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local Friday 21 april 2023

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

The teacher as well as the student (who is not a ‘repeat client’) who
are people, and before everything, approaches him because the
must be seen as people. That is the teacher kicked him out of school
philosophy of Gershwin Lee, head- will not get scolded, but will be ap-
master of the MAVO school, Cole- proached by a person who wants
gio San Antonio. to know more about the life of
the student. “I see what his fears,
Lee had just finished supervising doubts and complexes are, if he is
a ‘strafmiddag’ – afternoon de- afraid.”
tention – when he spoke with our
reporter. A group of students un- The way in which Gershwin Lee
happy that they had to spend a deals with people is thus more like
Friday afternoon at school is not a coach than a strict disciplinarian.
exactly and ideal situation, but the He doesn’t leave out that there
headmaster doesn’t let any op- are rules to be followed, but in or-
portunity go by without connect- der to demand adherence, Lee
ing with his students. “They feel that believes it is essential to motivate
the teacher doesn’t like them, they the student as well as the teacher
told me. Many times it is a teacher so that both want to work on im-
who gave them a low grade.” And provement.
what Lee told them was that by
getting lower grades, the children It might be part of his personal-
reinforce the bad impression that Everyone has trauma. A child who cused on his children’s achieve- ity, but Gershwin Lee explains that
the teacher might have of them, gets screamed at by a teacher ments. “My father grew up poor in from early on he realized the im-
but the negative consequences when he was in first grade be- a big family. A male child of Chi- portance of a different approach,
fall on them. cause he couldn’t read well will be nese heritage, who was a victim of and he followed all courses and
left with trauma. The point is how bullying, managed to overcome training possible on this area, from
He knew of which teacher the kids you deal with trauma.” and wanted the best for his chil- Conscious Discipline to yoga,
were talking, someone who has an Perhaps the most surprising aspect dren. He couldn’t believe it himself which provide techniques to help
interest but follows a stricter line. is that Gershwin Lee told the stu- how much he achieved. No one anyone breathe in and calm
When the headmaster asked the dents that he also experienced a believed in him when he was a down.
kids why they don’t make an ef- challenging youth. His father, the child.” The results can be seen, because
fort, the answer was that “I don’t late Atan Lee was an extremely The realization that his father’s de- Colegio San Antonio already has
want the teacher to think that I’m strict parent who didn’t hesitate mands were the result of trauma years on top of the list of schools
a teacher’s pet”. In that moment, to use physical discipline and de- allowed Gershwin to accept that with a better percentage of grad-
Lee gave them a challenge, to manded perfection at school from the disciplinarian was simply a fa- uates. But this is not what motivates
ask the teacher directly if he thinks his children. Gershwin as the older ther who loved him and wanted the headmaster. “If you take the
they have a perspective. “I told of three would rebel. His grades in the best for him. first exam period from last year, our
them that they will be surprised by MAVO were nothing to be proud school was the one with the worst
the answer, because I’m sure that of, and his rebellion continued And these stories, Lee tells them to results. There was the possibility for
the teacher will say that he does until after finishing HBO (Dutch the students of Colegio San Anto- every student to drop their lowest
believe in them, as long as they equivalent to college). His father nio. This however does not mean grade (an arrangement due to the
apply themselves.” dreamed of his son receiving the that it’s not necessary to recognize pandemic) and still graduate. But
title ‘drs’, and Lee got all the way the difficulty that some students I told them to still take the second
After the conversation, Lee let to his thesis and then decided not are going through, because of- chance exam and improve their
the kids watch the documentary to do it. He informed his father, ten, the attitude and arrogance of grade.”
about gymnast Simone Byles, who who was obviously disappointed, some students hides the lack of a
despite having addicts as parents and then moved to Spain where parent’s love, or the fact that the The headmaster motivated his stu-
who couldn’t give attention to he obtained his Masters in Business family is poor. Such attitudes are dents to believe in themselves and
their child; she was adopted by Administration with specialization reflected in the results, and some- assured them that they will gradu-
her grandparents. “The difference in marketing and public relations. times parents have a hard time un- ate. The result of the school in itself
is the mindset. The idea was for derstanding this. Gershwin applies was not important for Lee. Rather,
the children to realize that trauma The trajectory however made Lee the same human approach with his objective was for the students
doesn’t need to be an obstacle. realize why his father was so fo- the parents, some of whom some- to grow and realize their poten-
times come to school very angry. tial and be happy people, an ap-
proach that is proven to work.q
From the start, ever since he was
a teacher, Gershwin noticed that
the best way to see the student,
the parent, or the colleague is first
as a person, holistically. For this rea-
son also it is important for Gershwin
to have personal contact with par-
ents, to really get to know them.
And he asks all of them the same
question: “How was your day yes-
terday? How are you this morning,
what did you have to eat?” This
way of showing interest tears down
walls and allows him to come
closer to people, in order to reach
the core of any conflict. A student