It happens more and more each year. Frustrated parents come to my office. After welcoming them, I often ask them, “What brings you to Veritas Academy today?” More and more I hear this answer: “My child is bored at school and this boredom is killing his love of learning.”
Whether they know it or not, they are asking a Learning Support question. Most of these parents do not represent children who are highly gifted. They represent kids who are normal but have lost the passion for learning because their learning environment is moving in slow motion.
Today, sadly, our culture’s obsession (this word seems strong, but I think it is the right one) with equality has driven us to institute a kind of learning support that is actually harming the educational experience of almost every child.
There has been plenty written that is critical of No Child Left Behind—the federal program that has by the threat of fund reduction caused our slow down—but today I am going to write more practically to parents who want to avoid this slow down. Here are three ways that you can avoid placing your child in an environment that bores them and kills their love of learning:
- Know the Lay of the Land
Often times, there can be a vast difference between public schools and private schools in this arena. The laws that govern public schools force (again, seems like a strong word, but it is the right one) them to focus much of their efforts on meeting minimum standards. I have family members and friends that teach in public schools and they are as upset about these laws as I am. The laws keep them from doing their job. If you are considering public schools, finding a good teacher for a particular year is NOT the biggest issue. You need to understand how the school intends to approach this question and these rules and keep the love of learning front and center.
- Ask about the Relationships Between Standards and Students
Schools can fall off the log in two ways concerning this question, but in our day they tend to fall off mainly in one direction. Schools can have such high standards that the standards are not attainable by any student. This can be a nerve-wracking situation for students and parents. This is the side of the log, however, that few schools fall off presently. In our day, most schools simply lower standards so that students reach them. Instead of focusing on raising students higher (to meet high or historically attainable standards) the focus ends being on meeting minimum standards. In the previous generation this was aimed at helping kids with their self-esteem. Today, the issue is more about funding. The destructiveness of this fascination (for whatever reason) is something that wise parents should avoid.
- Ask How Learning Support is Used in the School.
If a school talks the talk of helping your child reach their full potential, see if they walk the walk. Ask about the focus of their learning support. Kids need help from time to time. See if their academic support is focused only on helping the students who struggle most meet minimum standards or whether a substantial effort is made to help students thrive and excel when they have some academic issue.
Odds are that your child will need help on something during their academic career—especially if the school is aiming at high achievement. Will there be help for them then…or will that help be focused only on helping the lowest achieving students reach minimum standards?
I love seeing new families join Veritas Academy. I love seeing the love of learning rekindled for students in our school. If you are a parent of a student who is struggling with slow motion schooling, I hope that these questions can help you find the school that is right for them.
