THE VIEWPOINTS On A Whaling Adventure v

In the Grade III play True Courage (A Whaling Adventure) a comedy written by Shady Hill music teacher Kabir Sen ’92, TTC ’07, the main character Malcolm grows up on a whaling ship under the less than watchful eye of his father, the ship’s captain. As the newest member of the crew, it is Malcolm’s job to spot whales while on lookout and train to be a harpooner. Malcolm’s conundrum is that he loves whales and doesn’t want to see them killed. He wants to save them!

In Grade III, students study whales and whaling using Shady Hill’s unique Central Subject approach. Central Subject calls upon our students to ponder the complex questions facing people in a certain place and time in history; and in no grade is this challenge more complex than for our young third grade learners. In the first half of the year they study and become experts on their beloved whales. In the second half they become part of the 19th century whaling industry, traveling the world on a mock whaling voyage. They must bridge the seemingly uncrossable divide between their love of whales and the needs of the whaling community. Our young learners must weigh different and emotionally conflicting viewpoints. They come to understand that sometimes there are no right or easy answers.

Which brings us back to Malcolm. He is caught in the tension between his love of whales and his duty to family. He is forced to look at the issue of whaling from different perspectives - a lover of whales born into a family whose very lives depend upon their hunting.

This experience of active learning informed by multiple perspectives is part of what makes Shady Hill so special. Our teachers do not just talk to the children about multiple perspectives, they literally put them in the shoes of the individuals with different and sometimes conflicting needs and take them on a journey to live this dichotomy themselves.

This March, third graders gathered on the green with sea chests, harpoons, lances, and spy glasses to board their whaling ships and head out on the water, a timehonored Shady Hill tradition fondly remembered by every third grade alum. Once at sea, the students learn about life on a whaling ship though actively experiencing it (within the bounds of our Coolidge Hill campus). They will return “home to New Bedford” in June after a voyage of “several years.” Along the way they will share with their teachers and classmates the multiple perspectives they get to see and experience on their journey. Greasy luck!

A Look at Restorative Justice

The concept of restorative justice is based upon the premise that justice repairs the harm that results from wrongdoing. It is an approach that allows anyone affected by a harm to communicate directly with the person responsible in a face-to-face setting—a restorative justice circle. Founded by indigenous communities, it is a theory of justice that focuses on mediation and agreement rather than punishment. Offenders must accept responsibility for the harm they have caused and make restitution with victims.

At Shady Hill, the restorative justice model is being used to help students understand when they have done harm–something that has emotionally or physically hurt another student. Teachers create a restorative justice circle with everyone involved and begin by asking non-judgemental questions about what happened, how it happened, when it happened, and why. This initial conversation is directed at the head, and not the heart, asking straight logistical questions that do not elicit emotion. The conversion then explores the impacts of the wrongdoing and brainstorms solutions about how to make things right. Every member of the circle–the victim, those who have caused harm, and those in the community affected–must be respectful, listen carefully, and seek to understand. The process elicits empathy, accountability, and forgiveness.