For six weeks each fall, I help teach a class at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education called “Independent Schools: Leadership, Opportunities, Challenges.” We discuss the mission and history of American independent schools; diversity, equity and inclusion; the business of running a school; the student experience; leading the faculty, students, and parents of a school; and the promise and peril of headship. It’s an opportunity to connect with 25 rising leaders and reflect on my own experiences in independent schools.
Torit Montessori School comes up a lot. Master’s candidates are intrigued by the age range of our students (Infants?!? Toddlers? Sixth graders? Three languages?), attracting and retaining a diverse and talented group of teachers, and the complexity inherent in a small school where the daily demands of young children have to take precedence. We compare Torit to places like Phillips Andover and St. Paul’s, and folks are surprised to find that many of the core challenges are the same.
When I return from the Cambridge campus to Cambridge Street, I feel energy in my step and an eagerness to be back in school. I love the variety of things I deal with, the relational nature of the work, and most importantly, the kids. Being “Mr. David” to a kindergartener at Torit is as satisfying if not more so than anything I do at Harvard.
The real work of schools is found on the carpet soothing an upset girl who is developing the language to navigate social situations with peers or asking an energetic boy to reflect on why he was rough with a classmate. It’s having a girl read aloud to you as she discovers a “just right” book or teaching a boy the game of checkers. It’s opening the door to a new texture or smell to young toddlers or making eye contact with an infant learning to respond to her name. Torit is a community with such a range of possibilities, and striving for excellence in what we do inspires me and the teachers every day. The work matters for the children, and it matters for you as a parent. You motivate us.
As we lace up our running shoes for the next two weeks, I encourage you to engage with Torit as much as you can and enjoy the fun of December with us. There is something for everyone, and we look forward to sharing the coming days with you.
Best,
David and Team Torit