September 24, 2026Excellence in Action: Part #3 | Mr. Derek Cutler, Grade 8 Robotics

Excellence in Action: A Series
Inside the Classrooms of Aberdeen Hall

What does exceptional teaching actually look like in practice? In this series, former High School Principal Grant Ozechowski visits classrooms across all three divisions to observe authentic, everyday learning and ask students directly what makes their teachers great. Each feature highlights how our faculty bring the core pillars and key actions of Aberdeen Hall’s Strategic Direction to life.

Strategic Pillar: Our Program
Key Actions:  Designing Dynamic and Responsive Learning; Engaging Students in Authentic, Experiential Learning

“Two lumberjacks sat down to lunch, each carefully unwrapping thickly sliced bread surrounding generous slabs of ham and cheese. It had been a long morning, and the two men were relieved to tuck into their meal in silence.”

“Has anyone heard this story before?” Mr. Cutler asks, noticing the smirks across the faces of his Grade 8 students. “If you have, that’s OK. You can tell me if I tell it right at the end.”

Mr. Cutler smiles and continues with the story. “The first lumberjack finishes his sandwich and immediately gets back to chopping wood. Soon he notices that the second has packed up his things and disappeared. The first lumberjack, much perturbed, continues to swing his axe, each chop fueled by his jealousy of his coworker’s undeserved break. An hour goes by, and the second lumberjack finally returns. The two men spend the rest of the afternoon swinging their axes. Soon enough, it is quitting time.”

By now, the class is fully invested, hanging on each word of the ongoing tale. Some might be piecing together what the tale of two lumberjacks has to do with their Grade 8 robotics class.

Clearing his throat, Mr. Cutler continues, “The first man wipes his brow in exhaustion and glances over at his workmate. To his dismay, he notes that his own stack of cut wood is far smaller than the pile cut by the second man. ‘How could this be?’ he wonders. After all, the second lumberjack took an hour break. Finally, he voices his frustration: ‘How did you do it? I worked all day and my pile is so much smaller than yours. It makes no sense!’”

The second lumberjack smiles: “After lunch, I went home and sharpened my axe. See you tomorrow.”

Mr. Cutler lets the last words hang in the air for a while. Gradually, the students start to mutter amongst themselves, searching for answers to the question they know their teacher is about to pose. “So, what’s it all about?” he finally asks.

A few moments later, the students come to their own conclusions regarding the moral of the story: that success is not always achieved by the person who sweats the most; and that sometimes the greatest success comes from careful planning and a sharp set of tools.

Mr. Cutler’s laughter booms through the classroom as he congratulates them on their insight. Moments later, they are all swarming around their workstations, tinkering with their robots, and testing out their newest engineering. The goal: to create the fastest robot possible. Think drag racing on a super small scale.

There is no blueprint. No predetermined answer. No step-by-step instructions. Each group needs to find their own way. Ideas are proposed, new gear ratios are tested, alternate wheel sizes are employed, heavier axles and lighter chassis are swapped. Each student has a role. Some are absorbed in research, some make mechanical adjustments, others conduct field tests and make suggestions. Mr. Cutler circulates. He encourages. He nudges. But he takes care not to provide “the answer.” Answers must come from the students. They need to become the experts. And before this can happen, there needs to be a little productive struggle.

In his class, students are learning more than coding and physics. They are gaining so much more than an awareness of circuits and sensors. In Mr. Cutler’s class, they are communicating. They are creating. They are solving problems. They are experiencing failure, building resilience, gaining confidence, and developing self-efficacy.

In this robotics class, students learn life. The things they master around those tables will spill over into their math classrooms, English seminars, and their science labs. One day, the things they learn here will be carried with them into boardrooms, medical schools, and office towers, among other places. It’s dynamic instruction, but it’s also authentic learning.

Don’t come to Mr. Cutler’s class if you want to see silence, kids in rows, or checklists and worksheets; you’ll be disappointed. But if you want to witness growth, discovery, and achievement, you’ve come to the right place. If you want to see less lecturing and more learning, drop by anytime. Because in Mr. Cutler’s class, they are sharpening their axes.