America’s Promissory Note . . . Still Outstanding

Jason FlomEducation, Equity, Leadership, Learning, Student

In a startling article in the New York Times, columnist Charles M. Blow lays out some statistics published in a recent UNICEF report that should equally appall and inspire us. He writes, According to the report, the United States has the second highest share of children living under the relative poverty line, defined as 50 percent of each country’s median … Read More

Year at Mission Hill, Chapter 5: The Eye of the Dragon

Jason FlomCommunity, Education, Equity, Leadership, Learning, Student, Teaching, Whole Child

So much of the language that we know to be valuable in education comes alive at Mission Hill. Art. Empowerment. Choice. Voice. Inspiration. Creativity. Student experts. Student teachers. Community. Every year they employ a school wide theme that aims for depth and breadth throughout the school. This year’s, “Long Ago and Far Away,” and the students share a seam of … Read More

Year at Mission Hill, Chapter 4 Love and Limits

Jason FlomCommunity, Education, Featured, Leadership, Learning

Working and playing — essential components of learning and keystones for establishing both the love and limits that create a safe space for each student. The question of how to best set appropriate boundaries within a loving context became all the more important because Mission Hill is a full inclusion school, meaning students with exceptionalities are not pulled out and … Read More

Breeding Civilty With Civility

Jason FlomEducation, Learning, Whole Child

A recent “Grey Matter” piece in the New York Times Sunday Review entitled “This Story Stinks” takes a look at the impact comments have on people’s perception of content (in this case, nanotechnology). The goal of the study being reported on was to better understand how civil and  uncivil comments on blogs, digital newspapers, or other Internet hosted domains shape … Read More