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2E Students: Who They Are & What They Need

The Future of Education and What It Might Look Like

It’s clear that students benefit immensely from a one-to-one teaching model. Students receive undivided attention, experience less distraction, and enjoy an approach that meets their precise needs. But how do teachers feel about it? Do they benefit from it, too? At Brightmont Academy , the resounding reply is “yes!” — and for many reasons. For the most part, those reasons can be summed up in three key words: customization, efficiency, and connection. Customization Many people envision education as a teacher at a blackboard explaining a concept to a classroom full of students—relying on one approach and one technique to serve the masses. But that scenario is quite different at Brightmont.  “You can adjust your teaching to how the student learns,” says Kate Doan, a Science and Math teacher at Brightmont in Mendota Heights, Minn. In other words, it’s always student first, concept second, in devising a teaching method. “For example, today I was covering how to solve a problem in math with one of my students,” adds Kate. “I was able to ask about her preferred method to work through a math problem, then I showed her how to do it in her preferred way.”

Three keys for Successful Teacher/Therapist Collaboration

Brightmont Academy is known for serving a very diverse student population. The school’s unique one-to-one approach often makes sense for kids diagnosed with anxiety and/or a myriad of learning differences, for those deemed gifted or twice-exceptional, for star athletes, busy performers, and homeschoolers—the list goes on.  This means that Brightmont is also used to walking alongside students who recently experienced or may still be going through some really tough stuff. Expulsions from other schools, addiction recovery, mental health crises and serious physical illness. Though some families may feel inclined to retreat from all the pressures of the world during hard times, there’s one routine that often proves helpful in boosting attitude and confidence: school and learning. In fact, some experts suggest that prioritizing education during difficult seasons serves as a balm for many kids and just what they need to move forward with positivity and hope. Here’s how…

Parents of neurodivergent children soon discover they are not alone—not alone when it comes to other families who are walking the same path and not alone when it comes to all of the professionals available to help in a myriad of ways. Other families often offer great empathy and camaraderie through the ups and downs of life. Regarding professionals, their necessity is also clear, but people generally have a lot of questions about their various roles. Just how many different kinds of professionals focus on neurodiversity? What do they all do? And which ones will be most effective in addressing the needs at hand? In other words, researching and assembling the right professional team might require a substantial amount of energy and time.  A good starting point? Become familiar with the professional categories involved with neurodivergent diagnoses—this first step will help ensure the eventual formation of a well-rounded team. There are three main categories to explore: medical, mental health, and educational/occupational.

As debates rage over the importance of a university education and the need for a specific degree to achieve success in life, the need for completion of high school, whether it be via a traditional diploma or through a school equivalency diploma from the General Educational Development (GED) test remains important, if not essential. According to a May 10, 2022 article by Douglas N. Harris and Feng Chen at Brookings.edu , despite most assumptions and the documented learning loss during the COVID online learning process, high school graduation rates initially increased (likely due to the relaxing of standards at the time), and they quickly leveled off. Further, “High school graduation rates actually increased for students with disabilities, English-language learners, and Black students. However, college entry declined most in colleges serving large proportions of people of color.” ( https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-has-the-pandemic-affected-high-school- graduation-and-college-entry/ ) A cursory search on the computer for jobs that do not necessitate having a high school diploma yields many more options than one might assume in this day and age. But the fact remains: the more education one attains, the more likely they are to earn more income, and have a life that is more easily manageable, than one who does not. “Not completing high school is linked to a variety of factors that can negatively impact health, including limited employment prospects, low wages, and poverty.” ( https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/high-school-graduation ) So, what are some of the causes of students not completing their high school courses and obtaining their diploma? Wanting/needing to work to earn money taking precedence over completing high school, severe health issues during junior or senior year of high school that challenge students’ abilities to recover, intense family issues that got in the way at the last minute, school phobias, and lack of parental oversight of student attendance all contribute to a lack of graduation. In many cases, school districts can and do work with students and their families who find themselves in tricky graduation situations. However, State and Federal requirements can still leave students without attainment of that coveted piece of paper. So, what to do? There are a few decent options available to those who search. Sometimes free or low-cost GED courses are available through local libraries or community colleges. Some school districts have night school options available for students to wrap things up. One of the best options that I know of is through a private school, which can be costly, but one’s home district may entirely pay for it, or supplement the cost. At the private, one-to-one school at which I work, Brightmont Academy , cleaning up those few remaining requirements can be fairly quick work for a determined student. At Brightmont, students work one-to-one with an instructor on only those courses essential to graduation. Each course is “taught,” and all coursework is completed, via computer software, and is directed by the student’s own pace. If a student is motivated and focused, they can move quickly and efficiently through each unit and their required assessments and projects. If students are particularly challenged by a lesson or unit here or there, one can easily slow down or repeat the information to successfully learn the requisite material.

Mention “one-to-one” education to parents who are exploring all of the different academic options out there, and one question is sure to be raised: What about socialization? It’s a valid concern since socialization affects so many facets of an individual’s life, from identity to cultural understanding to communication to all-out survival skills. Furthermore, successful socialization not only benefits one’s well-being today and into the future, but also helps that individual contribute meaningfully to society, for the greater good. Here’s the interesting paradox: Despite popular belief, the one-to-one education approach of Brightmont Academy provides the best environment and opportunities to grow in healthy socialization. Upon further investigation, it makes complete sense in several important ways. Here’s how… Academic accountability In traditional classroom environments, it’s not unusual for some students to slip through the cracks or just skate by academically. When a teacher’s attention is divided between multiple kids—typically dozens of kids—it’s not hard for students to fade into the background and avoid a lot of the hard work. Not so at Brightmont Academy. There’s no way around interacting with and responding to the curriculum. There’s no way around demonstrating accountability toward learning goals. There’s no way to circumvent the keen focus of one-to-one teachers. Instead, engagement and communication are ever-present expectations and constructive socialization naturally occurs. As a result, students are well prepared for all of the responsibilities and challenges to come, whether academic or otherwise. Adult role models Effective socialization is characterized by other players who model good skills in this area. Conversely, if children are surrounded by poor social influences, they are more likely to adopt bad habits, thought patterns, conceptions, etc. Of course, caring parents hope and pray tirelessly for the former scenario to occur in their children’s lives. At Brightmont Academy, teachers and other staff serve as positive socialization agents. As students work one-to-one with their teachers, they are immersed in more mature, steady, and thoughtful socialization patterns. Sure, all kids should enjoy friendships with their peers to practice compassion and conflict resolution, but daily intentional interactions with trusted adult role models are key to learning the ropes of society and how to operate well within it. Social-emotional learning Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a popular educational methodology—and for good reason. With all of the pressures faced by young people these days and all of the life-altering and life-endangering dynamics in their midst, it’s critical to pay more attention to how and why they think and behave as they do. Of course, all of this is directly related to socialization. At Brightmont, social-emotional learning is firmly embedded into the school’s approach and culture. SEL methods involve goal setting—check, Brightmont has it covered. Building and maintaining supportive, empathetic relationships—check. Becoming more self-aware and relying on relevant strategies to boost academic engagement and understanding—check. In other words, SEL is not an afterthought at Brightmont. Instead, it’s something that has always been woven into our students’ education. Margin to pursue passions More free time is one of the many treasured bonuses of attending Brightmont Academy. This means that Brightmont students have more margin to work on their physical and mental health—exercise, therapy, etc.—and to pursue activities that match their interests and support their long-term goals. The latter may include more appealing and lucrative jobs, as well as volunteer opportunities that strengthen their college applications.  For example, I know a Brightmont student who was able to work for a mechanic before graduating from Brightmont and pursuing tech-school training in the field. Over time, he will not only possess the credentials of his formal education but also be able to present a robust list of on-the-job experiences to his future employers. In other words, when students have the margin to pursue their passions outside of school, they are more likely to hone relationships that focus on worthwhile ambitions and lifelong dreams. Needless to say, that means healthy socialization for the win!

Do Your Homework: Our Top Reads on Neurodiversity There’s still that back-to-school spirit in the air for kids and parents alike. But “homework” isn’t just for our children. While they are becoming more and more immersed in coursework and assignments, we can also invest some of our time into studying neurodiversity, what it is, how it affects our families, and where we can try some new and better strategies for daily life together.