On Coming to Cranbrook and Being Drawn to the School.

I grew up in Florida. When I was a sophomore in college, I knew I was going to be a high school teacher, but I wanted to get my Ph.D. first. While at graduate school I hunted for and visited eastern boarding schools. Someone recommended that I look into Cranbrook. Cranbrook is one of the best-kept secrets and I think among the best, if not the best, schools in the country. It’s so visually incredible. I met students and was stunned by their quality, their thinking. I met the Dean of Faculty and the head of a dormitory. Within five minutes, I knew I wanted to be at Cranbrook. From that moment, there was no looking back.

On Being at Cranbrook for Almost 30 Years.

I was still in my final year of graduate school when I began to teach at the school. Immediately I realized that I was given a lot of autonomy and a lot of trust in my approach. I was also given great role models. The Cranbrook faculty’s love for complexity, the open ended questions that allow one to probe beyond what is apparent have sustained me.

The founder [publisher and art patron, George Booth] loved and saw the Arts as an influence and inspiration for creativity. There is the Cranbrook Art Academy that exists as an autonomous entity on the Cranbrook campus. Mr. Booth used the concept of the (art) guild as a model and drew gifted, aspiring artists to Cranbrook to work with master artist/teachers. These same artists would then serve as mentors for the next generation of artists. This idea that you’re all in it together, not teachers instructing students, but rather in a collaboration between the groups is also very much a living, ongoing aspect of the Cranbrook Schools.

The academic environment for a teacher, and I am one - I can’t think of a better place to be. It’s a wonderful place. It’s personal. It’s a way of life.

On How Cranbrook’s Campus, its Buildings and Land, Influence Learnng.

When the Finnish architect, Eliel Saarinen, designed and built the campus, he set out to make a creative environment that would sustain energy. He put ideas into his buildings that you didn’t know were there, but over time you discover the presence of a beautiful intelligence, a subtle, planning brain.

There’s a lake, there’s a forest, there’s a pool, and a river that runs through the place. This is, in a way, part of a big idea – to learn to live with and learn to love beauty and nature. Our teachers use Cranbrook in the curriculum because the campus lends itself to teaching. Each year a biology class adopts a section of the river and studies it all year long. The students’ reports are housed in the school library. Art teachers use the Art Academy and Museum to analyze artwork. Programs held in the Institute of Science, which is another separate facility that shares campus grounds, are open to all Cranbrook students. English students do research in the archives, using original documents. At Cranbrook, there’s so much in the whole unto itself, yet so much diversity within. Students themselves add another dimension to that diversity.

And architecture contributes to the creativity of the school. One can’t help but be aware of the thinking that went into the design of the buildings [mostly by Eliel Saarinen]. There is detail and variety within the quality of materials. Everywhere there is imaginative problem solving going on and many beautiful objects to enhance the daily experience. Students study the architectural uniqueness of these buildings and react to the original sculpture throughout the campus. The dining room chairs at Kingswood were designed by Saarinen’s son, Eero. There’s a fresco in the church and another at the Cranbrook campus, and a tapestry that is the largest in the U.S.

On Students

I think the admission committee has a good idea of what kind of kids thrive here. They’re looking for students who not only can grow, but who also have strong character to deal with the pace and complexity of the campus. With two school campuses [Cranbrook was originally a boys’ school and Kingswood was for girls], we can offer really different experiences. The schedule, with busses that constantly shuttle between campuses, allows a wide range of choice giving lots of flexibility. It’s not hectic, but there’s lots of activity.

Teachers and students become friends and there is high respect between teachers and students. I think that self-confidence among the students comes from dealing with the adults here. That’s one of the secrets of the school, the openness of the faculty. The faculty wants students to show themselves, express their complexity. There is great expectation that students will take advantage of their time and pursue their ideas and interests. The quality of the students is unmatched. The kids who come are exceptional. When they graduate, they have this Cranbrook thing about them. It’s a vision, a confidence.

Every once in a while I consider the idea of transferring to another school. I even researched and visited some other very strong institutions. But each time, I’d return to Cranbrook and think “How could I get a better quality of life than what I have here?” Cranbrook is at the very top for beauty and quality.