Looking Beyond Through Exchange

Over the term break I had the opportunity to travel with a group of St Catherine’s Year 10 students to the United States of America as the girls commenced their student exchanges. Some of our students are boarding at the Ethel Walker School (EWS) in Connecticut, whilst others are being hosted by families from Tower Hill School (THS) in Wilmington, Delaware.

Having visited both Schools, and in my discussions with both Head teachers, it is clear, that although we are teaching to a very different curriculum, there are a number of parallels within each school environment.

We are all educating young girls to become women of the future. We have all been asking ourselves – do we need to prepare them in specific curriculum areas and in doing so prepare for specific careers? Or, do we prepare the girls for careers we know are changing or don’t yet exist? As schools are we best to prepare our girls with skills and attributes that will see them succeed and be happy in any pursuit? Or is it all of the above?

Over dinner with the Headmistress of the EWS, Dr Meera Viswanathan, we had an in depth conversation about such matters. Meera is very passionate about girls’ education. Prior to commencing at EWS, Meera was an Associate Professor of Comparative Literature and East Asian Studies at Brown University, USA.

In 2005, Meera’s husband, Dr Eric Widmer, former head of school at Deerfield Academy, West Massachusetts, was asked by King Abdullah II of Jordan to establish the Middle East’s first co-educational college preparatory boarding school with financial aid. The school opened in 2007, with Meera by his side.

Meera and Eric are both passionate about education, opportunites and preparedness of our young people for a future they are yet to discover.

My short time in the US with Meera (EWS) and Bessie Cromwell (THS), has highlighted the privilege we all share as educators and leaders in schools. The important roles we play in guiding and stimulating the younger generations to be prepared for life, its challenges and uncertainties, whilst also providing opportunities for young women to thrive.

We all certainly agreed that although our schools are many miles from one another, the common feelings centre around our commitment to ensuring our girls become local and global citizens that:

  • are academically curious and have a love of learning
  • are socially aware and responsible
  • demonstrate mutual respect
  • develop a sense of personal growth and understanding for themselves and others
  • are confident and courageous decision makers
  • have global opportunities

As a result of these exchanges, the students from St Catherine’s have certainly been immersed in an opportunity to look beyond our own School and experience life and learning away from the security of their own families and communities, thus helping each student to personally challenge themselves, socially and academically.

We look forward to welcoming the girls from Ethel Walker School in June, to share with them the wonderful experience of being a student at St Catherine’s School. 

Mrs Pauline van der Poel, Director of Planning and Organisation, Careers Practitioner