Greetings to you on a winter’s day,
May this season leave us with crystal clear, cold clarity regarding the following:
As individuals in our community and our country, we must develop cognitive abilities so that we can address the ever changing, varied set of challenges we face. Beyond this urgent need to enhance adult behavior, we must encourage the same set of capacities in our young people.
As we suffered through the fall’s political season, and watched time and again very complex issues be reduced to sound bites, it became imminently clear…
IT’S JUST NOT THAT SIMPLE!
The complexities of social, economic, organizational, and personal issues demand a much more thoughtful, compassionate, critical thinker. The situation demands a wealth of knowledge regarding a variety of systems, causes and effects, and related elements.
As your school leader, I can’t emphasize enough how hard we are working to develop these critical thinking skills in our young people.
Who are the “good guys” or the “bad guys”? As any complex thinker has surely been trained…it depends.
HELP US!
As you have conversations within your family and friend circles…
- Ask the more complex questions.
- Have the young people take the opposite perspective.
- Reflect on the alternative considerations.
- Address the “what if?” possibilities.
- Talk about how, what was once abnormal is now normal.
- Discuss that which was normal is now abnormal.
- Encourage multiple opinions.
- Look for common ground in disparate conversations.
May the more thoughtful and clear headed among us be the voices of mediation that helps others continue a conversation with civility and courtesy.
In this season of crystal clear, cold clarity, know that IT IS ESSENTIAL that we continue to work together to develop solutions to unbelievably confusing and overwhelming challenges. We will only be able to do this with empathetic efforts and a serious ability to collaborate and think creatively.
Enjoy the clarity that the cold weather brings.
Enjoy your holiday season, as well.
Donna