Interview
Q:
What are some of the similarities and
differences between the schools that you have
worked for and Keystone Academy?
A:
I have come from well-established schools, which boast
long histories, and a deep-rooted sense of who they are.
Each school has its own character, and no matter how many
generations of students come through, new teachers, or changes
in leadership, there is still an essence to who that school is and
what it represents. The identity of the school remains consistent.
A hundred years from now, I want people to talk about Keystone
the way they talk about other elite schools; that Keystone is one
of the best boarding schools, that it is innovative, and that it
prepares students not just for university, but for life. We want
people to see Keystone as a school that equips its students with
the skills they need to be successful people, contributors to
society and leaders in their communities. Keystone aspires to be
great, and to hold a position and renown in China similar to what
elite boarding schools possess in the U.S.
Rachael Beare with students at a post-acceptance
event at the Orchard Restaurant, Shunyi, Beijing
Q:
What kind of student does Keystone want to
enroll? What is the ideal student profile?
A:
To be sure, Keystone will not be a “cookie cutter” school,
meaning our students will not be one shape, or all cut from
the same cloth. Our application process will not create a checklist
of things, and say, “Well, if you check everything on the list,
then you get to come to Keystone.” This is not a process where
decisions are made based on a test score. I believe very strongly
that the education we provide our students will be better if we
can create an environment that appreciates the different talents
students possess, and the ways that they express their talents.
Our process will allow individuals to emerge in different ways,
and allow us to observe and select candidates for the uniqueness
they bring into the community.
There are, however, some fundamental attributes that we will
look for in our students. Students should be able to demonstrate
a curiosity towards and an interest in learning. Students will be
exposed to many kinds of different opportunities at Keystone, and
we want them to take advantage of these experiences. Students
should expect to be challenged and stretched, both inside and
outside of the classroom, to become more independent in their
learning, and more creative in their approach. It is one thing to
sit in a class and be told everything you are supposed to know,
to write it all down, and to recite it all back. It is another thing all
together for a teacher to say, “Here is some information. I want
you to do something with it and bring me back something that I
have not seen before.” Keystone will have these expectations of
its students, particularly the older students, so they should be
ready and willing to be pushed in this way.
We also want students who are not afraid to fail or take risks.
Many years ago, the Dean of Admission at MIT did some research
among professors at MIT to find the qualities that made for the
best MIT student. One of the things that she discovered is that test
scores did not define the best MIT student. So she began to ask
professors, “What are the things that really make the difference?”
With unbelievable consistency, the professors said, “The best
MIT student is the one who, when an entire project that they have
been working hard on for several months literally explodes, is able
to collect themselves, figure out what went wrong, and start all
over again.” Because that is what life is like, is it not? By contrast,
the student who struggles is the one who is so overwhelmed by
the time they put in to the project and what went wrong, they
do not know what to do next. Our students need to be able to
see how failure can be a step on the pathway to success. We do
not want them to be so afraid to fail that they never discover the
power or possibility of taking a risk.
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The Keystone Magazine