The New School
I was reading a blog recently which talked about ADD and kids having to sit behind desks all day at school... And not long ago my husband and I discussed an article he read in the Washington Post regarding the topic of 'Recess' and how area schools, in an effort to raise test scores plan to cut recess time to 1/2 hr. a day... Some of the schools wish to make this 1/2 hr. recess a 'Structured Playtime'???????
As I am sure EVERYONE is aware, Kids are filled with boundless amounts of energy... They need to move around, explore and are endlessly curious. Why then does ANYONE think it's a good idea to make kids sit behind a desk for (what's an average school day now?) 6-7 hours at a time and imagine that by doing so they'll be desiring to learn ANYTHING?
My son had a pretty rough year in 4th grade. He was diagnosed ADHD without the 'hyperactivity' quotient (which made no sense to us... Isn't that just ADD?) His teachers said he "lacked focus"... Which was odd because he passed tests without a problem? We'd meet with the teachers and with our son sitting right there they'd say, "He's not putting forth any effort!"... Frankly, our son was bored stiff! He was always inquisitive and bright but his teachers were beating him down. One of the best examples of his boredom was when he came home from school one day very excited because his class was preparing to study 'Electricity'... My son had been fascinated by all things electronic since he was old enough to push a button, and THAT was before he could walk. He LOVED electronic toys not because he could play with them but because he could take them apart and see how they worked. So I was thrilled to see he was enthused about something related to school. A week later though he came home dejected telling us the unit was complete and the culmination of the 'Electricity Unit' was wiring a battery to a small bulb and thus making the bulb light up... He'd been doing that since he was 3... He did get a bit of satisfaction helping others in his class but THAT was the one time he got excited about school.
There were other circumstances that led to my sons experience in 4th grade to being known as 'The No Good,Very Bad,Year' so that's when we decided we had to do something different, there HAD to be something else. That's when we found 'The New School'... A liberty based school where kids have the opportunity to learn anything they want, in their own time. During my sons first week at TNS he spent a day in a boat on the 'Chesapeake Bay' learning how to use a GPS system... At the end of the first week one of the staff members said, "He's AMAZING... What a Great kid!"... A far cry from the comments his 4th grade teachers had made.
Both of my kids attend 'The New School' now and have for several years. I can't find the words to adequately express what this place has done for my kids. They are growing up to be responsible, articulate, expressive and artistic young adults. My son is a 'whiz-bang' programmer who continues to amaze us and the staff at the school with his abilities. My daughter whose main focus is art and animals continues to grow as an artist and study quite literally, everything she can get her hands on. I wish every kid stuck behind a desk with only a 1/2 hr. of structured recess could be so lucky!
www.thenewschool.com
As I am sure EVERYONE is aware, Kids are filled with boundless amounts of energy... They need to move around, explore and are endlessly curious. Why then does ANYONE think it's a good idea to make kids sit behind a desk for (what's an average school day now?) 6-7 hours at a time and imagine that by doing so they'll be desiring to learn ANYTHING?
My son had a pretty rough year in 4th grade. He was diagnosed ADHD without the 'hyperactivity' quotient (which made no sense to us... Isn't that just ADD?) His teachers said he "lacked focus"... Which was odd because he passed tests without a problem? We'd meet with the teachers and with our son sitting right there they'd say, "He's not putting forth any effort!"... Frankly, our son was bored stiff! He was always inquisitive and bright but his teachers were beating him down. One of the best examples of his boredom was when he came home from school one day very excited because his class was preparing to study 'Electricity'... My son had been fascinated by all things electronic since he was old enough to push a button, and THAT was before he could walk. He LOVED electronic toys not because he could play with them but because he could take them apart and see how they worked. So I was thrilled to see he was enthused about something related to school. A week later though he came home dejected telling us the unit was complete and the culmination of the 'Electricity Unit' was wiring a battery to a small bulb and thus making the bulb light up... He'd been doing that since he was 3... He did get a bit of satisfaction helping others in his class but THAT was the one time he got excited about school.
There were other circumstances that led to my sons experience in 4th grade to being known as 'The No Good,Very Bad,Year' so that's when we decided we had to do something different, there HAD to be something else. That's when we found 'The New School'... A liberty based school where kids have the opportunity to learn anything they want, in their own time. During my sons first week at TNS he spent a day in a boat on the 'Chesapeake Bay' learning how to use a GPS system... At the end of the first week one of the staff members said, "He's AMAZING... What a Great kid!"... A far cry from the comments his 4th grade teachers had made.
Both of my kids attend 'The New School' now and have for several years. I can't find the words to adequately express what this place has done for my kids. They are growing up to be responsible, articulate, expressive and artistic young adults. My son is a 'whiz-bang' programmer who continues to amaze us and the staff at the school with his abilities. My daughter whose main focus is art and animals continues to grow as an artist and study quite literally, everything she can get her hands on. I wish every kid stuck behind a desk with only a 1/2 hr. of structured recess could be so lucky!
www.thenewschool.com
posted by EmBee at 8:26 AM
2 Comments:
I totally agree!
The education system in our country is out-moded and is boring to the students. So, instead of fixing the system, we medicate the kids!
A lot of schools are way too focused on test scores.Structuring the school day even more is not going to help. It will just create a generation of people who have lost their creativity and initiative.
Well Said!!!
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