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local Thursday 23 March 2023

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

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