The Lighting of a Fire
As we begin our course selection process in the Upper School this spring, we often remind our students of the importance of pursuing subjects that they find interesting and resist selecting courses simply because they think a certain class may “look good” on a transcript for college. There is the ever-present temptation for our students to focus on the immediate future, and it is our hope as a school that we can help guide them away from the fears of college admissions and toward developing a genuine passion for learning.
As a new member of the LJCDS team this year, I was excited to join this community because of the school’s commitment to inspiring greatness for a better world. I find that idea reflected in one of my favorite quotes, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire,” by William Butler Yeats. That fire is what we as administrators, teachers, advisors and coaches hope to inspire in our students.
Education is an investment. Multiple studies show that the more education people have, the more likely they will receive better jobs that pay more money. Not only that, but Laura Carstensen, director of the Stanford Center on Longevity, said, “I think most social scientists would put their money on education as the most important factor in ensuring longer lives.” More money and a longer life? Yes, please! However, education is so much more than that, and LJCDS’s commitment to inspiring lifelong learning contributes to the creation of a better nation and a better world.
In the classroom, LJCDS students are encouraged to challenge themselves academically. Playwright George Bernard Shaw said, “What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.” The fact that our students can study linear algebra, neurology, advanced literature and world languages is not important because of college admissions, but rather because of the chance for students to take hold of their education and learn more about topics that offer them new perspective and insight.
Our Flex Time program offers an opportunity for our students to learn in a no-stakes, non-graded environment. Every Day 2, 4 and 6, I witness students head off to participate in groups like Model United Nations, Cyber Security, Taiko Drumming, and K-Pop (Korean pop music, dance and culture). These experiences help our students think beyond tests and lean into their curiosity.
The passion for learning and for working with peers is becoming more and more important as technological advances eradicate certain jobs. The 2014 report “Fast Forward 2030: The Future of Work and the Workplace,” estimated that as many as 50 percent of jobs will be lost to technology. So, we need to ask ourselves, what truly matters in education?
Our students will need to be adaptable and embrace learning throughout their lives to find success in an ever-changing world. But beyond that is the link between education, purpose and happiness. Our goal is to help light the fire for students, inspiring them to keep learning and growing.
La Jolla Country Day School
9490 Genesee Avenue
La Jolla, CA 92037
858-453-3440
© 2024 La Jolla Country Day School
Privacy Policy
COVID-19 Prevention Plan
La Jolla, CA 92037
858-453-3440
© 2024 La Jolla Country Day School
Privacy Policy
COVID-19 Prevention Plan
