Character Learning

The one consolation in spending so much time in the car is being able to listen to Radio 4, a truly brilliant network aside from, for me, The Archers and Gardeners' Question Time.

Hot on the heels of insights into Finland's hugely successful 'Phenomenon Based Learning', came a Radio 4 programme on 'Character Learning'.

In Harlem, New York City, the chances of a kid ending up with a college degree is between 8% and 10%, according to Dave Levin, head of KIPP Infinity Charter Schools.

However, with his model, the chances zoom up to 50%, well ahead of the average for the USA and in front of many more prestigious schools.

The principle behind his success?

A dual focus on 'character' and 'academia'.

According to Levin, the seven predictive, observable behaviours that make up character are:

• Self Control

• Grit

• Curiosity 

• Optimism

• Social Intelligence

• Gratitude

and...

• Zest!

By challenging his students (71,000 of them across the Charter Schools group) to learn through experience, by tackling difficult tasks, failing, picking themselves up and trying again, they develop these behavioural skills.

This is the process that graduates of our 'Magic Programme' go through, albeit minus the college degrees!

In England, at Kings Langley Academy they are working on the same thesis, apparently with great success.

The Headmaster summarised the benefits as 'helping students to stop living in glass houses'.

By this he meant that today's over-parenting limited children's preparedness to take risks, lest they 'break the glass'.

Children, he maintains, need to be encouraged to develop the confidence and belief to try new things and to embrace the consequences of failure whilst recovering the courage to try again.

Sounds awfully like 'Magic' to me.