| Ah happiness; that slippery but sublime thing that we | | | | searched for something they had given short shrift |
| all seem to be chasing throughout our lives! Where do | | | | to: a personalized approach to education. Sure the |
| we find it? How do we hang on to it, and what we | | | | Columbine killers had access to counseling services, |
| can learn from those who seem to have never lost | | | | social workers and psychologists, but these were |
| it? I'm talking about those people who just radiate | | | | people who had little contact with the students. It |
| the joys and pleasures of the process of living. I | | | | was the classroom teachers and administrators who |
| think jazz pianist Horace Silver's musical homage, | | | | should have known them best. Unfortunately, many |
| Song for my Father, brings up this simple point: some | | | | kids got lost in the shuffle of a large, impersonal |
| folks just know how to be happy. Silver's dad was " | | | | system where instruction and testing came first while |
| a human being so true, he could live like a king 'cause | | | | cliques, bullies and alienated students frequently went |
| he knew the real pleasures of life."-:to be devoted to | | | | unheeded. |
| and always stand by loved ones. As simple as this | | | | What might have happened in a system that valued |
| may sound, it begs the question. Did he learn this | | | | relationship building and personal growth is anyone's |
| sweetest of all skills or did he come by it naturally? | | | | guess but, in the aftermath of Columbine, the idea of |
| I was recently reminded of the happiness question | | | | an advisory system where all teachers would |
| when I read an article about George Vaillant's work | | | | become more like coaches, guides and counselors |
| with the Harvard Grant Study men. These are people | | | | and a little less like instructors and information |
| who were followed and studied throughout their adult | | | | dispensers was kicked around. In fact, the concept |
| lives. Consistently, they were asked to assess their | | | | was already being successfully implemented by a long |
| level of "successful living". Now, as most of them | | | | lasting public alternative school located a scant five |
| approach the end of the line, their responses have | | | | miles away, the Jefferson County Open School. |
| become clearer and more definitive. Their comments | | | | Ironically, it was the Open School (as it is usually |
| suggest a review of happiness in terms of love itself | | | | called) that took it upon itself to march those five |
| and, especially, the power of relationships. Intellectual | | | | miles to memorialize those students and teachers lost |
| abilities, social class and incomes could not predict the | | | | in the tragedy. Other district schools did not feel that |
| levels of contentment measured in this study. Over | | | | they had the time to take away from the curriculum. |
| and over, the men attributed their happiness to | | | | What curriculum? At the Open School, this march |
| "warm connections" and being able to adjust to life's | | | | was the curriculum. In a school where every student |
| slings and arrows with the support of others. When | | | | ( K-12) has a personal advisor or positive adult |
| asked what he had learned from the men in the | | | | connection and the educational program is |
| study, Vaillant himself summed it up: relationships rule. | | | | child-centered and experiential, it is hard to ignore the |
| They are, in fact, the very foundation of happiness. | | | | realities of kids' lives. In effect, some students and |
| Anyone who has seen Michael Apted's 7 Up films | | | | teachers might consider it educational malpractice to |
| that tracked a group British school children every | | | | do so. |
| seven years of their lives, would recognize some of | | | | It's interesting as well to consider some of the |
| the same themes. Happiness does not depend on | | | | comments of Open School students and staff |
| money or other conventional concepts of success. It | | | | regarding their return to school the day after |
| hinges instead on things like attitude, friends and | | | | Columbine when many district teachers and students |
| family. Certainly family life can have an influence on | | | | were scared stiff to return to their school buildings. " |
| happiness so, as an educator, I have to ask: Why | | | | I felt like I was walking into my own living room", said |
| can't schools help their students become happy | | | | one of them. The general feeling was: this is one of |
| campers for life? | | | | the places where I actually feel safe and supported. |
| Obviously, of all the various and sundry things we | | | | The warmth of the school was palpable. |
| have asked of our schools lately, this is certainly not | | | | Schools should be this way. They should be places, as |
| one of them. Actually, these days a "Joe Friday" | | | | the late Studds Terkel said, where students and |
| approach to our schools and student outcomes is in | | | | staff "help each other become their fullest selves". |
| vogue. Just give us the facts, maam, the facts and | | | | You have to get to know each other really well to in |
| nothing else. And by the way, happiness is not on the | | | | order to do this kind of thing. I know, because I've |
| test. In today's climate, happiness disappears further | | | | interviewed almost 500 former Open School students |
| into the background as parents wring their hands | | | | form the years 1976 through 2002. Almost universally |
| over their kids getting into Harvard. Students are | | | | they have told me that they learned to be happier, |
| feeling the heat. High stakes tests and standardized | | | | more creative adults from their Open School |
| curricula have created a pressure cooker of academic | | | | experience. And they say that the crux of the |
| expectations and one-track minds. High school seniors | | | | matter was the focus on developing and maintaining |
| are put in a high state of anxiety while often losing | | | | meaningful, trusting relationships starting with their |
| sight of the big picture: becoming happy and fulfilled | | | | advisors and extending, sometimes incrementally, to |
| with one's self and one's life. Curricular choices are | | | | larger groups within the school and, eventually, to the |
| "narrowed" so that not just the basics, but the exact | | | | world at large. |
| subjects that are on The One Big Test, are the only | | | | So schools can provide fertile ground for the growth |
| ones left standing. This one- size- fits-all approach to | | | | of happiness if they take the time to address their |
| learning translates to life. The message is: if you don't | | | | students' personal and social needs. They should, in |
| fit in, you can't succeed, and if don't make the grade; | | | | fact, be places where young people get a chance to |
| how can you possibly be happy? | | | | practice what Al Green, Horace Silver and the |
| It's interesting (and disturbing) that shortly after the | | | | Harvard Grant Study men all agree is the key to |
| Columbine High School murders in Colorado, the | | | | happiness: feeling really good about someone. |
| school district administrators and leaders briefly | | | | |