Editorial    
Leaving the Classroom to
Discover What’s Out There

(April 17, 2007)

High school is a time to begin to acquaint ourselves with the outside world and all that it has to offer.  Our time at George Mason is not only about memorizing facts, writing essays, and taking tests. There is a lot that we can learn when we briefly step outside of the classroom and experience something new and exciting.  In doing so, we can learn, develop, and be enriched as an entire school community.  We can also finally find some answers to the age-old questions of “Why are we learning this?” and “How is this relevant?” while discovering an interest in a new academic or artistic subject.  And besides, who doesn’t love an assembly?

We have been attending assemblies on a wide range of topics since kindergarten.  Not surprisingly, we still get excited when we hear that an assembly is scheduled – a real assembly, not a review of school policy.  Last week, sophomores, juniors, and seniors gathered to hear Dr. Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, the current poet laureate of Virginia, read several of her poems and share her views on art and writing.  Needless to say, not every GM student is a poetry buff, nor should they be.  Yet the exposure to art composed by a writer at the forefront of her field is an undeniably positive experience that all students can benefit from.  Coming in frequent contact with art, music and drama can truly shape us into well-rounded and open-minded individuals.  

Assemblies do not necessarily have to focus on fostering appreciation for the arts, however.  There are thousands of speakers who have valuable opinions, experiences, and accomplishments to share with the student body and who can provide the means for Masonites to learn about topics that are not necessarily part of their everyday curriculum.  Many researchers, for example, would be willing to shed some light on the science behind stem cell debate.  Our proximity to Washington, D.C. almost guarantees that political figures would accept an invitation to discuss the issues relevant to the upcoming 2008 campaign (in which many Masonites and former Masonites will undoubtedly vote).  Humanitarian groups would relish the opportunity to educate students about the AIDS pandemic and the genocide in the Sudan.  We have an amazing wealth of resources less than 10 miles away of which we do not often take advantage.  By inviting more guest speakers, we could enlighten the entire student body about the issues that all good citizens need to be aware, from global warming to domestic violence, from our legal system to the war in Iraq.

Because we live in such a rapidly developing and globalizing world, there are innumerable advancements in science and technology that would interest and inspire students.  The discovery of a new theory about the development of the universe, a different perspective on alternative energy, a proposal to improve global health – who knows what will spark our interests and lead to careers and discoveries? 

Attending assemblies also helps to develop a skill that we will all need in the real world -- showing respect for others.  Although we may not always agree or be interested in what someone else has to say, it is immensely important that we learn to be attentive and considerate.  Welcoming guest speakers with the deference they deserve is an excellent way to learn to be good colleagues and peers and to improve our attitude as students.       

Scheduling an assembly often can cause disruption within the classroom, and it is important to remember that teachers have a lot of material to cover.  Yet if we become too caught up in a rigid and traditional curriculum, there will be little opportunity for us to expand our knowledge of the world outside George Mason – a world that we will all be entering in a very short time.