Dear Parents,
One of my favorite parts of spring and summer is the opportunity to participate in the beauty of God’s creation through gardening. In addition to a vegetable garden, this past spring we decided to plant an apple tree. While the tree looked to be thriving initially, we began to have concerns after a couple weeks. Some of the leaves began to wither and curl, while others turned from bright green to brown.
With lots of talk on the news about artificial intelligence and generative A.I., I decided to take the opportunity to ask ChatGPT if I had a problem on my hands. “How do I know if my young apple tree is dying?” I asked. Within seconds, the program replied with a thorough and comprehensive list of symptoms as well as strategies for proper tree care. This I expected, but not what came next: “If you’d like, take a picture and I can tell you how your tree is doing.” Surprised by this possibility, I thought about it a second, put on my shoes, and headed outside. A few minutes later, I had the confirmation I needed that my tree, is, in fact, thriving, as attested by a source of intelligence that would never know firsthand what it is like to actually thrive.
I share this anecdote to introduce the notion that in a world of generative A.I., we have important decisions as humans to make regarding what work is distinctively human and what can be delegated to computers. The question is not “should we?” but “how should we with wisdom?”.
With the completion of our new playground, I am reminded that “play” is a distinctively human endeavor. Like thriving as an organism, artificial intelligence will never know what it is like to experience the joy of play. Sure, A.I. can win a chess match, but it will never have the opportunity to relish in the thrill of victory. And if a recent study from MIT researchers is correct, the use of this technology without discretion, will erode the ability to learn, including the ability to create and come up with original ideas.
A key antidote to a lack of creativity turns out to be something as simple as play. In Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, he emphasizes the importance of free play, not only for mental health and developing antifragile children, but for cultivating creativity and teamwork. Moreover, he suggests we rethink traditional playgrounds for alternative approaches, such as nature-based designs.
As we think about our new playground at Clapham School, the design we selected is consistent with Haidt’s insights and aligned with our school’s value of joyful discovery and love for God’s creation. While traditional playgrounds tend to include specific structures for determining what the child should play, our playground empowers children to use the structures to create their own games and adventures. Here are some core ideas that inspired our planning:
- Love for Nature: Through a nature-inspired theme, with timber structures and turf floor, students are invited to explore.
- Creativity: Through an open design, students have the opportunity to invent games and use their imaginations to create their own fun.
- Collaborate with Peers: Through applying Charlotte Mason’s principle of “masterly inactivity,” teachers will give students the opportunity to work together and grow in resilience without the burden of too much direction.
I hope this vision for your children is encouraging. We look forward as a community to the joy of seeing our students experience the joy and wonder of their new playground this coming school year. On this note, I want to invite everyone to our playground dedication, which will take place at Clapham School’s playground on Saturday, August 16, at 12:00pm, at the beginning of our 20th anniversary kick-off celebration (more to come on this!).
Blessings in Christ,
Kolby Atchison