FEATURE
Innovation and the Whole Person: “The Principia Difference”
STORY BY KRISTIN MANKER (US’13, C’17)
While familiar now, the “whole-person” concept, as it’s come to be known, was innovative for its time. This holistic approach, where students are seen as limitless and excellence is the standard, pulled back the curtain on educational models to come. Over 90 years later, this same spirit of innovation shines daily at the School in new and exciting ways. It’s seen in the curriculum, the way teachers guide their students, and the way students interact with each other and the world.
One hundred twenty-five years after its inception, Principia continues to challenge itself to reevaluate, grow, and lead the way in educational excellence, all from the foundation of Mrs. Morgan’s whole-person approach.
IN THE FALL OF 1932, PRINCIPIA FOUNDER MARY KIMBALL MORGAN TOLD HER STAFF, “PRINCIPIA EDUCATION SHOULD MEAN THE EDUCATION OF THE WHOLE MAN—PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, SOCIALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY, AS WELL AS INTELLECTUALLY.” (Education at The Principia, p. 69)
It’s All in the Foundation
It may seem contradictory to call a century-old idea innovative, but the whole-person concept is the soil from which Principia’s current innovative practices grow. “Innovation in education is about making it more relevant—more ‘real-world,’ if you will—and I think that fits well with a whole-person education,” says entrepreneurship teacher Don Sterrett (US’95). “We’re not just teaching for the sake of teaching.”
Not teaching for the sake of teaching sits at the very heart of the whole-person model. Referring to Principia’s students, Mrs. Morgan asked, “our future citizens, our lawmakers, our practitioners, readers, lecturers. What kind of a foundation are we helping them to establish?” (Education at The Principia, p. 30) Principia educators take this question seriously. A student developed under the whole-person philosophy is prepared to engage with the world. Head of School Dr. Merry Sorrells (C’79) says, “As educators, we need to intentionally identify and develop in our students the skills and qualities necessary to navigate an ever-changing future. Presenting our curriculum to our students in authentic, relevant, and transferable ways has them ready to meet the future head-on. Doing that with the underpinnings of a spiritual foundation gives them a launching pad that will serve them for a lifetime.”
To prepare students for a world with new and unforeseen challenges and opportunities, Principia needs to be creative, visionary, and bold. It needs to be innovative.
Not Your Average Teacher
Gone are the days of teachers standing in front of classrooms, touting their infallible knowledge—what Dr. Sorrells calls “sage on the stage” teaching. To prepare students to adapt to an ever-evolving world, educators must lead by example.
“At Principia, we have a broader understanding of what innovation means,” says Director of Sustainability and sustainability teacher Lynne (Elrick) Scott (C’01). “Innovative teaching is responsive, being able to take a holistic look and [asking], ‘What does our world need? And how can we best prepare students to be leaders or change agents?’”
“It’s the idea of constantly looking to improve and seeing education as a process rather than something final,” adds Sterrett. “[Reevaluation] is the expectation because the world is changing so quickly.”
Principia educators also recognize the power and importance of learning through example.
Considering themselves co-learners with the students, teachers model their own expectations. Curiosity, critical thinking skills, confidence, and an ability to “fail forward” are the real lessons subtly being taught in the classroom.
“There’s no way I can know everything. I need to do what I can to make sure I’m modeling lifelong learning myself,” says chemistry teacher Melanie Shedd (C’98). “That takes risks on the part of the teacher—saying to the students, ‘We’re going to try this new thing. Let’s jump in together.’”
“AT PRINCIPIA, WE HAVE A BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT INNOVATION MEANS.”
A Different Way of Doing Things
You’d be hard-pressed to find a classroom at Principia that isn’t engaged in something dynamic or creative. To the Principia educator, classrooms and learning environments are melting pots for ideas, communities and professionals are teaching resources, and cutting-edge technology and software aren’t hurdles, but tools.
As the world debates the merits of artificial intelligence (AI), Shedd is bringing it into her classroom. Using an AI image generator, Shedd asked her students to generate photos for a project. The seemingly simple task challenged them to evaluate the product AI provided them. “Is it what they asked for? Could they ask better questions to get a different output? The process builds critical thinking skills.”
Critical thinking, in fact, is a core competency at Principia. Freshman English teacher Alicia Sorensen teaches it through her popular Hunger Games unit. After reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy, students simulate their own Hunger Games, looking at things like government structure, leadership and the responsibility of citizens within society, statistics, caste systems, philosophy, how social media can manipulate perception, and more. “The unit really is rooted in understanding and unpacking how ideas are formed, and how some ideas shape you for your whole life—and how sometimes you’ll find those ideas challenged. What do you do when you hit that moment?” Sorensen asks.
The unit encourages students to engage in candid conversations, which Sorensen feels are breeding grounds for critical thinking skills. “[Critical thinking] is a natural byproduct of innovation and integration. There’s a lot of critical thinking that develops because we’re giving the kids the tools to have conversations that lead to that critical thinking.”
Other teachers, such as Scott and Sterrett, regularly bring professionals into their classrooms. These specialists are an excellent opportunity for students to learn and benefit from the expertise of others. “Whether it’s getting students to present to professionals or run their ideas by professionals, this is something that goes on routinely,” says Sterrett.
Sometimes, however, it’s the experts who benefit from the students. When speaking to a city councilwoman, Upper and Middle School Principal Samantha Dry suggested something surprising: “I said, we’re gonna put our students in front of you to find out what you’re working on so they can problem solve and pitch ideas to you.” The councilwoman’s reaction was about what you’d expect. “She basically said, ‘they’re just children.’” But for Dry, the goal was “not about whether [she] used their ideas. It’s the fact that the students can solve a problem that she was working on.” Dry continues, “Our students are capable of solving problems. I just want to tap into that and put them in front of people and say, what are you working on? Let the students solve that problem.”
“THERE’S A LOT OF CRITICAL THINKING THAT DEVELOPS BECAUSE WE’RE GIVING THE KIDS THE TOOLS TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT LEAD TO THAT CRITICAL THINKING.”
—Alicia Sorensen, Upper School English teacher
It Takes a Village
To truly innovate in the classroom and cultivate the whole person in graduates, teachers must be integrative. But integration goes far beyond a teacher team-up. It’s a holistic effort between students, community members, professionals, and, yes, teachers, to create a melting pot of ideas, perspectives, and skill sets. Students debate and build confidence, teachers join forces, and community members and professionals bring invaluable expertise. “I don’t think that you can teach now without bringing in other teachers and other perspectives. It’s a disservice to the kids,” says Middle School teacher Lindsay Bryan (US’01).
“We don’t live in silos. Our role as teachers is to bring people together, to bolster and help build scaffolds for our students. They have the capacity to do so much. You want them to have the best in every field, and no one person is ever going to provide that,” says Scott.
“I work with my students as a collaborative team,” continues Bryan. “It’s not ‘I’m the teacher, you’re the student. Let me give you everything I know,’ because there’s plenty of stuff I don’t know. . . . It allows them to step into that space of learning and take ownership as well. I think that might be the Principia difference.”