Katharine Birbalsingh & Ian Row DISMANTLE Low Expectations in Education
May 9, 2025
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Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress of Michaela Community School, and Ian Rowe, founder of Vertex Partnerships Academy, challenge the status quo in education. They advocate for timeless virtues like resilience and wisdom over contemporary narratives of victimhood. The conversation highlights the importance of personal responsibility and civic duty in shaping character. They emphasize creating a culture of courage that empowers students, critiques smartphone policies, and explores the necessity of moral values in education to foster a sense of belonging and ambition.
A sense of urgency in education is vital, as maximizing learning time and maintaining focus directly enhances students' understanding of their learning environment.
Cardinal virtues such as courage, justice, and temperance are foundational in education, guiding teachers to instill strong moral frameworks in students.
Rejecting a victimhood mindset through personal responsibility empowers students to confront challenges, fostering resilience and agency over their futures.
Deep dives
The Importance of Urgency in Education
A sense of urgency in education is emphasized as crucial for maximizing learning time. Every minute in the classroom counts, and maintaining focus helps students understand the importance of their learning environment. This urgency demands that educators actively participate in the moral formation of children, taking responsibility for shaping their values. Adopting this perspective means recognizing that, if educators avoid this duty, they fail to fulfill their role in developing students' character.
Defining Cardinal Virtues in Education
Cardinal virtues—courage, justice, temperance, and wisdom—are highlighted as foundational principles around which education should be organized. These virtues act as hinges from which all other moral values and character strengths derive, such as gratitude and resilience. Educators are tasked with discerning and imparting these established virtues to ensure students develop a solid moral framework. This approach contrasts with more contemporary views where educators may focus on identity politics rather than on the timeless virtues ingrained in human history.
Rejecting Victimhood Mentality
Students are explicitly taught to reject a victimhood mindset as part of their moral and character development. Through collective affirmations, such as memorizing I-statements that promote resilience, they learn to take personal responsibility for their actions. This rejection of victimhood positions students to confront challenges with determination rather than viewing themselves as powerless. By fostering this environment, schools combat narratives that undermine personal agency and growth.
The Role of Strict Discipline in Learning
Strict policies, such as banning cell phones and enforcing silent corridors, are implemented to create an environment conducive to learning and personal discipline. These rules are justified as necessary to guide students in high-pressure, inner-city settings where distractions and chaos can impede academic success. Educators argue that such strictness prepares students for real-world challenges by helping them develop self-discipline and focus. This contrasts with more lenient approaches, revealing that the structure can foster a culture of respect and urgency in academic pursuits.
The Responsibility of Schools in Moral Formation
Schools are seen as crucial sites for moral education, with educators acknowledging their role in shaping students' characters through values instillation. The discussion emphasizes that whether or not educators actively teach morals, they inadvertently influence students' values just by being present. The prevailing notion of neutrality in moral teachings is critiqued, as it creates a void that can be filled by detrimental influences like social media. Thus, leadership in education must embrace the challenge of teaching explicit moral frameworks to nurture competent future citizens.
Ian Rowe, founder of Vertex Partnerships Academy and Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress of Michaela Community School in England, and I had a fireside chat. Ian and Katherine are pioneers in education, building schools that should be models for all to emulate.
Their approach is grounded in timeless virtues: resilience, courage, justice, temperance, wisdom, and virtue. Indeed, these virtues are posted on the walls in every Vertex classroom. Just imagine schools that root their educational process in these principles—how much different would our future look? Now contrast this to what students currently ingest in high dosages: intersectionality, victimhood, and grievance.
