Educational innovator Deborah Meier visited our school last week and spoke to students, teachers, and administrators about our educational goals. She also enjoyed the chance to observe a socratic seminar in an upper school Latin class and was impressed by our students’ critical thinking and public speaking skills. Meier is the founder of the modern small schools movement, which embraced progressive ideals in the tradition of John Dewey. She founded the Central Park East School, Central Park East II, and River East in East Harlem, New York in collaboration with the Coalition of Essential Schools and the Mission Hill School in Boston. She is a professor at the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University.  Meier was visiting Washington, D.C. to talk about her newest book, These Schools Belong To You and Me.