Education with Enough Attention
pic from flickr
The number of students dropping out of school is getting worse in most districts. However, there are those schools that seem to be able to encourage their students to stay in school. The common denominator is that they are engaging the students. The response from students is that they feel that the teachers and the school are engaged and care about them getting an education and reaching their potential. While it may seem simple, it still comes back to adults showing that they care.
Motivation today is no different with youth than the time I had the privilege of working with youth in a minimum secure facility in the 1980’s. 100% of the youth told me in my discussions with them that, ”Why should I care about me if no one else cares.”
An educational system without student choice creates a psychological battle ground that states to the youth: “It’s what we give you, take it or leave it.” The easy way out is to leave school. Youth have shown over and over again that confronting the educational system is not their concern. As the youth begins to turn into a young adult and reaches their 22nd birthday, there is a realization that the educational system failed them.
Charter schools are able to better handle providing the personal approach to learning for each student.
