I came of age when the band Phish was just starting to emerge. Through the years, I had the good fortune to see them several times. While I was never a hardcore “Phish-head,” I have enjoyed both their music and their ethos. Specifically, I love that they encourage their fans to “surrender to the flow,” freeing oneself to simply be in the moment enjoying the show.
While this certainly reeks of a patchouli laden, hippy-dippy philosophy, I think that it relates well to middle schoolers. Too often, middle school students are far too aware of themselves, their peers, and their surroundings, keeping them from just letting go. In the last two weeks, however, I have witnessed the joy students can feel when they truly “surrender to the flow.”
On the final Friday in February, I had the pleasure of joining the 5th Grade on their field trip to The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The class had been learning about Ancient Sumeria, and our tour guide took us to a room at the MFA dedicated to Sumeria. It was amazing to watch the students fully immerse themselves, asking our guide questions and looking at everything with a critical and inquisitive eye. Though the Sumerian room at the MFA was rather small, the class spent an hour there! Our tour guide was nearly in tears when she thanked the class for their interest, their curiosity, and their genuine desire to learn as much as possible. As Head of School, I was extremely proud to see our students so fully and completely “surrendering to the flow.”
This Friday, Ms. Fries and the MathCounts students hosted our annual Pi Day celebration. For two hours, students offered math themed programming for the entire school, and for two hours, the entire school was fully focused on the activities. It was incredible! The students got no grades - some students received small prizes – but for the most part, our students simply participated in math-based games. There were no gripes, no students asking to use the bathroom for extended periods or other obfuscation. They simply lost themselves in the moment and enjoyed the activities.
I wish that every day at school could be like this, and for the most part, our students are great – however – adolescents are acutely aware of so much. When they are able to simply “surrender to the flow,” however, it is truly something special.