Meet Devin!
Devin is 5 years old; he loves Legos, rockets, and playing Minecraft. He loves reading, but only about rockets. While his parents think he looks at pictures and has no interest in studies. His grades at school in tests are very average and maths on the whole is just a lot of struggle for him. Devin can talk about rockets or Mine crafts for hours, while his teacher is concerned about his reading in school and does not pass comprehension test. He is being taken for a learning disorder.
We’ll go back to the discussion about Devin and why he’s brought into the picture. For now, let’s walk you through a real life genius (You already know and heard of):
Albert Einstein – Albert was known for his slow learning in elementary school. His grades were just average and he loved stacking a house of cards and building toy models. He hated memorizing things and struggled in long divisions. Sports for him were another world’s game and was labeled as dull-witted. He left school at 15, but became a Nobel Prize winning physicist – well known for his theory of relativity and contribution to quantum theory and statistical mechanics.
So, Is It a Learning Disorder or a Genius?
Well the greatest tragedy in education is the attempt of parents and teachers to label children. Whether they are named as daydreamers, difficult, hyperactive, dyslexic, or simply with “learning disorder” – they are attached to negative connotation. Does such labeling affect their development? The standardized tests at regular schools, tests all children, from diverse backgrounds and strengths, at the same standard curriculum. Can these tests determine the educational growth of a child?
Such labels and these standard tests inhibit them from becoming who they are!
Every Child is a Genius – Going Back to Devin
Devin who loves Legos, robots, and mine crafts is the one who struggles with completing his school work, but loves reading books about rockets. His reading comprehension is a concern for his teachers and parents, but have they realized that he comprehends well with his rocket books? His ability to progress in math is a concern, but have they realized that he already likes math, science, and physics and can progress only when he’s shown the way to apply it on the area of his interest.
What Are Parents and Teachers Missing out on? Where’s The Solution?
Of course individualized education is very complex, even impossible. But the Milton Montessori School system is the answer. Based on the Montessori Method of education, your child is allowed to foster a hands-on, self-paced, collaborative and enjoyable learning experience. The children are taught to start with their own small ideas, build them through experiments, and then solve the problems which come along the way with the sense of stimulating curiosity.
The most striking aspect of Montessori education method is the similarities: fail fast, fail forward, do-it yourself. What parents especially are missing out on is Montessori school system. While they are worrying for honor roll, test scores, future scholarships, it’s better to pause and think about the change of education method. Try it, you might be surprised what happens!
