On School Comparison
Throughout my time in education, I have been fortunate enough to have experiences in a variety of different school systems. I have spent 4 years at the University of Oklahoma working on becoming an elementary teacher. As an elementary education educator, I have learned about the best methods to help kids learn and grow into great people. When I compare the traditional school system and the Chisholm Creek Academy model of education, the systems contrast in a variety of ways that impact the kids' ability to learn and enjoy going to school.
When I was an educator in the traditional school system, I noticed several things that I could tell were making it difficult for students to learn. The first thing I noticed that made it hard for students to learn was having one lesson that was supposed to teach all of the students. No matter if the students were above or below where the lesson was, they were expected to sit still and listen to the teacher talk to them. I saw where this system was causing behavioral issues because many students would get bored and act out. For example, in the first grade classroom I was working in there was a student who did not know his letter sounds so he was having difficulty with a majority of the work, so he would avoid his work and act out. He was not a bad kid, he was just struggling because he did not have what he needed to do the work.
The way the curriculum was designed was an issue for some students, but I also saw how the structure of the school day was problematic for most of students. Traditional schools expect students to sit down at a desk and work quietly for the majority of an 8-hour day. This expectation is highly unrealistic, especially for the younger grade levels, because they learn best through play and interacting with their peers. By just sitting quietly at desks, students were unable to socialize and play, which also led to disruptions and “bad” behavior. One example of this is there was one student who was diagnosed with ADHD. He would get up and wander around the classroom, speak without raising his hand, and space out while trying to do his work. The teacher I was working with would get upset at him because he could not sit still and was distracted. If he had been provided with more of an opportunity to get rid of his energy, it would have been easier for him to function in the classroom.
When I found Chisholm Creek Academy I was curious to see how their approach to education differed from the traditional school system. As I began working in the primary studio I soon realized that I was looking at a completely different way of learning. To start, I thought it was complete chaos. There were learners everywhere; playing, working on goals, running around. I didn’t know how any learning got done. Then, as I watched the learners I saw how they were learning through games and talking with their peers. Each one of them knew what they needed to do and when they needed to work on it. No matter how old they were, they were responsible for their education, and they worked at their own pace. As they mastered different skills, whether that be in core skills or social-emotional learning, they earned a badge that they can use as proof of what they have learned. There are systems in place, such as holding one another accountable, that help shape the studios into a controlled chaos. These systems ensure that there are rules and that they are being followed with limited guide involvement.
Through my time working at Chisholm Creek Academy, I have realized what traditional schools were missing, looking at the students as whole people with independent thoughts and feelings. Traditional schools are so focused on pushing kids through and getting good test scores that they forget that kids are people too. The schools don’t take into account that not all of their students are going to be interested in all of the curriculum they have to teach or that they may not be ready to learn to read when they reach a specific grade. The Chisholm Creek Academy model reverses this, allowing the learners to choose what they want to learn instead of forcing them to learn everything. This leaves time for learners to work on social-emotional skills and shows them that learning is fun. This is important because it makes it where the learners enjoy learning, which makes them want to learn.
I believe that teaching kids to love learning and how to be good people is more important than any test scores. You can do this by allowing them to be kids. This means embracing the mess and mistakes. Allowing them to have fun and explore their interests. By allowing them to learn this way, you help create people who love to learn and question everything.