| These days, with high stakes testing and | | | | you get to help them extend that trust outwards, |
| standardization running amok, the old readin', 'ritin' | | | | incrementally, through smaller groups within your |
| and 'rithmatic adage is riding high. Politicians who | | | | advisory group and, hopefully, to larger more |
| haven't been in a classroom in who knows how | | | | expansive groups within the school community. |
| long, are crowing about teaching the basics. But as | | | | It's nice to know that every student in your |
| drop-out rates soar and more and more children | | | | school has at least one positive relationship with |
| are left behind, folks have to wonder if there isn't | | | | an adult in the school community. Now, the work |
| something more to this education thing. I propose | | | | can begin. Every child knows he has an advocate, |
| that there is something terribly missing. In fact, | | | | someone who believes in him. His natural |
| some alternative educators have been pushing for | | | | curiosities and passions are validated and even |
| their own version of The Big Three for years. | | | | nurtured. There is none of the usual: " Sorry, this |
| Introducing The Three Cs: curiosity, confidence | | | | is not in the curriculum" nonsense. Anything goes; |
| and caring. If we really want to reach kids, we | | | | there is a sense of pure freedom and real joy |
| need to pay as much attention to these kinds of | | | | when students feel free to explore and learn. |
| basics as the others. Here's what we need: | | | | Kids can also design and implement their own |
| schools that make a point to get to know their | | | | curriculum when they feel have this kind of |
| students on a deeper level than just grades and | | | | support. Confidence and curiosity lead to in-depth |
| test scores. To do this, schools need to make | | | | explorations of the kind rarely seen with a set |
| time for developing personal relationships and for | | | | curriculum. Children feel like they are taken |
| working on personal and social skills. | | | | seriously, not summarily dismissed as not knowing |
| It may start with simple recognition and attention | | | | what's in their best interests. |
| to the natural gifts of children. Most educators and | | | | The next step is developing a sense of caring, |
| developmental psychologists would agree that we | | | | compassion and social responsibility. Schools can |
| are all born with a deep well of curiosity for the | | | | create a culture of caring when students are |
| world around us. Some would argue that the | | | | given some power over their own education and, |
| conventional school system does its best to keep | | | | eventually, their own lives. A good start is opening |
| it down, all but drying up the natural intellectual | | | | up school governance to anyone who wants |
| curiosity by demanding conformity and submission | | | | participate, not just a hand picked elite. And when |
| in its place. Nothing turns students off more to | | | | students are expected to get involved with |
| learning than having their interests dismissed at an | | | | important school decisions like the hiring of |
| early age. Instead of being complicit in this | | | | teachers and administrators, they begin, rather |
| suppression, schools should help set kids free. | | | | quickly, to foster a sense of personal and social |
| Children need to have their curiosities and passions | | | | responsibility. |
| taken seriously. They need validation, not just | | | | The crux of the caring issue is more psychological, |
| from their families, but also from their teachers. | | | | however. When kids feel like they can trust the |
| But first, you have to learn to trust; and you | | | | community to be supportive, they develop a real |
| can't do that without establishing some personal | | | | sense of belonging. Then, feeling safe and more |
| relationships between children and adults. | | | | secure, they extend their support to others. |
| Curiosity and confidence seem to develop hand-in | | | | Also, cooperative learning does wonders. When |
| hand when a system is in place for building | | | | much of the process of completing one's work |
| personal relationships. Schools that look differently | | | | depends on the help and support of others, a |
| at teachers' roles have an edge in this process. | | | | built-in sense of caring about each other takes |
| You have start somewhere. | | | | place. This is how a real sense of school |
| Think for a moment about a school where | | | | community is created. It's not through pep clubs |
| teachers see themselves as guides, coaches and | | | | and student councils. |
| counselors first and foremost. Let's say that | | | | Ideally, the next step is to extend this feeling of |
| before looking at yourself as just a math teacher, | | | | caring to the greater school community and to |
| you assume the role of "advisor" or "mentor" to | | | | the world at large. Much of this extension depends |
| a specific group of students. As the advisor, you | | | | on the importance of engaging students in service |
| meet regularly with this group and even individually | | | | work in the community and the world outside the |
| with each of them when you can. You are | | | | classroom. The general idea is: hey, we're all in this |
| accountable to them and they to you on an | | | | together and there are people out there who |
| ongoing basis. This is not a "homeroom" situation | | | | really need you! |
| where half the kids are sleeping and the other half | | | | So the Three Cs are proposed to go along with |
| are pretending to do their homework. This is real | | | | the Three Rs. Is this pie-in-the-sky dreaming or |
| time with students when you can talk about just | | | | can this really happen in our schools today? I |
| about anything that is important and relevant to | | | | submit that it is happening right now at a number |
| the lives of children. | | | | of wonderful schools in this country and |
| The point is you get to know them on a | | | | throughout the world. Some of these schools |
| profound level. You help them assess their | | | | have been around for years. Contact the |
| strengths and challenges, and you guide them as | | | | Alternative Resource Education Network to find |
| they set goals for themselves and struggle with | | | | out more about schools where everything starts |
| their lives. In the process, you build trust, which is | | | | with curiosity, caring and confidence. |
| the cornerstone of any meaningful education. And | | | | |