As we begin the countdown to ring in 2024…
Dear Friends,
On this New Year’s Eve, I am thinking about children, as I often do in my profession. I won’t dwell on the obvious, other than to say every day I’m forcing myself to read the terrible news out of Gaza, out of Ukraine, despite the depressing tailspin it causes. Becky and I just increased our monthly gift to Doctors Without Borders, and I have written to our government officials demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. Protect all children everywhere!
Meanwhile, in this gift of a life I get to live, I find myself diving at the chances I’m given to reflect. Recently, my mind’s been on how children learn math, and what makes humans learn the way they do. Over our abundant winter break (in time, in family), I spent some of my downtime listening to podcasts. One of the most inspiring for my educator brain AND my spiritual brain, was a Radiolab episode called “Zeroworld,” in which the mathematician responsible for Citizen Math (“an online real world math solving website”), Karim Ani, publicly goes through a reckoning with math. His reckoning will inevitably change his life forever, and, he hopes and worries, will change math forever or even “break it.” As a child I broke math all the time it felt like. But in a very different way. I was TERRIBLE at it. With an anxious and opaque mind, I misunderstood math- a bull in a china shop when it came to numbers. Now, listening to this podcast, I had this vicarious experience wishing I could go back in time and play with math, not be afraid of it. See beyond its wrote-ness for what it really is: playful, existential, deeply collaborative.
I share my experience with you, on this eve of a new number, to reconnect us to the Center School’s mission, for it is not just me that reflects on learning, it’s all of us. The Center School is a learning community and for 365 days a year, we are united this way– through our problem-solving, through our wonder, through our curiosity and sometimes, like for me with this Radiolab podcast, through our desire to go deeper and be braver. Leaping into 2024 will present new problems and possibilities for us all. May we revel in the challenge together!
As we begin the countdown tonight, I will make a new, loving space for ZERO and think of you all. (Listen to the podcast, then hopefully this will make some sense…)
And also, always Peace,
Charlie Spencer
Head of School
PS Speaking of numbers! We are only $4500 away from a most exponential year-end goal: $100K– all of which will fund Tuition Assistance! If you want to help get us there, click here!