As I've watched my daughter develop over the years, discovering her uniqueness, I realized quickly she is a highly artistic and creative person. She reminds me much of what I was like at her age.
I said to myself (and to my wife), "I sure hope I never get in the way of her creativity."
I am involved with a ministry that not only values creativity, but implements it ways that have tremendous influence in spiritual formation.
It is this revelation that we have decided to put Grace in another school.
Currently, she is part of a traditional, public school, but she has struggled this year in certain areas. We were told in our conferences with teachers to test her for ADD. I was quite offended at the suggestion, although I realize this is the only option this school has in trying to help her.
We heard the common mantra, "She has a hard time focusing, but she is a very creative, artistic person, she is such a joy to have in class!" We suggested some unique ways to work with Grace, but the school has too much pressure to test to the Michigan standards for testing. This is also another mantra we kept hearing.
Thus, Julia and I starting seeking some alternative options for her. We think we've found a great one. Some friends of ours recommended the Child Discovery Center in downtown Grand Rapids, a public charter school based on the Reggio Emilia method of education. Basically, this approach prioritizes the arts as essential in education, integrating it with other subjects to provide a more holistic educational experience.
I'm not going into more detail, but the fact that I have said "I don't want to get in the way of her creativity" is now applicable to her school choices. We are excited at the possibility of unlocking who she really is, hoping to foster these amazing gifts and talents she has.
One of my dart buddies, who was raised in a Montessori setting (who uses the Reggio approach) told me that he may not have been prepared for advanced academics like some of the more affluent schools stressed, but he discovered how to learn. It is something he said he's used for the rest of his life. I pray that our schools realize that the arts are NOT an option, but a necessity for a child's success in learning.
We hope this will be a huge step in Grace's life. I have confidence it will.
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