Book Review from the journal: "Leadership Matters", January 2008

“Valuing and Educating Young People - Stern Love the Lyward Way”

By Jeremy Harvey – pub: Jessica Kingsley 2006

Jeremy Harvey has captured the essence of a man who cared; George Lyward cared about his ‘damaged’ boys, their parents, his staff and society. In writing this excellent and timely book in such an accessible way, JH has demonstrated how much he cares too.

George Lyward established and ran Finchden Manor, a unique school in Kent, for 43 years until his death in 1973. He pursued a style of ‘conversational teaching’ which has a poignant and broad relevance today. He lived to meet the ‘emotional and educational needs’ of boys not served well by society. Lyward and his staff gave them the time and the ‘hospitable’ environment they needed to grow emotionally; to build confidence and self-esteem and to ‘learn how to live’.

Lyward showed how teachers can create a bond with their students, helping them to find inspiration and fun in learning. By setting ‘appropriate’ boundaries and goals, driven by emotional maturity and readiness, not statute or age, and using praise liberally, he provided security and encouraged creativity. JH, with his wealth of educational experience, endorses Lyward and offers practical ideas and hope. Mentoring for teachers and pupils in schools, whilst not new, and help for children at risk, like Somerset’s PROMISE scheme and STAR, are a few of the many high impact ways JH identifies to build resilience and address the emotional and educational needs of teachers and children.

In running a leadership development consultancy I engage with adults in managerial roles across organisations who struggle with ‘imposter syndrome’, who lack confidence and the self-belief to be happy and effective as leaders. The root of their problems consistently lies in their upbringing and the central impact of parents and teachers on how they view themselves. Their insecurity leads to many damaging behaviours, like micro-management and a failure to delegate and empower staff. The working climate they create impacts negatively not only on them, in creating dependency, but the people and the organisation they purport to serve. It is sadly perpetuated. This scenario is as true in schools as it is in other sectors and until teachers and leaders elsewhere achieve a higher level of emotional maturity, it will be difficult for them to provide the type of learning environment that children and adults thrive in.

The importance of the work of Lyward is therefore not restricted to those identified as ‘damaged’. It is fundamental to the success of our society that the emotional needs of all children are addressed. Harvey, in supporting Lyward’s belief about the transferability of his methods, shows the time is ripe for action. Concurrently, other authors highlight the ‘toxic’ impact of society on our children and we learn more about the development of children’s brains and the positive neurological impact of empathy. The important implications this work has for the teaching profession, for parenting and for society must not be ignored. It demands our attention.

Farren Drury MBE, Director - Leading Initiatives Worldwide Ltd
www.leadinginitiatives.com