MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES I

From the Head of School

t is human nature to be drawn to people with common interests and backgrounds. However, our country’s founders never anticipated the impact of social media and the algorithms established to reinforce one’s opinions. There have been many scholarly articles written about the harmful effects of increased polarization in our country and in politics. Some experts have attributed this situation to the lack of exposure to multiple perspectives.

At Shady Hill, we have always embraced and fostered multiple perspectives – such diversity of thought is an important part of our mission statement and pedagogy. In math classrooms, we encourage students to use different approaches to solve problems and to share their thinking with their classmates. In Central Subject classes, I often hear and see students take on a different perspective of their own as they interpret a primary source or represent a character from a novel. For example, Grade VII teachers ask students to work collaboratively to research and share different perspectives related to a historical event. These interpretations are creative, and often humorous, as students reimagine history.

Shady Hill has a deep and sustained commitment to valuing multiple perspectives in the development of our students’ vital critical thinking skills. I am proud to lead our community as we shape meaning from knowledge and pursue our quest to become ethical, democratic citizens. Through our approach to learning, we foster our students’ continued growth as empathetic humans able to make well-informed decisions in the complex world they will inhabit.

Warmly, Mark Stanek, Head of School May 2023