A Voice from Within

Today I added another link to our ever-growing (albeit slowly) blogroll and included Peter Gow’s new blog for EdWeek: Independent Schools, Common Perspectives. Happy to have an independent school veteran adding his voice to the blogosphere. Check out his recent post entitled, “I Am an Independent School Teacher–Why?

This quote resonates and I reread it.

Independent schools aren’t better than public schools, just different. And we teachers all got into this business because we believe in kids, and because we want to give kids a good shot at a happy, successful adulthood.

I’m not a teacher – so that’s not why it resonated. Frankly when I describe to people why I work in the world of independent schools – particularly independent college-prep boarding schools – I describe how I believe in the option and the approach private boarding schools take in giving young people the best chance for a good life. That means letting them thrive and grow, showing them how to be independent, and exposing them to the world they face while sheltering them in a microcosm that perhaps mirrors a world that is not quite reality but certainly one for which we can strive.

Independent schools each go about this in their own way, and typically the entire community of parents, teachers and administrators agree upon it, resulting in a healthy, harmonious community. This creates a rich array of school options for kids, heightening the chance of finding the right school for the right child, further heightening the chance that educators will indeed help a child ultimately achieve “a happy, successful adulthood.” I believe in this!

Anyway, bravo Peter Gow, and thanks for representing! All of us at TABS will be reading!

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