Crane School Blog: Focus on Learning

Featuring articles written by Crane Staffulty

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Getting It Right
Lucy Lombardi

If you’ve read news from nearly any source lately, chances are it contained stories that made you feel frustrated or sad or upset. There’s a lot going on in the world, and it can be hard to hide the impact of it all and shield our children from its harshness. A way to combat this, I’ve found, is to actively look for the good in the world, each other, and ourselves...

If you’ve read news from nearly any source lately, chances are it contained stories that made you feel frustrated or sad or upset. There’s a lot going on in the world, and it can be hard to hide the impact of it all and shield our children from its harshness. A way to combat this, I’ve found, is to actively look for the good in the world, each other, and ourselves.

It’s the beginning of October, for example, which always reminds me of the words of one of my all-time favorite characters, Anne of Green Gables. She says, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” It’s a beautiful month, and there is so much to be grateful for during this season. Hello, pumpkin spice lattes! The fact that 424 million PSLs have sold since their inception tells you that this distinctive, meme-worthy concoction is not a trend but here to stay. It is fall, after all, which launches us into a season of cinnamon and celebrations.

The Crane campus gives us a lot to smile about, too. Last week in assembly, the audience was introduced to the concept of the sand mandala, a Tibetan Buddhist tradition that uses colored sand to create an intricate pattern which is all brushed away upon completion. An audible gasp of disbelief swept through the theatre as the Lower School students watched the design being destroyed. But then a child’s innocent voice behind me offered up a different perspective. She whispered to her friend, “It’s still beautiful.” I thought, Wow, this kid has got it right.

Despite the unpleasant things we might sometimes witness in our world, there is still so much beauty to breathe in. We have young activists like Greta Thunberg and Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez, who are both making honest and inspiring attempts to literally save our world. Our Crane community encourages kindness and service to others. And we can believe in the power and possibilities of goodness by looking into the eyes of our children.

And so, let’s each raise our grande cup of PSL to the good in our world, in each other, and in ourselves. Cheers, and happy fall!

Lucy Lombardi
US English Teacher

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