成人直播

Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress and cofounder of the London-based Michaela Community School, joined 成人直播 president Jim Gash (JD 鈥�93) for the second installment of this academic year鈥檚 President's Speaker Series on October 23 to discuss the fundamental purpose of education. Deemed 鈥淏ritain's strictest headmistress,鈥� Birbalsingh relayed the backstory behind this moniker, as well as how high moral and academic standards help children to achieve their greatest potential.  

鈥淎t 成人直播 we still believe that intellectual excellence and moral formation belong together鈥攁nd are indeed inseparable,鈥� said Gash. 鈥淭oday, we turn to questions that matter to every educator and student in this room and, indeed, at this University: What is true education? What is its end goal? What do we owe the young people entrusted to our care?鈥�  

Birbalsingh and Gash discuss cultivating personal excellence in students

Gash opened the event by sharing that he first met Birbalsingh at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Summit in London, where he was compelled by her vision for primary and secondary education, one that pairs rigorous academics with moral formation and self-discipline. Serving primarily inner-city children, Michaela was built in 2014 from scratch by Birbalsingh, with a founding premise that any child, no matter the background, is capable of excellence.

Birbalsingh shared that a misconception about love and discipline is widely held, clarifying that the two are not mutually exclusive. 鈥淪trict means that you love your students enough to keep your standards high.鈥� 

This 鈥渟trictness,鈥� Birbalsingh explains, often brushes up against what some consider the norms of the contemporary classroom. However, for Birbalsingh, holding children to low standards 鈥渋s to undermine the resilience that they need to take personal responsibility, to take feedback, and to be, as I'm always saying to them, a better version of yourself today than you were yesterday.鈥�

鈥淜ids want to be held accountable,鈥� she continued. 鈥淥ur job as parents and as teachers is to hold the line. But we're always too interested in looking 鈥榞ood鈥� in the child鈥檚 eyes. But we must do what's right, and often what's right doesn't necessarily make us feel good inside.鈥� 

Following their first meeting at ARC, Gash shared that he and his wife, Joline Gash (鈥�92), traveled to London to visit Michaela. Recounting a visit to the school鈥檚 cafeteria, Gash shared that he was anticipating the usual lunchtime chaos, but was moved to find the schoolchildren joyfully engaged in thoughtful conversation.

鈥淎ppreciations鈥� was the lunchtime tradition the Gashes had walked into, where children around the table engage in a time of gratitude, learning to communicate gratitude for both great successes and life鈥檚 simple moments, such as one child鈥檚 comment that he wanted 鈥渢o thank my mom for waking me up this morning.鈥� 

Birbalsingh and Gash speaking to a filled audience

鈥淵ou've got ordinary, inner-city children who are so keen to learn. Their hands are flying up in the air. They know so much. They're so polite, and they're so kind and so well behaved,鈥� Birbalsingh said. 鈥淏asically, we鈥檙e doing what people say is impossible.鈥� 

Birbalsingh insisted that the responsibility of inculcating proper, basic manners鈥攕uch as listening quietly and engaging in informed conversation鈥攁nd the practice of gratitude is upon educators. 鈥淚f a child is not taught how to be grateful, they will not be grateful,鈥� Birbalsingh added. 鈥淭hey will just take everything they've got for granted.鈥�

According to Birbalsingh, in Michaela鈥檚 12 years of operation the school has had 7,000 visitors. Many of these visitors have been educators desperate to find solutions to behavior issues that plague modern classrooms, she added. 

A unity of values, Birbalsingh said, is a driving force behind Michaela鈥檚 success. Referencing her forthcoming book, Diversity Is Not Our Strength, Birbalsingh described 鈥渕ulticultural patriotism鈥� as a practice that observes varying ethnic backgrounds while remaining unified under regard for one鈥檚 current country and common moral compass.

Birbalsingh and Gash

Following Birbalsingh and Gash鈥檚 conversation, he presented her with a token of his regard, a ceremonial coin detailing this year鈥檚 annual presidential theme of Courage. 鈥淚f I had to take one word to describe you, Katharine, it's courage,鈥� he said. 

The event welcomed a full audience of the 成人直播 community including educators from other institutions. Many attested to being moved by Birbalsingh鈥檚 bold vision for educational reform, which instills dignity into children through high standards. 

Bob Bowne II (JD 鈥�95), a 成人直播 alumnus and parent, expressed appreciation for Birbalsingh鈥檚 lived mission. 鈥淜atharine is empowering kids that have been told by everyone that they don鈥檛 have a fair shake in life. She tells them, however, that they are completely able to excel and far surpass those that have more of the advantages existing educational frameworks say matter,鈥� Bowne said following the event. 鈥淭he same individual values that teach your children for their success are the same values that she鈥檚 teaching at her school.鈥� 

Likewise, Myron McClure, director of intercultural affairs at the University, who has previously taught as an adjunct professor at local junior colleges said, 鈥淲hat was meaningful for me was the conviction that love and discipline should not be separated,鈥� says McClure. 鈥淥ften to learn what is right requires correction. The teacher should have the ability, with love, to instill high standards upon their students to help shape the next generation.鈥�

Find a full broadcast of Birbalsingh鈥檚 conversation .

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Photo Credit:

All images courtesy of Ron Hall, University photographer