Andy Smallman believes he is just where he is supposed to be, doing what he is supposed to do

The Kindness of Cooks | Andy Smallman and a "School of Kindness"


Andy Smallman believes he is just where he is supposed to be, doing what he is supposed to do.

As a kid, Andy couldn’t wait to get out of school. To his own surprise, he decided to become a teacher. He began the Puget Sound Community School in Seattle, Washington, in 1994.

The truth is the school exists in spite of—and because of—his experience as a student. He wants PSCS to be a “School of Kindness.”

“Suddenly, I’m some kind of ‘expert’ on kindness,” Andy says with a laugh. “The idea of an expert on kindness is ridiculous.

“I don’t make money at it, but I make joy. It comes right back to my work with students,” he says. “I get calls from teachers and other schools, but most often it’s parents trying to address bullying issues. How to implement a ‘kind curriculum’— and I always feel like I need air quotes on that—really starts with yourself.”

Sometimes those talks take unexpected turns. Andy had one phone conversation planned with a parent in Boston on April 15. By then everyone had heard the terrible news.

“I called her and asked, ‘Is this a good time to talk?’ ” Andy recalled.

“I can’t imagine a better time,” the woman answered.

“And we spent an hour talking about kindness while she was in lockdown in Boston,” he says.

For Andy and his school, learning starts with respect—for students and their natural curiosity.

“If a baby doesn’t feel safe, he won’t grow properly. If a toddler doesn’t feel safe, she won’t start to walk. When a human being feels safe, they naturally challenge themselves. Expose children to interesting people doing interesting things and they will be interested.

“The more happy people on the planet, the better. That sounds trite, but if people feel satisfied, if people feel content, if they have a purpose for living, that’s really what it’s all about. I think good academics are the byproduct of character. You need people to understand what it means to be good citizens.”

In so-called mainstream education, “we’ve got it backwards,” Andy says. “Our education system is so antiquated. It was designed not to have people thinking, but to have people be good workers.”

His own decision to become a teacher—and start a school—really goes back to a 3rd grade teacher. She may not have meant any harm, but she liked to move kids by grabbing an ear.

“I was a really good kid and I behaved well, but I was a shy, shy kid, easily embarrassed,” Andy says. “I didn’t even apply to college after high school.

“I was a deejay in Alaska and a handicapper—a statistician—for the Daily Racing Form. When I was 21, a friend asked if I had ever thought of being a Big Brother.

“I was matched with a little boy who was in 3rd grade. Suddenly, it was clear to me what I was supposed to do. I was supposed to be a teacher.”

He began college at 22.

“I started saying ‘yes’ to opportunities. I share that philosophy with students. Your job every day is to pay attention to what excites you today. If you’re paying attention to what gives you joy and passion in life, the next step will become clear and the next step and the next step. You’re not locked into focusing on the future.”

PSCS students are excited to talk about their school. Three times a year, students and teachers meet for a “Scheduling Circus,” working together to create classes on different subjects.

“It’s sort of a democracy,” says Zane Taylor, 16. “Most of the time, we all work together and work it all out. You get to study what you are interested in—I asked for a class on DNA—I just think that’s wicked cool.

“I love this school,” he says. “I think the school really practices kindness. There’s three main things—community and courage and integrity. The community is sharing with other people. Acting with courage is trying new things.”

The school is really about community, says Sofia Martin, 13.

“They’re trying to make a kind and welcoming environment,” she says. “It’s kind of like being at home, except you’re learning and you’re with friends. I really like learning about biology and all the tiny little cells that make something and all the genes.”

“Everything we need is being presented to us all the time and our role as people is to tap into this,” Andy says. “We’re where we are supposed to be at the time. The more attentive, the more mindful you can be, you realize everything is opportunity.”

–Amy Silvers