A Letter To Parents
Dear Parent,
When our children are young, we learn, “The years before five last the rest of their lives!” so we pour our time and energy into them.
When they reach primary school age, we learn, “Play-Based Learning is the best way to explore the world and grow!” So we pour our time and energy into them.
Around grade 4, something in school shifts. They’re reading to learn, not for ‘enjoyment’. Music class is learning to play an instrument instead of learning ‘music.’ Homework and tests. Evaluations and meetings. Slowly, the vibrant child who was once so inquisitive is now more reserved and less enthusiastic.
By grades 7 & 8, there are more grunts and eye-rolling, power struggles about homework and “applying yourself,” and fewer real moments where you watch them and marvel at who they are…the way you used to when they were exploring their world as an interested young child. Many say it’s “just the age,” but many who have released their child from the pressures of mainstream school experience a different relationship with their teen. A more connected, grounded relationship.
There are options.
The school-y idea of learning subjects in isolation with no context to young people’s current life is outdated and, quite frankly, boring. How long have you maintained focus on a lecture you had zero interest in. 15 min? 30 min? Yet, we require our kids to sit through hours of topics and interests that don’t appeal to them - yet. Just because they don’t want to learn Canadian Politics this year does not mean ‘ever’! It just means, for now, something else has a stronger hold.
Following interests means one will naturally learn what they need to know along the way. We’ve all had those moments of falling down the rabbit hole and learning more than we had intended. As we say, learning is inevitable! One can’t help but learn.
At Passages, we offer a space where youth are encouraged to fall down the rabbit hole as long as they would like. To explore the off-shoots of their interests without evaluation and to trust that what they’re learning is, in fact, valuable.
Self-directed learning is an alternative. An alternative schooling choice that means taking chances, risks and having trust.
An alternative education does not limit life choices
What we offer is Freedom.
One will gain at Passages the ability to know what one wants and who they are and can articulate opinions and viewpoints. Because when you’ve spent years speaking your mind and debating with open, caring peers and adults, asking for and honouring your needs becomes easier.
We are a space that encourages youth to take ownership of their life and choices, and we celebrate them along the way!
All this makes one ask, during the crucial adolescent and teen years, shouldn’t we be pouring our time and energy into helping our children become more independent through the freedom to choose what they learn?