THE ECOLOGY OF COMMUNITY

by Becca Dymond, Provost

At the heart of teaching at The Leelanau School is the goal of igniting (or, in some cases, reigniting) a passion for curiosity—to help students reconnect with their innate desire to know and to stretch what they think. What I hope makes teaching different at Leelanau is a broad definition of “who” an educator is, alongside the celebration of one another as a community of educators who love kids, community, learning, and experiences. All of my colleagues—whether in the classroom, dorm, kitchen, woods, or offices—play a role in providing this education for our students because we are all part of the ecology and stewardship of this community.

"Above all, I want my students to feel seen. I want them to know how incredibly "enough" they already are, just as they are."

My hope is that they will let me walk beside them for the time we get to work together, as a partner, advocate, and cheerleader. I try to instill in them an articulate awareness of who they are and what they need and deserve, and the confidence to use that awareness as self-advocates.

When I came to Leelanau, I was a new teacher who felt lost in an education system in which teachers were working so hard to meet their own needs that it was nearly impossible to truly see and help every student. Coming to Leelanau reassured me that it is possible to meet each student where they are, because of the time we have to build relationships.

Leelanau students are authentic, creative, bright people who are courageous enough to want something different for themselves. They come from families who love and know their kids and who recognize that life doesn’t start after high school. Our kids are living their lives right now, among the trees and along the shore, within a community of adults who love and believe in them.