We spend so much time telling our kids what to do, as parents and as teachers, that we don’t give them credit for knowing what they need and want to learn. So as they grow older, they struggle with knowing what they want.
I knew early in life that I wanted a career in education. And I’m grateful to have received the support and guidance that I needed to get where I am today. My path has had a lot of turns and roads down different terrain, but I’ve always felt like I had the choices I wanted and needed to keep going.
That’s definitely not true for most children today, at least not those in a traditional educational setting.
Too many schools don’t support our youth in growing into well-rounded individuals. They’re told what to learn, when, and how, and if they can’t “master the material,” then there’s something wrong…with the child, not the system.
Instead, there needs to be a holistic approach to teaching and learning. That’s what we do as parents. If you have more than one kiddo, you can see a vast difference in their personalities, drive, interests, etc.
So if two and three children in one household are so different, then why do we expect 30 children from diverse backgrounds and experiences to be so similar?
I recently sat down with Chris Menagé on the Education Evolution podcast. Chris shared the idea of developing human and social capital in a way that works for our youth. That means making sure our students are inspired and seeking out learning for the sake of learning instead of sitting through old school lessons. And it means finding ways to prioritize thriving instead of simply surviving.
Agency and choice allows kids to build confidence and thrive. That’s what they need for the future, and it’s what I strive to give the students at LEADPrep every day.
Whether you’re already convinced that a more choice-driven, holistic approach is right for our youth or need to find more data to support this idea, I invite you to listen in.