September 2013 - Canterbury School

Canterbury Communiqué
A monthly online newsletter for the friends of Canterbury School
EDUCATION
Sept. 2013
A group of Canterbury Leadership and Organizations students after constructing their tent during “the infamous tent exercise.”
Leadership in the Classroom
Team-building is a critical part of leadership development at Canterbury School. Team-building activities play an
important role in developing students’ communication and team-work skills. They allow students to bond and become
more comfortable working with one another. At Canterbury, all faculty members understand and embrace the
importance of leadership development through team-building. Just this past week, our Upper School’s Leadership and
Organizations class participated in a fun and educational team activity, where they had to work in teams to erect a
camping tent in a limited amount of time. The catch? They had to put the tents together while blindfolded.
The activity is called “the infamous tent exercise,” and it is intended to simulate setting up a tent on the South Col of
Mt. Everest at 26,000 ft, to help students better empathize with
the tragic plight of the 1996 Everest expedition members. For
the exercise, the class was split into two teams, Seniors vs.
Lower Classmen, and each member of the team, except the
team leaders, was blindfolded. The team leaders’ job was to
communicate to the group what needed to be done to
successfully pitch the tent, while wearing size 16 boxing gloves
to simulate frozen hands. The scenario for the exercise is as
follows:
“Today your team has summited Mt. Everest on a dazzlingly bright but fiercely cold late afternoon with winds blowing up
to 100 mph. Unfortunately, individually and collectively, you have paid a dear price for your accomplishment. One of
you (team leader) has severe frostbite of the hands, rendering them virtually unusable, while each member of the rest of
your team is now snow-blind. As a group, somehow you have managed to lurch your way back to the South Col at
26,000’ where you find that parts of your tent, your salvation, have been strewn about. Your lives hang in the balance
and will depend on your ability to successfully re-pitch your tent in thirty minutes or less.”
This exercise took a great amount of patience by everyone. Team members who were blindfolded had to listen intently
so that they could take effective direction from their visionary leader.
When asked what they learned from this exercise, Kelly Fay
’15 explained, “This exercise really taught us how to come
together as a group to accomplish a goal. In order to
succeed, you had to be willing to listen to your team leader,
and as a result, give up your grip on control.” Carver
Sorensen ’14 continued, “Normally, we try to be extroverted
leaders, but when you have to be a part of the team, you
have to be willing to follow. Learning to be a back-seat
leader, and the patience that requires, has taught me to
better work with others and to adapt to different situations
and leadership styles.”
All in all, this exercise was a great way to illustrate the
importance of clear communication, collaboration and
seeing a job through from inception to completion.
Head’s Up
The combination of Canterbury School’s Mission, “Canterbury School is
dedicated to academic excellence within a caring and supportive
community emphasizing character, leadership and service,” and its PK3-12
organization, leads to impressive results.
First and foremost, our commitment is to academic excellence, and the
culminating results of our collective efforts, our college admission results,
are impressive. We reinforce lessons about character each day in every
grade. This is why it is not unusual to hear visitors comment about our
students, their politeness, respect and care for one another. Our
commitment to service is woven into the fabric of who we are.
I have been teaching my Leadership & Organizations (L&O) course for over
a decade, at independent schools all over the world, but the students I’ve
taught at Canterbury are the finest with whom I’ve ever worked. In the five
years I have been teaching L&O at Canterbury, I have seen our students
become impressive leaders.
My L&O course introduces students to basic theories about leadership and
organizations, and explores ways they can effectively practice those
theories at Canterbury School and in the world. Members of L&O will
develop their leadership skills in a variety of ways:
• Assessing themselves so that they can learn about themselves and
the role they can play in an organization
• Establishing and accomplishing school-wide goals in service of
Canterbury School
• Meeting with distinguished visiting leaders
• Participating in research projects that combine the skills of effective
public speaking and use of multimedia
Looking at our graduates and current students, it’s clear that their hard work
has really paid off. Canterbury students are comfortable talking with adults
and are used to taking the lead with confidence. They exhibit the ability to
demonstrate strengths with ease and grace. They have developed a
reputation among some of the nations most prestigious colleges and
universities as “must interview” students. Canterbury graduates are ready to
handle the academic challenges of higher education in the first year on
campus, and a college can trust that a Canterbury student will be
successful.
With our deep commitment to academic excellence, character and service,
it is not surprising that our students are poised to be outstanding leaders
throughout their lives.
Sincerely,
Tony Paulus
Head of School & L&O Teacher
Tony Paulus, Head of School and
Leadership & Organizations Teacher
“Educators in our Intermediate and
Middle Schools strive to teach students
that the effect of great leadership
extends far beyond the title. It is about
being a change agent and inspiring
others to turn the ordinary into the
extraordinary… Many cooperative
learning opportunities in the middle
grades serve as great experiences for
students to discover the attributes of
effective leaders and the intrinsic value
associated with changing lives for the
better.” - Jackie Lentini, Middle School/
Intermediate School Director
“I challenge MS and US students every
day to step up to the plate and lead.
Before committing to anything, though, I
ask them to find solutions to issues or
problems around student life. Thanks to
student leadership at Canterbury, there
are amazing things that happen every
year.” - Phil Morris, Upper/Middle School
Director of Student Life
“Our graduates lead by inspiring others
to dream more, learn more, do more and
become more. They follow their hearts
while maintaining personal integrity and
empower others to do the same.”
- Melissa Wilson, Director of College Guidance
Canterbury in Pictures
This month’s photo gallery features a look at our first few weeks of school. Enjoy!
To view larger versions of these photos, please click here.
To submit your own photos, please email communique@canterburyfortmyers.org
Student Feature: Darby Pfeifer ’14
Darby Pfeifer ’14, is a very busy young woman. Along with juggling
her normal class assignments and school responsibilities, Darby is
also the Teaching Assistant (T.A.) for Tony Paulus’ L&O course. This
month, we caught up with Darby to learn a little more about her, her
thoughts on leadership, and her love of Canterbury.
The Canterbury Experience
“I have been attending Canterbury School since the first grade. It is
incredible to see how the school has grown in the past ten years, and
I am looking forward to seeing Canterbury’s future as well.”
Why I Chose to Be a T.A.
“When I participated in Mr. Paulus’ L&O course last year, I struggled
at first with forcing myself out of my comfort zone and really
participating in the course. As the semester went on, I noticed myself becoming less and less introverted, and I really
started enjoying the exercises the class taught. By the end of the semester, I enjoyed the course so much, I didn’t want
the class to end, so I reached out to Mr. Paulus, and asked if I could be his L&O T.A. for the 2013-14 school year.”
Working with Mr. Paulus
“It has been a lot of fun working with Mr. Paulus. He really respects my thoughts and opinions, which is something you
don’t usually find at other schools. We work together on ideas and projects, and I have learned so much from his style
of teaching and leadership.”
Leadership at Canterbury
“I think leadership is important to teach students because it is a skill that they will use throughout life, every single day.
Leadership teaches us to have confidence in ourselves, and helps us become comfortable expressing our thoughts and
ideas. Personally, I’ve seen myself grow leaps and bounds from last year. I would consider myself to be relatively
introverted, but the leadership class has taught me to be comfortable when speaking my mind. It’s really helped me
develop into the type of person I want to be.”
“The Infamous Tent Exercise”
“This exercise was a lot of fun. It was a great crisis response exercise, and it taught us that sometimes you have to
follow in order to learn how to lead. It also taught us the importance of communication, both listening and speaking.
Team members had to listen carefully to the instructions from their team leader, and the team leader had to be clear and
concise with their instructions. It made us all step outside of the box to succeed.”
What I Love Most About Canterbury
“What I love most about Canterbury is the size of the school and classes. I came from Sanibel School, where there
were much larger class sizes, and you didn’t get the one-on-one personalized attention from the teachers like you do
here at Canterbury. Canterbury really lets the students shine, and empowers them to learn and grow. Teacher-student
relationships are very strong here. The teachers welcome opinions from students, and really go out of their way to make
sure we are successful.”
What Others’ Say About Darby
“Darby is the second student to assume Co-Teacher/Leader status in my Leadership and Organizations (L&O) class and
the first junior to do so. Darby has grown incredibly since she first took the course last year, and she has shown herself
to be well-organized and highly creative. I have been very impressed with the suggestions she has made for L&O and
the successful outcomes they have produced. She is a leader in the making, who displays wonderful entrepreneurial
skills. She and her 21 classmates will take increasing responsibility for L&O with amazing results.”
-Tony Paulus, Head of School and L&O Teacher
“Darby has always been a delightful person to be around. Always a smile, always respectful. She is now using her
incredible emotional intelligence to help others become leaders.” - Jo Marie De Angelo, Upper School Director
Why I Teach
Teaching Background
“This is my second year teaching as the head of classroom. However, it is my 5th
year in education. I was born and raised in Macon, Georgia, and I’ve spent six
years in Athens, Georgia, where I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in
Secondary English Education at the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!).”
Why I Chose to Become a Teacher
“This is a long and prayerful journey that is difficult to reduce to a few lines for an
interview. In Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz (leave it to an English teacher to pull out
a literary quote), he opens his book by saying the following:
“I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. But I was outside
the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the
saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes, and he never opened his eyes.”
“After that I liked jazz music. Sometimes you have to watch somebody love
something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way. I
want to be that man with the saxophone. Of course, in my story, the saxophone is
literature and jazz music is English class.”
Why I Chose to Teach at Canterbury
“I was most impressed with the student body - a large portion of my interview
consisted of students interviewing me. The cohesiveness of the faculty, and the
school’s pedagogical outlook were other important aspects for me as well.”
Daniel Hayes
Middle School English Teacher
What I am Most Excited About at Canterbury
“The students excite me most about Canterbury. The overall culture is healthy and thriving, but it’s bigger than that. Our
students have a voice at Canterbury; they have a say in their education. On top of this, our students are sharp. There is
nothing more rewarding than having a group of students enthusiastically engage in discussions in which everyone, the
teacher included, is learning and collaboratively constructing new ways of thinking.”
The Character of Canterbury
“Canterbury students are a special group of students that I sincerely believe will be the movers and shakers of their
generation. They are self-motivated learners, and that is something you cannot teach. Sometimes we, as teachers, have
to get out of the way and simply let our students do the learning…and the leading.”
Outside of the Classroom
“When I’m not teaching, I like to discuss books, critique film, ponder the metaphorical resonance of waves crashing on
the beach, wear monocles and tacky tweed sports coats with elbow patches while puffing a pipe of bubbles, quote
obnoxiously obscure poetry, and do many other things generally associated with awesome English teachers.”
Dinner Table Conversations
You’ve probably heard that having dinner together as a family is a good thing for the development of your children, but
you may not realize that these conversations could change your child’s life. The dinner table is one of the best places
for building relationships with your children, and at Canterbury, we find the dinner table to be the perfect place to stay in
touch with what your child has been working on at school. Our goal as educators is to have our students excited to
come home and share their day with you, their parents, over dinner.
We asked Canterbury parents what students have been saying at the dinner table about being back to school, and here
are some of the responses:
“My daughter loves the new block schedule in the upper
school. She now has time for outside activities, and when she
is in school, she can concentrate on four subjects per day
versus seven. She likes the time [study periods] in between to
chill a little.”
“My son is very excited for intramural sports to start. Being a
part of a team is something that inspires him to work harder.”
“Cameron has loved the change this year! The new schedule
has given him the opportunity to complete homework and be
able to play sports as well. He is playing golf now, and
interested in playing basketball and baseball. One of the best
new things added this year are Cameron's new teachers. He thinks they are great: they show compassion, love their
subject, and take the time to get to know the kids.”
We’d love to hear more of what’s being discussed over dinner. Email us at communique@canterburyfortmyers.org
to share your stories with us!
The dinner table is where we mark milestones, divulge dreams, bury hatchets, make deals, give
thanks, plan vacations, and tell jokes. It’s also where children learn the lessons that families
teach: manners, cooperation, communication, self-control, values. Following directions. Sitting
still. Taking turns. It’s where we make up and make merry. It’s where we live, between bites." -- Doris Christopher, Founder of The Pampered Chef
Parents: We want to hear from you!
!
What stories would you like to see featured in the Canterbury Communiqué?
!
What has your children excited about this school year?
!
What did you think of this month’s edition?
Email us at: communique@canterburyfortmyers.org
Upcoming Events
School Sock Drive
We are pleased to announce this year’s school-wide Sock
Drive. Students from grades PreK-3 through 12 are
encouraged to bring new socks for children and families
less fortunate within our community. This year’s
beneficiaries include Abuse Counseling & Treatment (ACT),
Salvation Army and Community Cooperative Ministries Inc.
(CCMI).
Admissions Open House - October 11th
Invite your friends and neighbors to get to know Canterbury
at our Admissions Open House.
When: Tuesday, 9/23 - Friday, 10/4
When: Friday, 10/11 at 8:30 a.m.
Where: Collection boxes will be available in each of the
schools, or socks may be dropped off at the Front
Office.
Where: Lower School Main Office
Cougar Athletics: Home Football Game
Canterbury’s Varsity Football team takes on cross-town rival
Oasis High School @ Canterbury’s Harper Field.
Admission is $6.00 for Adults, Canterbury Students are
Free!
Come out wearing your best blue and white Cougar apparel
and support the Varsity football team!
RSVP to the admissions office to register at (239) 415-8945.
Admissions Open House - November 11th
Invite your friends and neighbors to get to know Canterbury
at our Admissions Open House.
When: Friday, 11/11 at 8:30 a.m.
Where: Lower School Main Office
RSVP to the admissions office to register at (239) 415-8945.
When: Friday, 9/27 Game starts at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Harper Field, Canterbury School
Zoomers Family Fun Night
This will be an evening for only Canterbury School friends
and family, and a Canterbury School fund raising event. All
proceeds from the sale of the Canterbury School Zoomers
Family Fun Night wristbands ($30) will go directly to
Canterbury School.
When: Thursday, 10/3 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: Zoomers Family Amusement Park
17455 Summerlin Rd, Fort Myers, FL 33919
Mission: The Canterbury School is dedicated to academic excellence within a
caring and supportive community emphasizing character, leadership and service.
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