9 minute read
by Aidan Thompson 17
one’s presence, through a phone call, picture, or a memory. The obvious interpretation is that the other person is a partner or a lover, but that is open to interpretation; it could be another meaningful person. The lyric appears simplistic and, perhaps even twee, but its popularity suggests that there is an enduring notion of gratitude that the listener can engage with and learn from. We don’t all need to have been in the depths of despair to be able to engage with the emotional uplift that a significant other can bring to us on good and bad days.
It is the reflection on that uplift, who is responsible for it, and how it ‘saves’ the author that creates the lasting meaning. Whilst we might feel a fleeting notion of thanks, a pang of love, or another positive emotion in response to seeing a picture, receiving a phone call, or returning home to see that person, reflecting on that emotion sufficiently to then thank the person for doing nothing more than being there is unusual. Perhaps the polarisation of emotions created in the description of the depression and the resulting uplift allows space to reflect and acknowledge the cause for the positive change in emotion. Regardless, the gratitude experienced and the description of that experience appear to fulfil the requirements of a ‘virtuous emotion’. It is not necessary for listeners to need to engage and empathise with the level of depression experienced by the singer, and it is plausible to think that the lyric expresses too much gratitude in response to relatively little action; however, such is the polarisation of the negative (‘I’m wondering why I got out of bed’, ‘I might not last the day’) and the positive (‘best day of my life’) creates a balance that works for Dido. We must also remember that this is a pop lyric, where repetition of choruses is a feature designed to move the song forwards, rather than a device to gauge the level of emotional content.
So, what is the purpose in deconstructing pop song lyrics in this fashion? Is it all moot, or can there be an educational benefit that aids reflection and ‘betterment’? Do we need to engage with a lyric in the detail we have begun to engage with ‘Thank You’ to gain pleasure from the song? No, of course not, but in reading and re-reading the lyrics, analysing their structure and form, as well as discussing their content in detail, we can engage with the lyric, the singer, and one another in terms of any virtuous feeling that is inspired by the song.
As I began with quoting Bradley, so I will close by quoting him again, ‘What artists do…is to take the everyday and make it unusual; to make us look at the things around us with new eyes, to listen with new ears. Great poetry of all stripes, great literature of all stripes has the capacity to do just that.’ (Bradley, 2017). Ultimately, if pop song lyrics are to be considered as useful tools for moral development, we must engage with them in a meaningful way – akin to how we engage with other forms of narrative art. I contend that where Bradley acknowledges that pop artists are taking everyday topics and everyday situations and making them appear unusual, and affecting how we see and hear those topics through rhyme and expression, so we can push further. Where pop lyrics engage us emotionally and ethically, even if initially only for a fleeting period, we can harness this potential for emotional and moral progress. If we encourage students to take time to analyse the lyrics of such songs, facilitate structured discussions on the meaning of metaphors and imagery and how they engage our emotions, then the opportunity to reflect on the emotional and ethical value is where this educational potential of pop lyrics can be realised.
BIO Aidan P. Thompson works at the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham. He is part of the Management Team and leads on strategic and operational matters. He is also a PhD candidate in the School of Education, University of Birmingham under the title ‘The Ethical Value of Pop Lyrics’.
Character Education at Berkhamsted
Character Education as a concept appears self-explanatory, but it actually relies on a collection of smaller factors that ultimately have profound impact upon the jigsaw that makes up our personality. As such, I would argue that Character Education is the most important learning that takes place during our years at school, in that it makes up the basis of who we are today and how we shape the 'habitus', so to speak, within which we interact. Lao Tzu comes to mind here in that I firmly believe ‘Character becomes your destiny’ in that it shapes who we are and what we do, be that in exams or in the everyday fabric of our lives and it turns us into remarkable individuals.
What is character education?
At its core, Character Education is the subliminal shaping of an individual’s personal characteristics through other extracurricular activities or social processes. According to NatCen Social Research and the National Children’s Bureau, there are four key indicators and areas of learning which are essential to develop one’s character.
More specifically, research has identified that the most influential place in which this is learnt is within formal education (Orchidadmin, 2021). The benefits of developing one’s character can be seen in the short run but more predominantly in the long term; the development of the aforementioned traits can not only improve individual educational attainment, but also is associated with better performance in the workplace, higher levels of self-control and more sophisticated coping strategies thus increased wellbeing. The Department of Education has thereby produced extensive recommendations as to how this can be done, and noted that it requires strong leadership, a diverse curriculum, and provision of a wide range of extracurricular activities.
Developing the ability to remain motivated by long-term goals, to see a link between effort in the present and pay-off in the longerterm, overcoming and persevering through challenges.
1Learning and habituating of positive moral attributes, sometimes known as ‘virtues’ (i.e. sense of justice).
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The acquisition of social confidence (i.e. developing social mannerisms and listening skills).
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Having an appreciation of the importance of long-term commitments which frame the successful and fulfilled life.
In From Able to Remarkable, Robert Massey explores how this can be reflected within the school environment and suggests that students tend to be underestimated in their potential; he goes on to remark that good teaching is more important than ability for influencing student achievement (2019). In fact, he suggests, and indeed I concur, that by categorising students by ability in some cases we are in fact missing the true point of education (ibid.). We aim to push each individual to be the best version of themselves, not the best version of what is expected of their ability, and thereby inherently limiting their self-perceived potential. Thus, categorisation of students by ability could be considered a contradictory principle in some cases, reinforcing the importance of extra-curricular character development and a nurturing environment outside of class (Massey, 2019). Extensive studies have also shown that activities are good for the soul, making children feel better ‘physically, socially and mentally’ (ScienceDaily, 2010), and through years of reinforcement and expanding opportunities, students are left with generally higher levels of self-esteem and mental health. To that end, categories of activities can be perceived to develop specific ‘nutrients’ (Oberle et al., 2010) that feed this character development. For example, team sports are essential in building up social skills with teammates and coping with pressure, whereas the arts focus on building up creative expression and self-regulation. Therefore it is essential that all ranges of activities are available to young people to enable a broad development.
How does Berkhamsted ‘walk the walk’?
What does this actually mean to me though? I take character education to be about turning everyday experiences into life shaping lessons that I carry with me always. I like to think of it like a ‘jigsaw of me’, as it were, and each activity or lesson learnt helped create my ‘future me’. Whether that be through my friends, the environment, or the activities I had the opportunity to partake in. I am profoundly grateful for what I have learnt and only having left Berkhamsted in 2021 can I begin to see the true breadth of the picture. My experience has taught me that I can face every challenge as an opportunity and progress towards curating my dream life through hard work, tenacity, kindness, and self-reflection. For this grounding at Berkhamsted I will forever be grateful.
To give a broad overview of how Berkhamsted does this we must first start beyond the curriculum, primarily looking at the phenomenal arts and sports programmes. The yearly productions and talent shows are always fantastic, including the occasional staff panto, accompanied by the annual house music competitions that always promise good fun. The great music programmes also allow students to pursue any instrumental passions they may have beyond that, with accessible practice spaces for all students. Outside, the countless provision of sporting activities ranges from traditional sports like football and netball, to activities beyond the curriculum like fencing, climbing or fives, all of which anyone can join at any age or experience level (which was especially useful for me when I spontaneously decided to take up squash having never played it before).
Outside the hours of 08:30 to 16:20, there is also a huge amount to do. In my 15 years at Berkhamsted I was lucky enough to engage in the following activities: DofE gold, flying planes with the CCF, debating competitions, sports competitions (swimming and netball), choir practices, cooking club, as well as trips to Berlin, Washington, and Moscow. I also enjoyed holding two positions of responsibility in the form of House Captain and then later becoming Head Girl. This is just my personal snapshot of some of the amazing experiences provided for students, with even more being developed every day as the provision expands. To top it off, all of this is overseen by some of the most devoted and passionate role models I have encountered, and in my opinion, this is what helps deliver this personal development without us really noticing.
This development starts with the clear grounding of Berkhamsted key values in the heart of every aspect of life. To Aim High with Integrity, Be Adventurous and Serve Others are at the core of what is expected of any student. Berkhamsted doesn’t ask you to be anything you’re not. You don’t need to be the top scorer at netball or to walk out as the national debate champion to embody these values. I never felt I fitted into one group, I wasn’t sporty but I liked the outdoors, I wasn’t especially creative or musical but I enjoyed learning about these things, I liked academics but exams weren’t my life - I really didn’t know what I was supposed to be but I found as long as I tried my hardest to be kind and pushed myself to be better, it didn’t matter.
That is not to say this is an instant process. You don’t go on one 5-day hike in the Brecon Beacons and are suddenly ready to take on the world – I certainly wasn’t! However, even then I learnt something about myself, I’m stronger than I realised. Similarly, be it the CCF, or the school trips we were fortunate enough to go on, each opportunity provided us with a platform from which to grow. And even then, these are just some of the opportunities, let alone the collective possibilities, provided by Berkhamsted to its hundreds of students over the course of a possible 15-year school career.
