As time passes us by and technology changes the landscape of how we live, the common path to success no longer works. Usually, getting good grades in school leads to an accomplishing life, but now that isn’t enough anymore. Once considered a springboard to success, the standard of education now leaves children lost and confused. The predictors of success can no longer be measured appropriately in school because of the advancement in technology and the expectations the future holds.
Common Education Standard Issues
Education isn’t a one-size-fits-all, but schools continue to lead with standardization that consistently focuses on memorization and IQ. Measuring intelligence based on only IQ leaves a percentage of students believing they are incompetent. Although CommonCore standards have changed, with learning standards focusing more on developing critical thinking skills rather than IQ, most schools are still unable to meet the standards regularly. And, as the standards become increasingly more difficult year over year, students begin to believe that they aren’t capable of ever meeting them and start mentally checking out.
Although teachers work diligently to guide and engage a student through the standards, finding how a student works best within the system, there is only so much they can do when a child begins withdrawing from school. So, are students and teachers not meeting the standards, or is it the standards that need to change?
Gaining a New Perspective
The goal of education is to help each individual meet their potential – for students to discover, seek out knowledge, and learn about themselves. Yet, strict grading policies force students into a fixed mindset – one that focuses on only grades. Instead of learning to understand, they’re learning for the purpose of grades. Students become stressed or apathetic because they no longer feel any connection to learning.
Guided Towards Growth
Instead, we should teach and evaluate students using the principles associated with having a growth mindset – the belief that the ability to learn is not fixed and changes with effort. People with a growth mindset understand that failure is just another step toward success; that we learn from our mistakes to better prepare us for the future.
Surprisingly, this can be measured! Programs that offer growth mindset training programs for teachers and students have seen strong individual and classroom development. This is why we train our coaches to challenge students to think critically about the past and how it can inform our future. We want them to think deeply about their interests and to expand on the difficult topics they are passionate about in order to create the leaders of tomorrow.
Giant Leaps Learning: An Enrichment Program
At Giant Leaps, our goal is to teach skills that are timeless – skills that will serve your child throughout their life. Our innovative learning strategies and modules combine academic rigor with executive techniques. With the help of our Success Coaches, your child will go beyond good grades and look to challenge themselves.
Help your child take the leap, and contact us today to learn more about our program.
