“Why School Culture?” Podcast

Following on the spectacular livestream with Dana Gioia and Fred Turner, Great Hearts Institute is proud to present 2023 National Symposium for Classical Education speaker Katharine Birbalsingh in a LIVE conversation on the importance of school culture, which will be broadcast on the Institute’s Podcast, VIRTUE.  This livestream event will be available to view on YouTube and Facebook Live on January 9^th at 11AM EST/9AM MST and will give the audience ample opportunity for Q&A with Ms. Birbalsingh.

Katharine Birbalsingh is the Headmistress and co-founder of Michaela Community School and Chair of the Social Mobility Commission. She is known as ‘Britain’s Strictest Headmistress’, following the ITV documentary about Michaela. Michaela draws up to 1,000 visitors a year from across the world. She was appointed Honorary Fellow of New College, Oxford in 2021 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2020.

The VIRTUE Podcast is hosted by Great Hearts Institute Executive Director, Dr. Robert L. Jackson. “The Michaela Community School is a remarkable place of joy-filled order, a school led by a contagiously enthusiastic faculty, who are hand-picked and carefully cultivated by the headmistress to produce one of the most extraordinary schools anywhere,” said Jackson. “Katharine Birbalsingh leads the Michaela faculty with charm, wit, and the determination to provide excellence in every classroom. We are so delighted to be hosting her at the National Symposium for Classical Education 2023, and I’m thrilled to host Katharine on our VIRTUE podcast.”

During the podcast, Birbalsingh will discuss the urgency of building school culture and the secrets to Michaela‘s stunning success. In 2022, Michaela’s Progress 8 score placed the school top in the country. OFSTED has graded the school as “Outstanding” in every category.

Katharine read Philosophy & Modern Languages at The University of Oxford and has always taught in inner London. She has made numerous appearances on television, radio, podcasts and has written for several publications. Katharine has also written two books and edited another two, the last of which is The Power of Culture, about Michaela. Whether you agree with Katharine or not, she will make you think.

This session of rich conversation with experts in the field is just a preview of the panels and discussion you can look forward to at The National Symposium for Classical Education, an annual forum for the classical movement at large, featuring the finest research and training the movement has to offer.  The 2023 Symposium titled The Tradition Today will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center, February 22-24, 2023. Register here.

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