Moments of: The Blog

The View From Here: Real World Learning

by Tucker Foehl, Head of School
One of my favorite slogans at SA is that “practice doesn't make perfect, exploration makes explorers,” and we constantly seek ways to bring this belief to life in our curriculum and the travel opportunities we offer our students and ourselves. We firmly believe that critical thinking, inter-cultural connection, and empathy are the foundation of deep and authentic learning. And we believe that curiosity—and the willingness and ability to ask the big, hard questions — creates exceptional learning opportunities and develops humans who will go on to engage with, and help to solve, our world’s most complex issues. 

While these concepts and beliefs form much of our philosophy as a school, I had the opportunity over spring break to see the way these principles are enlivened when we take our students out into the world to ground their learning and ideas in real world experiences. Exploring communities and our world beyond SA has always been a core value of our school, and our trip to Savannah, Georgia and the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor captured the essence of how humanity informs our learning and the importance of our connection and partnerships beyond SA. 

Our journey started with Humanities faculty member Rodney Fierce spending part of last summer with the Nobis Project, which supports and collaborates with educators in developing community engagement experiences that prepare student leaders to create a more just, sustainable, and equitable world. Rodney returned to SA inspired and determined to return to the region with students from our AS Black America class this year. Our Sustainability Coordinator Nancy Metzger-Carter also participated in this professional development program in October, with a particular focus on the impact that climate change has had on this region. 

These experiences led to our spring break trip which focused on “Race, Power, and the Preservation of African American History and Gullah-Geechee Culture.” We will have opportunities this spring for our community to learn more about the trip and our experiences and work with communities there, and our students are also preparing presentations for Community Meeting and a local middle school. The importance of human connection and the empathy and understanding that we developed between ourselves and those we encountered enriched our time together, and the people and organizations we met with have left a lasting impression on our students. 

Our educational community is deeply informed by our shared humanity and all the ways our teachers, students, and parents show up each day as our true and authentic selves. This can be messy, challenging, and frustrating at times, but it is also beautiful and enriching, and honestly, the way life and deep learning work. We do a great deal on campus—in our classrooms, our performing and visual art spaces, our fields and the gym—to create space and opportunity for our students to show up. 

But this takes on even greater meaning when we explore the world with them, not just through domestic and international travel, but also on field trips and retreats, competitions, and community service work. It is in those spaces of place-based learning where we are able to see the human qualities and characteristics that define who we are and who we want to be in this world. This was my inaugural travel experience with our students, and that short but deeply impactful week has invigorated and infused me with a ton of energy and inspiration for these last two months together.
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Sonoma Academy Is...

...the only private, independent, college preparatory high school in Sonoma County. On our beautiful campus nestled at the base of Taylor Mountain in Southeastern Santa Rosa, our students are able to explore their interests and passions in a rigorous and inspiring environment that develops a lifelong love of learning and prepares them for college and beyond.

Sonoma Academy admits students of any race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and tuition assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.