Yes, it’s true, most faculty members look forward to holidays as much as do the students. I’ve spent the first few hours of the holiday catching up on some much-needed grading and responding to emails.
The holiday also offers a very brief respite from the busy Thacher schedule to reflect on the winter term, which is rapidly coming to an end. This term, for me, has been one of improvement. I’ve seen improvement in so many areas of School life where I work. My freshmen in European History have not only improved their writing skills–now able to construct and support a cogent argument–but they have also become analytical and sophisticated thinkers. Forty minutes with them is forty minutes of intellectual exploration and meaningful discussion.
The AP Government & Politics students, too, have demonstrated great improvement in their abilities to take the seemingly disparate concepts that we covered earlier in the year and to apply them to the rapidly changing political landscape. The have both a deep understanding of current issues and a genuine interest in the 2012 presidential elections. I look forward to seeing them in action next week, as they participate in a mock Supreme Court trial involving the case Arizona v. US. They have become citizens who understand the weaknesses of our political system but also know that meaningful change in the world must happen by working within this system.
I’ve particularly enjoyed charting the progress made by the girls’ Varsity basketball team this winter. Though we started off to a 2-5 record, we bounced back nicely and have won our last five games and seven of our last eight. The team’s improved play is due to the girls’ hard work in practice, particularly their commitment to play great man-to-man defense. Everyone on the team has made huge strides as a player, especially those with the least experience coming into the season. The seasoned veterans have provided terrific leadership, and we’re ready to take on our first-round opponent in the CIF playoffs on Thursday.