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local Monday 13 February 2023

Gershwin Lee: a headmaster who is more like a coach for his students

The teacher as well as the in order to reach the core
student are people, and of any conflict. A student
before everything, must (who is not a ‘repeat cli-
be seen as people. That is ent’) who approaches
the philosophy of Gersh- him because the teacher
win Lee, headmaster of the kicked him out of school will
MAVO school, Colegio San not get scolded, but will be
Antonio. approached by a person
who wants to know more
Lee had just finished super- about the life of the stu-
vising a ‘strafmiddag’ – af- dent. “I see what his fears,
ternoon detention – when doubts and complexes are,
he spoke with our reporter. if he is afraid.”
A group of students unhap-
py that they had to spend a The way in which Gersh-
Friday afternoon at school win Lee deals with people
is not exactly and ideal situ- is thus more like a coach
ation, but the headmaster than a strict disciplinarian.
doesn’t let any opportunity He doesn’t leave out that
go by without connecting there are rules to be fol-
with his students. “They feel lowed, but in order to de-
that the teacher doesn’t because he couldn’t read way to his thesis and then a child.” mand adherence, Lee be-
like them, they told me. well will be left with trauma. decided not to do it. He in- The realization that his fa- lieves it is essential to moti-
Many times it is a teach- The point is how you deal formed his father, who was ther’s demands were the vate the student as well as
er who gave them a low with trauma.” obviously disappointed, result of trauma allowed the teacher so that both
grade.” And what Lee told and then moved to Spain Gershwin to accept that want to work on improve-
them was that by getting Perhaps the most surprising where he obtained his the disciplinarian was sim- ment.
lower grades, the children aspect is that Gershwin Lee Masters in Business Adminis- ply a father who loved him
reinforce the bad impres- told the students that he tration with specialization in and wanted the best for It might be part of his per-
sion that the teacher might also experienced a chal- marketing and public rela- him. sonality, but Gershwin Lee
have of them, but the neg- lenging youth. His father, tions. explains that from early on
ative consequences fall on the late Atan Lee was an And these stories, Lee tells he realized the importance
them. extremely strict parent who The trajectory however them to the students of Co- of a different approach,
didn’t hesitate to use physi- made Lee realize why his legio San Antonio. This how- and he followed all cours-
He knew of which teach- cal discipline and demand- father was so focused on ever does not mean that es and training possible on
er the kids were talking, ed perfection at school his children’s achieve- it’s not necessary to recog- this area, from Conscious
someone who has an in- from his children. Gershwin ments. “My father grew up nize the difficulty that some Discipline to yoga, which
terest but follows a stricter as the older of three would poor in a big family. A male students are going through, provide techniques to help
line. When the headmas- rebel. His grades in MAVO child of Chinese heritage, because often, the at- anyone breathe in and
ter asked the kids why they were nothing to be proud who was a victim of bul- titude and arrogance of calm down.
don’t make an effort, the of, and his rebellion contin- lying, managed to over- some students hides the The results can be seen,
answer was that “I don’t ued until after finishing HBO come and wanted the best lack of a parent’s love, or because Colegio San An-
want the teacher to think (Dutch equivalent to col- for his children. He couldn’t the fact that the family is tonio already has years on
that I’m a teacher’s pet”. lege). His father dreamed believe it himself how much poor. Such attitudes are top of the list of schools
In that moment, Lee gave of his son receiving the title he achieved. No one be- reflected in the results, and with a better percentage
them a challenge, to ask ‘drs’, and Lee got all the lieved in him when he was sometimes parents have a of graduates. But this is not
the teacher directly if he hard time understanding what motivates the head-
thinks they have a perspec- this. Gershwin applies the master. “If you take the
tive. “I told them that they same human approach first exam period from last
will be surprised by the an- with the parents, some of year, our school was the
swer, because I’m sure that whom sometimes come to one with the worst results.
the teacher will say that he school very angry. There was the possibility for
does believe in them, as every student to drop their
long as they apply them- From the start, ever since lowest grade (an arrange-
selves.” he was a teacher, Gersh- ment due to the pandem-
win noticed that the best ic) and still graduate. But
After the conversation, Lee way to see the student, the I told them to still take the
let the kids watch the doc- parent, or the colleague second chance exam and
umentary about gymnast is first as a person, holisti- improve their grade.”
Simone Byles, who despite cally. For this reason also
having addicts as parents it is important for Gersh- The headmaster motivat-
who couldn’t give atten- win to have personal con- ed his students to believe
tion to their child; she was tact with parents, to really in themselves and assured
adopted by her grandpar- get to know them. And he them that they will gradu-
ents. “The difference is the asks all of them the same ate. The result of the school
mindset. The idea was for question: “How was your in itself was not important
the children to realize that day yesterday? How are for Lee. Rather, his objec-
trauma doesn’t need to be you this morning, what did tive was for the students
an obstacle. Everyone has you have to eat?” This way to grow and realize their
trauma. A child who gets of showing interest tears potential and be happy
screamed at by a teacher down walls and allows him people, an approach that
when he was in first grade to come closer to people, is proven to work.q