Welcome
"Pause Together: A Handbook for Humans," A Book by Eighth Grade Teacher Will McDonough
"What is a book capable of?"
This was the question New Canaan Country School educator Will McDonough posed, colloquially, to his eighth grade students one morning last fall during a grade-wide trip to the Adirondacks.
“If one's goal was to create a book to see what the ceiling of humanity could be, what would they write?”
Following his return to campus, and throughout the year, Mr. McDonough continued to contemplate the question ultimately becoming inspired to put his thoughts on paper. The result is an interactive book, Pause Together: A Handbook for Humans, now available on Amazon.
“We live in an age where people appear to be more deeply connected than ever before, but in reality, we live in an era of unhealthy disengagement,” said Mr. McDonough.
Pause Together is an interactive book that invites groups of people (schools, youth groups, teams, clubs, families, towns, corporations, etc.) to engage in a brief, daily shared experience that builds community through three central elements: connection, gratitude, and the adoption of a growth mindset.
It is intended to be accessible to both children and adults, and the idea is that it can invite conversation between all constituents in a community on any given day...even when we are socially distanced. Therefore, in any encounter, there are three immediate points of connection and intimacy beyond "Hi, how are you?"
The book contains elements of drawing, of gratitude, and of posing interesting questions to one another such as: wouldn't you love to know what a random first grader's favorite smell is, or whether a fifth grade apprentice prefers fire, or fireworks, or fireflies?
Best of all, the daily exercise can be completed at home or at school, by parents and students, faculty and staff, even grandparents (and special friends).
New Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.
