Seeing is Believing

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Educators got a firsthand look at rethinking K-12 education at “We’re Doing it Wrong,” the second Symposium presented by the Fr. Mark Payne Institute on January 23. Fifty-five educators, representing 21 public, charter, independent and Catholic schools from New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, Illinois and Kentucky, participated in the Symposium that provided a deeper understanding of true student-centered education, along with tools to innovate approaches to teaching and learning. 

FMPI Director Glenn Cassidy, Ed.D. ’90, said the second Symposium drew a mix of newcomers and teaching professionals who attended the inaugural event in 2024. Faculty and administrators were immersed in dynamic sessions that focused on the Benedict’s model of community, student leadership, mental health and experiential learning. “But we changed what happened in each session, so attendees from last year would get a new experience,” Dr. Cassidy said.

Educators from K-8 schools also gained insight on how the Benedict’s ethos, “Never do for students what students can do for themselves,” can be applied to younger grades in a Q&A session with Dean of the Elementary Division Sr. Ann Marie Gass, S.S.J., and student leaders from the Elementary and Middle Divisions. The Symposium is part of a comprehensive range of services provided by the FMPI. For further information, visit sbp.org/fmpi.