Michael G. Murphy

Two books I read recently, one for pleasure and one for school, had themes that serendipitously intersected and altered my perspective.

Men At Work: The Craft of Baseball by George F. Will, was written in 1990.  Will’s love of the game and its history, stories, anecdotes, personalities, strategies, statistics, and nuances made the book a delicious read.  While not a baseball aficionado myself, Will’s book  rekindled my interest as a casual fan.

Will structures his work around four players and four key elements of the game. He focuses on Tony La Russa and the manager’s role, Orel Hershiser for pitching, Tony Gwynn for hitting, and Cal Ripken, Jr. for defense (fielding).  The joyful dedication and extraordinary work ethic of all four players is phenomenal and inspiring.  Because of Will’s book, I now watch a baseball game differently, with increased understanding, enlightenment, and appreciation.

This summer, the entire SCDS faculty was asked to read Carol Dweck’s Mindset, and we discussed the work in small and large groups as part of our back-to-school inservice week.  Dr. Dweck’s book and research are getting a lot of attention of late.  Dweck believes that intelligence can be strengthened by informed feedback that emphasizes effort and intrinsic learning.  By referring only to a person’s raw intelligence or short-term results (having a fixed mindset), rather than encouraging work, interest, and the desire to improve (growth mindset), parents and teachers may be doing a child a disservice.

Dweck sprinkles her book with many examples, case studies, and insights, some more poignant and provocative than others.  One passage in particular caught my attention:

Many growth-minded people didn’t even plan to go to the top.  They got there as a result of doing what they love.  It’s ironic: the top is where fixed-mindset people hunger to be, but it’s where many growth-minded people arrive as a by-product of their enthusiasm for what they do.  This point is also critical.  In the fixed mindset, everything is about outcome.  If you fail – or if you’re not the best – it’s all been wasted.  The growth mindset allows people to value what they’re doing regardless of outcome.

One reason Seattle Country Day School exists is to cultivate the next generation of creative problem solvers to tackle what is becoming a world of ever-increasing complexity.  What George Will and Carol Dweck remind us of as parents and teachers is this: an athlete or student may be fortunate to have incredible raw talent.  By cultivating an interest, passion, and joy in one’s work – while simultaneously nurturing good work habits, effort, and an attitude of growth to improve – a healthy achievement is likely.

Recently I was carpooling with a colleague to a Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS) board meeting and retreat in downtown Bellevue.  I mistakenly took the wrong exit off Highway 520, recognized my error, turned around, and found a parallel arterial.  We were now off the suggested route provided by PNAIS, but instinctively I knew we were headed in the right direction.  I noted some new landmarks and sensed I was approaching downtown Bellevue, albeit from a different direction and new entry point.  My colleague and I briefly collaborated.  Together, we agreed we had one more turn east to find our destination.  We were successful.

Not long ago I obtained a new cellular telephone, a significant upgrade from my old phone.  I read the manual.  I tinkered with the buttons, trying to get set-up and comfortable with my new phone.  I asked and received help from my spouse and boys.  I’m still learning more functions and capabilities, very often through trial and error.

While hardly earth shattering, both episodes remind us of the importance and role of making mistakes in the learning process.

We are human; mistakes do happen.

We are seldom perfect on the first try.

By consulting others, we test our own thinking.

Knowing from experience what not to do is progress as one continues to seek a solution.  Mistakes inform our thinking process moving forward.

Over time, we develop a mindset – an attitude – that mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow.

Cultivating a little perseverance is a good thing.

At Seattle Country Day School, we believe in the spirit of inquiry.  Curiosity and inquiry are the pedagogical foundations of learning here, as students and teachers are encouraged to explore divergent paths to generate innovative, creative, and novel solutions in their schoolwork.  Making “mistakes” should not be construed as automatic failure; rather they are an important and necessary part of the learning curve and process.

As part of Seattle Country Day School’s refurbishment of its website, I have been invited to post an occasional blog for the school community.  I am honored to do so, though being a little old-fashioned and formal with my communciations, the blog will be new territory for me.

Alas, we are all works in progress so bear with me as I learn and grow with this blog.

The purpose of this blog is to provide insight, comment, and perhaps a story or two which provides a portal into the life, culture, and mission of our school.  I enjoy a story which exemplfies or illustrates a larger meaning or theme.  The students here provide a wealth of opportunities in this realm.

As Harvard Professor Robert Coles reminds us in his book, The Call of Stories, we each carry unique experiences, some quite meaningful, which informs and impacts us moving forward.  Stories and experiences can provide wisdom and food for thought.  It is my hope here to provide a miniscule bit of both from time to time.

Again, welcome!