The Birth of STEM 1.0
A number of years ago while visiting a colleague at a peer school abroad, we found ourselves discussing the emerging importance of boys’ well-being as a precondition to their engagement and performance at school. We mused about our own experiences as emerging young men. We could not recall a single conversation from our school days about our mental or emotional wellness.
Yet the research today is irrefutable: For high-performing adults, including athletes, artists, and business and civic leaders, the most important elements that fuel high-quality and sustained performance are recovery, meditation, nutrition, and exercise. If the world’s best talent derives benefit from these well-being practices, so too could average schoolfolk like us.
Then came the “Aha!” moment. The four fields of modern education are science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), but what do students need to fuel their learning? Shortly thereafter, STEM 1.0 was born at Crescent. Under the guidance of Deputy Headmaster Nick Kovacs and the support of Crescent alumnus Dr. Greg Wells ’89, we made the case that in order for boys to thrive, they need to SLEEP soundly, THINK clearly, EAT smarter, and MOVE more. These habits, hence known as STEM 1.0, can increase the likelihood of success academically as well as in other co-curricular pursuits. Since that time, we have shared materials, hosted guest speakers, changed school schedules, established new partnerships, and committed to design-build principles for learning spaces all aimed at fostering well-being.
January is Mental Health Awareness Month at Crescent. Since returning to school post-break, we have dedicated time each week for students to consider different aspects of their well-being. From decompressing with therapy dogs, practicing meditation, selecting from healthy lunch options, and journalling with gratitude, boys across all grades have experienced opportunities to practice being well. Our hope is that by planting these seeds, the fruit will bear in the coming years as our boys grow to be men who are self-aware, balanced, and healthy learners, partners, and professionals. After all, I am far more interested in who our boys become as people than what they pursue as a career track.
A further step to institutionalize this commitment to well-being has been through the work of the Crescent Centre for Boys’ Education. Our teachers are increasingly employing evidence-based practices to stimulate relational, active, and experiential learning of their students. This includes conducting action research and reflecting on their work in ways that support our boys’ learning. For example, this month an Upper School Faculty member shared his insights on sleep with his colleagues. By surrounding our students with caring adults who model their own commitment to well-being, we increase the likelihood of such positive habits developing in our young men.
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