Dr. Blake Spahn, Vice Chancellor of Dwight Schools, on leading a global schools group into the future
Dialling in from New York City, Blake Spahn is the driving force behind the global Dwight School network and next to join Henry Faber on Heads & Tales. With a PhD from Oxford University in international education, Blake hails from a dynasty of educators and has spent his career shaping what global schooling looks like. For over two decades, he has expanded the Dwight family from New York to London, through the Middle East and into Asia, all while maintaining the personal touches that comes from heading up one of the last remaining family-run independent school networks.
Blake is a firm believer in character education, preparing students not just for academic assessments, but for our ever-changing world; where adaptability, curiosity and cultural awareness are just as pivotal as what you write on the exam paper.
🎙️ Episode highlights
Blake discusses the unlikely Olympic athlete that had him running at 4:30am in the freezing cold, and the lifelong lesson it taught him.
Learn how navigating the Covid pandemic across multiple countries positioned Dwight to lead other schools through the crisis.
Blake reveals his controversial take on why parents should let their children struggle more, not less.
He discusses his educational incubator 'Spark Tank' programme that's unlocking student creativity akin to Dragon's Den.
We learn about Blake's candid thoughts on failure, and why mastering it may be the most important skill we can teach students.
An advocate for 'radical candour', he shares advice to fellow educators on not shying away from the tough conversations, and its implications for leadership further afield.