Today's Lesson

In our experience we have met 2 types of parents; parents looking for the best school (‘best’ based on a set of criteria predetermined well before they speak to us). And - the other type of parent.  Parents who are determined to find the best school for their child.

 

If you are the first type of parent, best of luck to you on your search. We are confident you will find an amazing school (as many do exist) and your child may (or may not) bask in their glow of excellence. Unfortunately, excellence does not breed through osmosis. We believe that one rather, should approach selecting their child’s school with a grain of realism. 

 

Which brings me to the most important question you can ask yourself to launch your search: “What is the best school for my child?”

 

At Wolff Educational Services we conduct needs assessments that breaks this criteria into 3 selection houses. They are the Social, Emotional and Academic Houses of your child’s success and achievement at school. We have broken these houses into realistic criteria based on actual achievement data (the learning skills) and are written in academic language (reflective of curriculum expectations). Once the assessment is completed, it is simply a matter of matching the results (your child's area of strength and need) with the schools that offer programming in these areas. The equation breeds student success and achievement. Its flawless in its design.

 

Parents, education today is comprised of these 3 houses working together in unity and harmony. Students must demonstrate learning in all 3 of these areas in order to be successful. The way the curriculum is taught and learned is not inherent of 20th century practices anymore. 21st century classrooms are much more layered in there design and learning platforms are reflective of differentiated instruction, individualized for your child to demonstrate learning and skills. 

 

Before you begin your school search, know what it is your are looking for. Know what your child's strengths and areas of need are in each area (house) of the learning platforms and how they relate to both the classroom and school. Understand what the classroom does and can do, map the landscape as you would any foreign environment. 

 

And if you feel like you need an education in all things education before you try and map out a route for your child - call us! We can help - however, we will only find the best school for your child….not necessarily what you think is the best school.

 

Until Our Next Lesson……

 

Being Just Fine

No one likes the idea of online school. The idea of having your children planted in front of a screen all day trying to absorb and learn whatever the intended curriculum is, is nothing short of unnatural and concerning. We are collectively concerned, but what are we so fearful of exactly? A generation of unprepared uninformed children? Let’s break this down. 

Learning is an organic process. If I were to describe learning (as a verb or something one does) it would be to gain new knowledge about something you have yet to know or discover. Let’s pause and think this through for a second, is this happening? Are your children learning anything throughout the day while online and at home? I am not a betting woman but I would wager a strong yes, yes they are.

Learning online is no one’s dream – but is learning happening?

What I am mourning is not the academic portion of my children’s day (don’t stone me – my kids both have great teachers). I am not missing the text, but I am mourning the subtext. It’s the social and the emotional scripts that are not able to penetrate through the screen into their worlds, and without that, their worlds have become very small. Because so much of your children’s school based learning happens in the moments in between classes, during group work, recess and walking to and from school.

Those finite moments of connection, interaction and communication…that no one seems to be having at all anymore. Sure we talk to our kids, and they talk (text?) to their friends – but social media is not a replacement for non-verbal communication, nuance and subtext. If we are all being honest with ourselves for a minute, isn’t this what we are deeply fearful of? We wonder, will our kids lack the social skills and the emotional resilience necessary to hack it in the world? But let’s consider the world in which they are a part of creating, to hack it in when they return to a pre covid existence.

One of the pandemic catch phrases is ‘we are in it together – or stronger together’…I can’t fully recall, but it’s something that sounds like that. Personally I am not a fan of this slogan any way you slice it because it simply calls out that we are all on this sinking ship – together (yay)…but its sinking (boo).

You don’t need to worry about your kid falling through the cracks because collectively they are all falling through the cracks. Or rather, together they will all be just fine.

 And maybe that though is the paradigm shift we all need to adjust to - Being. Just. Fine.

Before COVID 19 my world was packed with hockey tournaments, practices, extra practices, private coaching, skating camps…hours and hours and spent on anything but the idea of my son being just damn fine. We knew he wasn’t going to the NHL (we aren’t completely insane) but being just fine was not something we aspired to for him either. We longed to give him greatness, to help him achieve the feeling of being great at something and finding happiness in that awesome pocket.

Our daughter spent 30 hours a week training in her dance studio. She was in the process of learning 15 routines to compete against other dancers across the province, she was in it to win it – and being just fine was not a phrase she used as a personal motivation tool.

Before Covid - no one in our household wanted to sail by being just fine…. but today is a very different day.  Today, there are no hockey arenas and goals to score, no stages to perform on and leave it all on the floor…there are no kings and there are no castles because everyone is home. Being just fine. And, for some unknown reason – the kids are fine.  

Except we as a parenting community are not fine. We are trying to make sense of the world, our priorities and our values through a COVID lenses. And the first thing we need to do for ourselves and our children is to be grateful that we are FINE. The world will keep turning and with it our children will learn and grow and flourish. Amen.

We will not return to a pre covid existence because we are better now, we know things and we are able to appreciate that being average is awesome. Call me crazy, but maybe (big maybe) people will value connection again, and put their devices down when they are granted permission to once again interact without fear.  Our children are not the first to live through something like this, and they will be stronger because of it. It’s US that needs the time to make the mental shift that our kids have made, twice now, during their time at home in lockdown.

Because together we will all be just fine.

 Until our Next Lesson…