Navigating a Complex World
By Hope Lippens and Nick Imbelli ’ 99
Over the past two-and-a-half years , we have collectively , as a society and school community , faced challenges never before experienced . Each day , we are barraged by talks of a global pandemic , political discord , social injustices , and violence . Many adults have had a difficult time finding answers for themselves , so it is no surprise that children are struggling to cope with the stressors they are faced with each day . Even prior to the pandemic , research conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration found that between 2016 and 2020 , there was a 29 percent rise in anxiety and 27 percent rise in depression in children ages 3-17 . In 2020 , the Ann & Robert H . Lurie Children ’ s Hospital of Chicago conducted a survey of 1,000 parents around the country and discovered that 71 percent of parents reported that the pandemic had taken a toll on their child ’ s mental health . In the face of this black swan event , we cannot rely solely on traditional pedagogy and teaching methods to help our students navigate present day challenges , so as educators , what is the solution ?
By staying true to our mission , Saint David ’ s is well-positioned to support our boys through the challenges of current events with a variety of intentional approaches throughout the day and through our Sophrosyne course . Our commitment to intellectual curiosity , moral introspection , critical analysis of ideas and issues , and a strong sense of community will guide our approach . We will ensure that our boys have the intellectual capacity to process new information , the emotional intelligence to understand and regulate their feelings , and the confidence that they are surrounded by a community where they are supported and safe . To do so , we will focus on an adaptive model when it comes to lesson plans , classroom management , and social and emotional learning ; one that focuses on where the boys currently are developmentally rather than where traditional benchmarks say they should be . We will foster a strong sense of community and inclusion with the return of communal lunches , parental participation in school events and traditions , and collaborations with Dr . Gay , and Ms . Pagan and Coach Morales , our co-directors of Inclusion , Diversity , and Community . We will encourage and support our faculty members in their professional development pursuits as we all learn new strategies to deal with the new normal . Most importantly , we will forge ahead as a community with patience , optimism , and determination , as we become collectively stronger in spite of the challenges faced . At the root of a child ’ s success is a strong sense of self : self-worth , selfefficacy , self-confidence , and self-regulation . This sense of self develops through classroom teachings , social interactions , and opportunities for reflection . At Saint David ’ s , these teaching moments have always come on a daily basis , but in the coming school year even more emphasis will be placed on morning meetings to set goals for the day ; closing circles to reflect on the day ; recess as a time for social , exploratory play ; and Sophrosyne as an opportunity to educate our boys . Sophrosyne , a class based on the ancient Greeks ’ pursuit of excellence in character and soundness of mind , begins at the Pre-K level and continues through graduation . The core component of our Lower School Sophrosyne program
20 • Saint David ’ s Magazine