October 2, 2023
The universe often brings me things in threes. When I come across a book three times in conversation, I know it is time to read it. If multiple friends are talking about a new trail or destination, I know it’s time to go for a hike. Recently, the purpose of school has been surfacing.
In building our middle school at UP Academy we continually asked what students need to be successful and what skills were most necessary. This is somewhat contradictory to the factory model where school is only for acquiring knowledge. In a recent report by the LearnerStudio, Building the Future of Learning,
“Parents increasingly are attuned to mental health needs and life skills — now explicitly want schools to be places that provide for and foster the development of strong, supportive and sustained relationships with caring adults who can help students grow and thrive, and develop healthy relationships with peers.”
Similarly, “Students want to fix the passivity and boredom of school, and to have more agency in determining what and how they learn so that their individual needs are met.” These ideas are a far cry…
