EN #001 Even smart kids aren't doing so well in good schools

 EN #001: Even smart kids aren't doing so well in good schools

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Hey 👋  - Priyanka here.

Hope you are having a bright Sunday and keeping yourself safe from the heat.

I am excited to pen down my first newsletter. It has taken a lot of thinking and research work to create this for you. Hope you find this useful. 

Recently, a friend called me asking for help deciding on a school for her son.

Her Problem: Her son is in 6th grade and is struggling to manage the school work. 

So, we listed out her son's interests:

• He loves to play football

• He trains 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening

• He feels tired in the class and is unable to sit through 45 minutes long sessions

• He is struggling to manage all the subjects and has lost interest in the classes

This kind of workload is very tough for young children to manage. And schools with such grueling schedule is not suitable for him.

So, we brainstormed on different schooling options, most of the schools' schedule in the city is from 8 AM to 3 PM. 

Based on my personal experience and international research studies, online and homeschooling is a great option these days.

I gave her my advice and helped her make a plan to research further.

The option of online schooling worked for her family 

• One of the parent works remote

• Her son can now save time on the commute

• No back to back classes makes it easy to manage schedule

When children are clear about their passions and interests, it's important for parents to help find the most accommodating solution.

That is what education is, isn't it ? Helping kids find their passion and nurture it. 

I am happy that I could help my friend develop a plan for her child. 

Last six years of teaching in international schools, and conducting programs, I have come to think deeply about the decisions we make for our kids to find the best learning environment. 

Being a parent has helped me look beyond the typical classroom because I envisioned a learning environment where my kid was not boxed in a closed system. 

This belief that education is not limited to four walls of the classroom helps me explore and learn every day about the changing education. 

This is a great time to see education from a new perspective and I can't wait to share more about it with you. And I am happy to have you with me on this journey!!

This week I attended a session conducted by Synthesis on Teaching Critical Thinking Skills to Your Child in Fun Ways.

The session was conducted by Aaron Sitze.

The session included helping kids,

• Identify and form critical thinking and good habits

• Use Conundrums ( I will tell you more about it in my next newsletter)

• Take things apart - (to see how things work)

• Play games without defining rules, try different paths in playing a game.

• Collaborate - play with friends, make teams. (make stuff with other people who have similar interests)

Want to know more about Synthesis? Check out here, 

My son Adi and I, love to do things together. 

This week we tried making slime using these ingredients:

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Glue

• Baking Soda

• Lotion

But it didn't really work. If you know the secret to make slime. Do let me know. 

“Learning is creation, not consumption. Knowledge is not something a learner absorbs, but something a learner creates.” — George Couros

Who is George Couros?

George Couros is the author of “The Innovator’s Mindset” and “Innovate Inside the Box” . He writes about innovation, leadership, and learning.

That's all for this Sunday.

If you are enjoying this newsletter, the best compliment you could pay me would be to share it with one person who you think would benefit from it. 

See you again next week.

Cheers, Priyanka

Recent Ideas and Posts 

Check out schools that are offering alternate ways of learning: