At Selwyn House, boys are taught to grow into decent, significant men
When families first step into Montreal’s Selwyn House School, they are asked the most important of questions, says headmaster Hal Hannaford.
“We expect the parent body to ask themselves what really matters to them. That their sons have high marks? Okay, possibly — or, more importantly, are they true to themselves? Because it’s their work ethic and passion that invariably is going to make the difference.”
Student success, Hannaford said, starts with a boy’s relationship with his teacher. “Research suggests that the greatest characteristic that has an impact on whatever you are measuring is the size of schools, and how it starts is a constant relationship developed from (the age of ) five to 17. People here know who these boys are. They build up their confidence, are as positive as they can be, and demonstrate a constant commitment that they are never going to be let go of. It’s just ongoing.”
What’s more, he said the 110-year-old Montreal institution relies heavily on four crucial elements in developing substantive young men.
“We’re trying to help create really good, significant men. To achieve that in their journey to manhood, boys need four things: The first, of course, is strong male role models — which puts a lot of pressure on dad.
“Also, you could never be a great man without a strong female influence,” Hannaford said, noting that Selwyn House counts an even 50-50 gender balance in its 115-strong staff. “The percentage in boys-schools’ faculty has gone from virtually zero to 50 per cent in the last 30 years. …The research supports single-gender schools — that no matter what income level or what type of school, boys in a singlegender school are outperforming boys in coed schools academically. But women in faculty and staff have made boys’ schools much better.”
A good solid base of friends is also vital, the headmaster said, adding that research shows when they go to a school without girls, boys are better able to develop significant lasting friendships. And “you can’t take the boy out of the boy,” he said, citing the fourth element. “To truly become a great man, you’ve got to be a boy and that’s one thing we do very well — we let boys be boys. Boys are fundamentally really good people with the capability of doing really stupid things on a more regular basis than we would like, but they all have the capabilities they need.”
The boys-will-be-boys cliché rings true, but it’s never used to justify behaviour, Hannaford continued. “For example, the reality is that life is more physical for them, they need a physical environment, motion and are very kinetic.” As for passion, the boys’ relationship with their teachers is everything, he said, admitting such a relationship is also important for female students, but not to the same degree. “Girls need that same kind of connection, but research shows that if they don’t have it they’ll still get through it and be just fine. However, boys who don’t have it will not learn, and in fact tend to refuse to learn. If you’re skipping out on the relational side of education you’re really doing so at your own peril, especially when dealing with boys.”
Much of the experience gleaned from the school’s tradition is buttressed by solid research, and shared by a wide network of independent schools across the globe, Hannaford said. In fact, Selwyn House will host the International Boys’ Schools Coalition 2019 conference next summer, bringing some 600 delegates together in Montreal to exchange and discuss effective teaching methods for guiding boys on their journey to manhood.
“Ultimately, boys have to be accountable to themselves. It’s not always easy, but it’s always the best way. The road is not always smooth; we all understand that. We want to establish a community feel so if someone falls, we all help you to get yourself back up and eventually you’ll learn to help yourself get back up. That’s part of the struggle, and we are unwavering in our commitments.”
With some 540 students at the K-11 school, Hannaford said Selwyn’s vision is based on the concept of truth. “We take it very seriously,” he said. “Learning to become true to yourself, to others, and to your school are all elements of that. None of that has anything to do with achievement, but everything to do with providing tools boys would require to become high-achieving students.
“The whole concept of being true to yourself, it’s about awareness, respect and confidence. No doubt academics is important, but it’s not the ultimate measure and it’s not the biggest reason why people are successful. If anything, it’s about environments that are warm and caring.
“Our guarantee for parents is that’s exactly what the boys need at any age — to feel they are important, that they are loved, the realization that they are being deeply cared for.”
Simply put: “Your son will be known and loved.”