Dominic Randolph, headmaster of the prestigious Riverdale Country School in New York, believes character counts — perhaps even more than standardized tests. As documented by Paul Tough in The New York Times, Randolph has refashioned his campus to teach kids character — "those essential traits of mind and habit that were drilled into [Randolph] at boarding school in England and that also have deep roots in American history." In the past, Randolph says, "whether it's the pioneer in the Conestoga wagon or someone coming here in the 1920s from southern Italy, there was this idea in America that if you worked hard and you showed real grit, you could be successful... Strangely, we've now forgotten that." Now, some schools including Riverdale are downplaying conventional measuring sticks like standardized tests and using a character education program that emphasizes attributes like bravery, humor, wisdom, and zest. Good idea?
Yes. Character is an important part of education: We "should embrace character-building and all-around education not as an alternative to academic attainment but as an essential adjunct of it," says Anthony Seldon at Britain's Guardian. The best schools work to develop character, and more should follow their lead. Already, too many schools have became "exam factories" that put way too much focus on test scores and grades.
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