Many years ago, I taught a course called “The Individual and the Community in American Life.” My students and I read works by John Locke, Leslie Marmon Silko, and Martin Buber, among others. We visited a Shaker community, the last living remnant of a utopian social movement dating back to the 1780s. And we sent letters to authors as well, including Wendell Berry, who wrote back a grumpy but memorable reply. One student from that class is now a family physician in Maine. Another serves as an officer on the Board of Education in her Colorado mountain town. They seem to have gotten the message of the course: Life’s not a solo venture. We owe something to each other.
As a school, we wrestle with the rights and responsibilities of individuals learning together. Montessori schools emphasize individual choice and interests, but they also draw from Dr. Maria Montessori’s interest in the relationship between her model of education and world peace to highlight the benefits of community (she lived through two world wars). At Torit, as in most schools, students (and teachers) give up some degree of autonomy for the good of the group. Because we are a school where people choose to join the community, we have certain expectations and values, some explicit (Opening Doors, Grace & Courtesy), some implicit (everyone should have a safe, supportive learning environment. Individual needs are sometimes subsumed by the needs of the group.)
As I read student reports, which you’ll soon receive, I’m reminded of that tension between the individual and community. Children at Torit are learning many academic and practical life skills. They’re also learned how to negotiate conflict and difference. That’s exciting work, work Torit students and teachers undertake every day. We learn and grow together because of the exciting moments, and the challenges, too.
Soon, we’ll start holding weekly school meetings, where toddlers through Upper Elementary students will gather in the gym for a few minutes to sing together, hear a story, or learn about their schoolmates' pursuits. It’s a new way to build relationships and community at Torit. I’m particularly excited about this, and I look forward to sharing pictures and stories with you soon.