|
|
What are you into? This is always the first question I ask during the initial conversation (usually by phone) with every kid I write a homeschool plan for - whether they want to attend Deep Root Center or are homeschooling on their own with DRC's consultation services. The responses range from an excited three-minute list to quiet "I don't know" with a nearly audible shrug. After doing this for ten years, I have some thoughts about the "whys" behind those opposing responses. I speak with kids who have been in school - and have given it their all - to no avail. Many of the teens gave up trying long ago. They understand the system inside and out and know that no matter what they do - it will have the same result - failure. There are many underlying reasons - but the outcomes are the same. Some kids surrender to the inevitable - actually give up altogether. They have learned to hate learning - their ambivalence and apathy is palpable. These are the kids I have to pull every piece of information from. I work hard to get them to engage - even the tiniest bit. They give me nothing to go on. I have to guess, and when I make a suggestion - they whisper "sure" or "ok" with zero enthusiasm. I hang up or conclude the meeting - so sad that I could not break through - as defeated as these kids probably feel. Then there are the fighters - the kids who know on a visceral level that school is not designed for them and refuse to go but are still excited about learning. They are fiery and fierce. These are the young people that give me hope for the future. So, when I ask, "What are you into - not just school subjects but in life?" All the buried ideas, interests, and passions erupt into the light of day. Their enthusiasm is fueled by my interest and questions as the conversation continues. These kids who have been shut down by the system are suddenly alive and excited to explore the possibilities. This exact scenario happened a little over a week ago. The mom of two teens had contacted me the day before because CPS was involved (educational neglect), and they had recommended that she call DRC. When I say this 16-year-old was on fire - it is not an exaggeration. After explaining the process - and learning that he was held back twice, I asked the title question. This kiddo went off. He is into agriculture - plants specifically. He has a grow tent in his room and has figured out how to propagate house plants. He is also learning how to create bonsai. (I asked him whether he knew about Ikebana - the art of Japanese flower arranging. He hadn't, but he was going to look it up.) His joy and enthusiasm fed my excitement and interest - in the end (after a very long conversation of bouncing ideas off each other) - we devised a homeschool plan centered around plants and his experiments with seed germination. Math is collecting data, arranging it in charts and graphs, and nailing basic computation - to learn business math and accounting. Part of ELA is keeping a detailed journal of his experiments propagating house plants and checking the viability of old flower and vegetables seeds (from his grandma), and writing his ultimate aspirations - perhaps even a business plan. I suggested studying Japanese culture for Social Studies based on his interest in bonsai - but he wants to study the World Wars. His science is a no-brainer - the kid lives and breathes the scientific method. He had never considered that his passion for plants - could be anything more than an enjoyable hobby. He already understood that learning was fun - now he knows his interests have important implications for his future. But the school labeled him a failure because he refused to sit down, shut up, and do the rote work that had no meaning to him. He was not interested in complying - simply to satisfy authority. Damn straight, he said "no" to the game of school. He didn't know how but understood he would be better off not jumping through hoops with the same dismal result - just for the sake of checking off all the meaningless boxes. Now, with a bit of guidance, he is off and running. I didn't need to tell him to have fun - he is already doing that! I can't wait to watch where this kid goes and what he does with his passion for plants and life. This is just one example of what drives me to do what I do. So many kiddos are falling through the cracks because they were told they don't measure up to "normal" expectations. They can exceed and succeed beyond anyone's wildest dreams if given a chance to step outside the box. I firmly believe that one day in the relatively near future, I will no longer have to ask, "What are you into?" because every child will have the opportunity to freely choose, develop, and follow their interests and have a profound understanding of what it means to love learning. This means - someday, maybe soon, I will happily be out of a job and ready to explore the next opportunity. But in the meantime - I am here to advocate for every kid who needs me. DRC News Did this week's story speak to you? Did you struggle in school - misunderstood and miserable? If so - my guess is you had no other options but to suffer through it (like me) or drop out as soon as possible. DRC is here now for any child who needs us. We work with every family whether they can afford our services, --- or not. This policy continuously puts our bottom line in serious jeopardy. You can help!
Other actions you can take to support our kids:
Thank you! Thank you to Stewart's Shops for funding our grant request with a $300 check this past week. We are grateful for their continued support of our work! Cool DRC Kid "Stuff!" We are excited to have a couple of kiddos entered in the juried art show at the Massena Library. The opening reception is March 2nd - 11:00 -11:45. The exhibit is up until March 22nd. If you get a chance - check out all of the amazing art. An Invitation
Both Centers will be back in session this coming week after our week-long winter break. These are the cuties I spent my week with: 
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
