A great article just came out in The Globe and Mail in which an A+ student looked back and regretted his grades. Not necessarily because he got good grades but because he viewed his own education through the lens of academic achievement rather than through fostering his own sense of personal creativity.
He realized his focus on school and getting good grades was misplaced, and actually took a toll on his educational career.
He claimed that he sacrificed learning for schooling. A trap that so many of our students are in. I often hear about kids viewing “learning” as something that they need to do in school- a check off list, and they are burnt out by it, and often want to have noting to do with learning outside of school!
When they think they are learning by someone else’s “watch”- or because someone else (ie a parent) is pushing it on them, they shut down.
At Pacific Sands Academy (Learn Your Way)— we take that pressure away –that pressure to learn what we say is necessary. Our goal is for our kids to regain a sense of wonder, curiosity and love of learning.
Grace Llewellen, in her book How to Give Your Kids a Good Education With or Without School, suggests that there are 5 keys to learning– and pursing these for your kids can be the focus of a real education ( a deeper exploration of these topics will be the subject of another post)—-
1. Opportunity
2. Timing
3. Interest
4. Freedom
5. Support
The truth is we all learn when we are interested, motivated, and have time to explore, and kids are no different.
Providing opportunity, time, freedom and support for your children and teens to follow their interests will give them a better education with or without school.
I believe in interest-led, self-directed learning. I love helping teens find lives of passion and fulfillment outside of traditional academia.
Learn Your Way 
Leave a Reply