Beyond the Blackboard: Building Character in Public Schools

An American Public Media education documentary called "Beyond the Blackboard: Building Character in Public Schools."

Beyond math and reading, how important is it to teach courage, self-discipline, respect and perseverance?

In the 1940s, British headmaster Kurt Hahn set up a wilderness school to teach the skills young men needed to survive World War II: leadership, persistence and teamwork. Fifty years later, Hahn's ideas inspired the founding of a network of public schools in the U.S.

Students in these schools outperform their peers when it comes to test scores, graduation rates and problem-solving ability. This documentary explores the "Expeditionary Learning" approach and investigates what American schools can learn from its success.

Produced in 2015 by Stephen Smith and Emily Hanford of American Public Media's documentary unit.

Click here to listen to the full documentary.