Multi-tasking Adversely Affects Brain's Learning.
We do not learn as well when multi-tasking, UCLA psychologists report. Click here.
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Epidemic Of Student Cheating Can Be Cured With Changes In Classroom Goals. Recent article says schools have the ability to drastically reduce cheating among their students. For simple and inexpensive solutions, click here.
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No Bullies Here: Student Labels Of 'Bullying' Can Be MisleadingResearchers begin looking at how students themselves define bullying. Click here.
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Children With Positive Outlooks Are Better Learners.
Teaching children how to be more resilient along with regular classroom instruction can improve children's outlook on life, curb depression and boost grades. Click here. |
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Issue #15 August 12, 2009
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In this issue I'm honored to interview my long-time colleague and headmaster of Alexandria Friends School, Will Stewart. A historian and linguist, Will has been an educator since 1973. He has taught in colleges, universities, middle, and high schools in Ohio, New York, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and Germany. Will also spent some time in adult education, test preparation, and business management. He holds degrees from Baldwin-Wallace College and Case-Western Reserve University in Ohio, and has studied at Georgetown University; the University of Maryland, College Park; and in Germany and Austria. He has served as a trustee on the boards of religious and educational institutions. For eight years he taught history and English at the Thornton Friends School, Alexandria Campus.
In 2006 Will founded the Alexandria Friends School (AFS) and has been its headmaster since. Will says, "AFS serves students for whom other institutions have not worked, for a variety of reasons. Some are those who march to the beat of a different drummer. Others need more individualized attention for mild learning issues. Still others want an environment where their differences are welcomed and appreciated. Once they realize they are truly free to be themselves here, our students thrive and are able to achieve their full academic potential."
When he's not at school, Will enjoys singing, hiking, biking, swimming, gardening, and reading. As a member of the Oratorio Society and, later, the Washington Chorus, Will performed on two Grammy-winning recordings, under the direction of Norman Scribner and Robert Shafer. He also sings in the acclaimed parish choir at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, K Street, in Washington, DC, where he is a member.
Alexandria Friends School
3830 Seminary Road
Alexandria, VA 22304-1733
htttp://www.afriends.org
(703) 461-7222
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Interview with Alexandria Friends School Headmaster, Will Stewart
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Why did you found Alexandria Friends School? What educational needs does AFS fill?
AFS is an outgrowth of the Thornton Friends School, which operated in Virginia for nine years, from 1997 to 2006. We share the same program and philosophy, which is that everyone matters and that everyone can learn. As Quaker educators, we recognize that there is "that of God" in all persons, and so we take our students seriously and give them the respect they deserve as human beings.
Many students are turned off by large, impersonal public institutions or "preppy," high-pressured private schools. Students with mild learning issues often need flexibility and individualized attention, and others need an environment in which they can be themselves without pressure to conform or be judged superficially. There are many who benefit from this approach, and so I felt it important that we keep this option open to Virginia families after Thornton closed here in 2006.
What is your vision for AFS?
We strive to teach young people to become independent thinkers, to respectfully question authority, and prepare them to make positive contributions to any community of which they find themselves a part. Because we believe strongly in developing a sense of community in our students, we look to grow our high school to a population of about fifty students. In the longer term, we would also like to add the middle school grades six through eight.
What should parents look for in a school? What questions should they ask a school that they are considering?
The main question, of course, would be, "How will your school meet my child's needs and aspirations?" A public school teacher once asked me, "Why do we even need private schools?" I responded that not every school works for everybody.
Finding the right fit is extremely important. Taking your child seriously as to her or his needs and desires is a good starting point, and then trying to find the right fit to accommodate those needs. At AFS, we challenge conformity and encourage independent thinking. We insist on respect for a variety of views, opinions, and backgrounds.
Yet we cannot be all things to all people. For example, a student seriously committed to athletics might not find what she or he needs here, although we have a sports class and hope to field intramural teams again in the future. On the other hand, if his or her need for more serious athletics can be met outside of school, and other factors made this the right place, we could serve that student well.
What do you find most rewarding about being a teacher?
Helping students to distinguish the forest from the trees, that is, helping them make connections between isolated facts and the big picture, between truth and error. When I see them beginning to do this, and thinking for themselves, I know that there's no stopping them! Developing critical thinking skills is the most important thing an educator can do. On the selfish side, one of the things I most love about teaching is that I am constantly learning; I enjoy sharing my new insights with my students.
What are your biggest challenges as the head of AFS?
Getting our message out to the people who need to hear it, and raising funds to support this program. Most private schools run on tuition, and ours is no exception. We need more students to remain viable. Yet even having enough students doesn't cover all our expenses, and so we have to raise money to provide scholarships and capital equipment that the program budget cannot sustain. I remain convinced that we will achieve the enrollment we need if the people who need us, know about us. In the meantime, we need money for scholarship support in order to serve everyone who needs a school like ours.
What have been your biggest successes at AFS?
Our graduates! In particular, I can think of several young people who turned their lives around with our help and gained the confidence they needed to make positive contributions in the world.
G.A. came out of a large public high school with a GPA of 1.00; when she graduated from AFS, she had brought it up to a 3.92! She went on to a prestigious college in Boston to study writing.
M.A. had struggled early in his schooling with significant learning issues. Over the course of time he learned coping skills, but the environment he was in was just not right for him. Once he came to us, he was able to gradually let go of his anxieties and concentrate on being a student. He excelled far beyond expectations and (supposed) limitations. He is now doing a summer internship in the office of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and considering going to law school! As his former advisor and his teacher, I am confident he can do anything he puts his mind to.
A.C. recently finished graduate school and has developed into a young woman of poise, ambition, and a real can-do spirit. She worked passionately in the non-profit world before embarking on building her own consulting business. She is also giving back to her alma mater (Thornton-VA) by serving on our board, where she is among our most energetic and involved trustees.
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Sincerely, 
Kevin D. Dohmen, M.Ed. Learning Consultant21 West Caton Avenue Alexandria, VA 22301-1519 --- 703.683.9617 kevindohmen@verizon.netwww.kevindohmen.netthe art of learning for the information age
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