In their book, Born for Love, Bruce Perry and Maia Szalavitz report the ability of a child to access higher level problem solving, executive functioning, and thinking skills ultimately depends on the learned ability to self-regulate, and that these capacities are developed through consistent and reliable connection with safe and caring adults.In simple terms, it is the care and protection of adults that allows infants and children to develop neural pathways in the frontal lobe that transcend … [Read more...]
Redshirting: What Would You Do?
CBS' 60 Minutes recently reported on the idea some parents are implementing of holding a child back one year or "Redshirting" kindergarten students. The approach is driven by desire to have that particular student be among the oldest, rather than the youngest, in their class when they started school. The hope is that by doing so the child would be further along developmentally, be more of a leader over time, do better in sports, and have an overall advantage over the other children in his/her … [Read more...]
Can a Military School Be Student-Centered?
As an institution, military education would seem to be something other than student-centered. Individuality may seem to be discouraged, with “service before self” being seen as the highest value. In other places along the continuum we have explored the role of the teacher and his or her capacity to be student-centered even in contexts that do not appear to have the individual learner as a central focus. Is it possible for an individual instructor or officer in a military school or for an entire … [Read more...]
The Value of Military Schools
The value of a military style education for some students is well established and recognized by most educators. The inculcation of discipline, the value of giving oneself to a greater cause, the development of a selfless world view, the push toward excellence and achievement at a high level, all of these have great appeal and may be shown to be highly effective when paired with a population of students who are well equipped for this style of learning.Attempts have even been made to adopt … [Read more...]
Student-Centered Education and Faith-Based Schools
The following core value statement of a Catholic high school in Massachusetts: “Preserving a strong Catholic identity by providing a faith-based education aiding students to see themselves as stewards of the life they live and promoting the values of community and service.”A thorough exploration of religious schools would certainly reveal a wide range of educational philosophy, with some programs being far more immersed in doctrine than others. As a whole though, religious education would … [Read more...]
The Value of Religious Schools
In religious schools, we may expect to encounter a very different conception of the role of education in a student’s life. Because there is often an essential and openly professed drive towards uniformity and the cultivation of religious values, the individual may appear to be secondary to the mission.However, a statement of purpose for one such school, the Covenant School in Arlington, MA, reflects the synergy between values formation and acquisition of knowledge (or wisdom): "We believe … [Read more...]
It’s Takes a Village to Be Student-Centered
“The kid in the back wants me todefine ‘logic.’ The girl next to him looks bewildered. The boy in front of medutifully takes notes even though he has severe auditory processing issues anddoesn't understand a word I'm saying. Eight kids forgot their essays, but onehas a good excuse because she had another epileptic seizure last night. Theshy, quiet girl next to me hasn't done homework for weeks, ever since she wasjumped by a knife-wielding gangbanger as she walked to school. The boy next toher is … [Read more...]
Finding the Resources to Create a Healthy Student-Centered Environment
There is a range of alternative schools within schools, substantially separate schools,therapeutic day schools, residential schools, specialized private schools, and schools with intense behavior modification programs that may be of immeasurable value for appropriately identified students. In most such settings, the level of adult supervision and adult decision-making will be great when compared with the mainstream. Creating a healthy student-centered perspective will take on broader … [Read more...]
Lady Gaga’s Foundation – Preventing Bullying Begins With Us
Dr. Richard Weissbourd, a member of the Dearborn Academy Professional Advisory Board, was featured in yesterday's Huff Post commenting on the importance of constructively addressing the problem of bullying.The article's focus moves from simply blaming the bully or inoculating our own children to withstand bullying or harassment. Weissbourd recommends teaching our children to go outside of themselves by finding ways to care for and about each other.Dearborn Academy's Human Dignity Program … [Read more...]
Thinking Outside of the Box of Mainstream Education
IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, is a law that cuts both ways. By mandating that students with special needs be given an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment in which they can succeed, the law recognizes both the desirability of students achieving success within or near the mainstream and the fact that for some students an education outside the mainstream will be more fruitful. Consider, also, the range of emotional functioning and the ability of … [Read more...]
