jared Schott, Middle School Head
GRITY
STEWAR
We believe: We are responsible for fostering the well-being of other people and our planet earth. We care about our physical environment at school and about the needs of neighbors near and far. We live: We are resourceful in using what we have and in finding ways to recycle. We grow vegetables for our neighbors at Camp Street Ministries. A group of upper school students spends spring break providing medical care in the Dominican Republic and another group learns about hunger and homelessness as they serve in Rhode Island. In woodshop, children learn how to build, fix, and re-make. All upper school students are expected to contribute 40 hours of service to their community before they graduate. The Sustainability Committee and upper school Environmental Council secured the installation of a 50-kilowatt solar array on the roof of the Operations Building and we have switched much of our lighting on campus to highly efficient LEDs. Our cafeteria sources from local farms whenever possible, composts all our pre-consumer fruit and vegetable scraps, and recycles our cooking oil into biodiesel.
“As a Friends school in the 21st century, Moses Brown is committed to the goal of environmental sustainability. We are guided in this work by the Quaker testimony of stewardship as well as by the testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, and equality which constitute the core of the school’s values and speak to our collective responsibility to each other, our campus, the local area, and the planet we all share.” MB Sustainability Committee
ARDSHIP
EQUAL
We believe: Every person has an Inner Light and brings his or her unique gifts to our community. All people in the world deserve to be treated with equal respect. We live: Teachers acknowledge that they don’t have all the answers, and invite student perspectives. Students call many teachers by their first names to signal a partnership, rather than a hierarchy, in the learning process. Everyone waits together in the lunch line — staff, faculty, students, and administration. Team-teaching models equality across disciplines and divisions. Our balanced curriculum gives students access to material and voices that are underrepresented in society. We seek to enrich our school with a broad array of diverse perspectives and worldviews. We are increasing our commitment to financial aid to make our school accessible for as many people as possible.
“As a Friends school, we adhere to the Quaker tenet that every human being possesses a unique Inner Light reflecting dignity and worth. Our mission is to support education and teaching within our community by initiating activities and discussions that promote understanding and respect. We are responsible for building an environment of trust where each individual can feel safe. We are committed to the challenge of confronting issues of injustice, discrimination, and intolerance.”
ALITY
MB Diversity Committee
SIMPL
We believe: We strive to use only what we need and to focus our energy on the most essential parts of our lives. We try to make room in our schedules for balance and reflection so that we can renew our own Inner Light as we seek that spark in others. We live: We center ourselves with silence at the start of the day and the beginnings and endings of meetings, as we seek the calm confidence that comes from knowing ourselves well. We settle, reflect, share, and listen to each other in Meeting for Worship. Alumni appreciate those moments of quiet reflection that remind them of their foundation in Friends education. In classes, we teach students how to manage complexity and to distinguish truthfully between wants and needs. When incorporating new technology into our students’ education, we consider whether it will aid them in — or distract them from — finding the truth.
“Another way of looking at simplicity is our appreciation at Moses Brown of simple acts. We understand that helping a friend with a math problem or giving someone a hug when they are having trouble may seem inconsequential, but in reality has an enormous impact on that person.” Jake Decroce-Movson ’13
LICITY
QUAKER H
The Religious Society of Friends was established in England in the 17th century, growing out of founder George Fox’s search for Truth. He believed and began preaching that all of us have a piece of God, or the Truth, within us. This belief and the practice of gathering in silence to seek out one’s Inner Light is at the center of Friends worship. At the heart of Friends education, we guide students to connect with their Inner Teacher. We also seek to ensure that all students are valued for the truth that they bring to the classroom and the community.
“Freedom of conscience we still prize as the greatest happiness that [we] can possess in the world.” Records of the Colony of Rhode Island, I, 378-380
Quakers came to Boston in 1656 and were eager to share their religion, but were met with persecution by the Puritans. Rhode Island was welcoming to Friends when they arrived in 1657 and the religion thrived here. This was due in large part to the Rhode Island Colony’s emphasis on religious freedom. George Fox himself came to visit Newport in 1672 to preach and engage others like Roger Williams in debate. The Great Friends Meeting House was built in Newport in 1699, and was the largest building in town for several centuries. Today it is the oldest surviving house of worship in Rhode Island. George Fox encouraged early Quakers to “live adventurously; let your life speak.” This call to live intentionally, to focus on service, civic engagement, and justice, found expression in our school’s founder Moses Brown. His life spoke through his actions as a community leader, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, and through his leadership at the forefront of both the abolitionist movement and the birth of the textile industry in America. In 1784 he founded the school to provide a guarded education for Quaker children and others. We continue today as a school that provides an excellent academic as well as moral education grounded in Quaker testimonies.
HISTORY
Moses Brown, a Friends school, exists to inspire the inner promise of each student and instill the utmost care for learning, people, and place.
NEW ENGLAND YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS
Moses Brown School
QU A K E R S