Dylan’s Entire Life Would Have Been Different.
After many weeks of discussion, and multiple emails to the counselor, Dylan finally decided to drop his IB math class.
“It’s not an IB class,” his counselor told us repeatedly. Yet, there were no provisions made for kids who weren’t enrolled in the IB program, or those who weren’t able to tackle college-level math.
Even if he could tread water for the entire year, he would get absolutely no college credit for having taken a college-level class. Since he’s not in the IB program, he’s not allowed to take the IB test at the end of the year – and the test is what provides the credit.
Dylan is, of course, able to tackle college-level math. He is very bright. He grasps concepts the same way I grasp chocolate chip cookies. But because of his focus issues, he can’t concentrate for a full 45 minutes on any one subject, unless he is completely engaged using his hands, his voice, or anything musical. And in math, that means he falls behind by the end of the first class.
Oddly, this year is the first in a long time that I’ve remembered that Dylan belongs in Montessori school. In a real Montessori school, kids work independently, at their own pace, and they never get to the “end” of what they’re learning. For example, they learn social studies concepts by choosing a subject and following the independently presented instructions (perhaps on a card or in a binder). They study at their own pace by reading, using school-provided manipulatives and kits, and watching educational videos. Once they’ve learned about a topic, they create a presentation or give a speech or write a paper to share what they’ve learned.
Montessori is the only way to successfully teach a student like Dylan. He was so passionate about learning in his early years. He devoured information, as rapidly as he could find it. He wanted to know about everything – and public schools killed that curiosity.
Montessori schools are private, and they cost a lot of money. I visited all the Montessori schools within a 30-mile radius and they all cost substantially more than we would ever be able to afford. Still, I know for certain that Montessori school would have afforded Dylan the opportunity to love school – to thrive in an educational environment. Dylan’s entire life would have been different.
Instead, he’s suffered through every, single school year – bored and wistful – waiting for college when, hopefully, he’ll be able to choose some classes that he finds engaging.
If Dylan has to take a college-level math class at college, I hope it’s in a very small, intimate environment where he can trust that the teacher will be able to assist him on a daily basis. Because if it’s not, he may as well not take the class.
There’s so much I wish for Dylan, and I do have regrets that we didn’t give him what he needed to make his educational experience a happy one. Yet, somehow, I am still hopeful that wherever he eventually lands, he will be happy.