The most important thing about education is learning how to learn. State curriculum uses learning objectives that can be met in an infinite variety of ways. Students can develop their own plan of study, work and experience to meet their learning goals. Studies have shown that students who develop their own curriculums are more invested in their work.
I help coach, guide, facilitate and support students who wish to develop their own course(s) of study. I encourage the inclusion of experiential components, embodied work, and multiple attempts in order to learn from failure as well as success. (I can also work with students to apply for credit for their own courses with their local school district).
Sometimes students don’t know what they are passionate about, or their direction. I work with students to vision what they would like their future to be like, and together we reverse-engineer the dream into doable steps, projects and accomplishments.
In our culture, success is celebrated, but often the many, many steps it took to get there are obscured. This leaves young people confused about how goals are actually accomplished, with success seemingly to be ‘magic’. (“One day, someone will hear my album and sign me”; “Then I go to med school” ; “I’ll know what I want to do someday”). This can discourage young people from practicing the diligence needed to succeed, not from laziness but from the lack of a map or knowing the terrain. I help young people figure out what the best next steps are, and to look ahead enough to know where they are going, based on their own personal passions, intrinsic motivations, and JOY!
Some examples of learning experiences I can help facilitate:
– mentorship
– community projects
– start your own business
– how to learn about a particular topic (REsearch Skills)
– CoVID learning shifts – making the most out of a tough situation
– assessing obstacles and roadblocks – go through or around?
I offer a 20-minute free consultation to determine if my services match you and/or your young person’s needs.