Lessons from Keith Richardson (Before the wax melts) and others…
In a recent communication from the Association of Public Boys’ Schools of South Africa (APBSA), a feature article focused on retired boys’ school headmaster, Keith Richardson, and his book Before the wax melts.
The article highlighted the following pertinent points that have relevance both for us as teachers and you as parents;
- Have we encouraged and implanted a love for ongoing learning?
- Have we fostered a true sense of curiosity?
- Can those who we release into the world relate to other genders, other cultures, other religions and others with different intelligences and abilities?
- Have we truly inculcated character traits such as resilience, commitment and a positive attitude?
- Have we been true to the real meaning of education as embodied in two Latin verbs –educare – to bring up, to rear or to nurture; and educere – to lead out.
The role of teachers is to prepare their metaphorical ships for the open sea and the inevitable battering of life’s storms. These ‘ships’, for years safely tied to the harbour wall, must at some stage be rigged with knowledge, armed with wisdom, and amply equipped to embark on the exciting voyage of life.
In order to achieve this, the following are necessary:
- Don’t be seduced by your own marketing material – Constant self-appraisal is essential to grow, to lead and to learn.
- Be prepared to share – Share expertise, knowledge and even facilities in some ways.
- Be willing to experiment with new ideas and to insist on a culture of innovation. We need to lead in all areas of educational life, not just one or two.
- Stimulate, teach, guide and inspire others around you, impelling them into readiness to step up when the opportunity arises
- The lesson of the trees – We need to plant trees, fertilise them, and nurture them, all the while understanding that some will fall but that isn’t the end of the world – or even of the forest.
Great schools need to promote values in addition to ensuring good results. Values are caught not taught, and key of these are honesty, integrity, self-discipline, a strong work ethic, respect, caring and humanity.
After all – we must recognise that ‘boys will be men‘, and working in partnership – we aim to ‘grow good men, together’.
(Adapted from the APBSA newsletter “Heads Up” – Vol , Issue 16, 7 June 2021)