When I was in 10th grade I had to make a decision; to choose the Innovation Academy (IA) or the IB. I won’t talk about making that decision as I have done several times in previous blogs. Instead, this time I want to talk about parents and how they usually are the ones that stall children and scare them about their choices.
A little over a year ago was about the time when I was accepted to the IA. Before applying I had a long chat with my mother and she was fully supportive of me and even urged me to join it instead of the IB, as it was different than what everybody did. After carefully evaluating my options and listening to her advice, I followed my feelings and joined the IA.
Now fast forward to March 4, 2015 and I now have to completely different sides of a story to tell. Since I became an IA student I have improved my grades, become motivated for learning, completed work ahead of time, want to go to class, etc. The Innovation Academy completely changed me as a learner but most importantly as a person. Nevertheless, I can see that my mother has fell off track regarding my education and isn’t as supportive as she used to be.
After all, this isn’t the same “proper” education that she received in her time. The IA is completely different than any other curriculum in the world as there isn’t really one to follow .. We students, can shape our learning to follow our passion and are urged to do so to maximize our potential.
And how do we do this?
By working in a stress free environment that allows us to have autonomy and work in projects instead of reading text-book after text-book just for the sake of getting a grade. We achieve this autonomy by being trusted to have internships and going to work three times a week instead of coming to school.
However, the concept is new and traditional education doesn’t have this so parents are skeptical. I used to wake up at 9:00 AM for my internship with a big smile on my face, not like when I have to go to school. To my mother this was incomprehensible, doubting that I actually got any work done.
In her opinion I was supposed to be at school learning math and business like she learned it. instead of going getting a real world experience like in the IA. In a month of having the internship I learned much more than in 3 months of school and that is because I learned about the world and how it works. My motivations were much different than just working, and memorizing a textbook for the sake of a grade.
If teachers trust us with this autonomy and allow us to work happily and with no worries why can't parents do the same? Why must they doubt us and think that because we don’t have four hours of homework each night we are lazy?
While watching the documentary “Jiro dreams of sushi” the person I least expected to, said a very impressive quote: “Those who achieve greatness in life are USUALLY not the ones who got the best grades in school. This is due to the fact, that they don’t play the game of school. They instead follow their passions and not fall in the game of pretend.” The IB coordinator at our school said the quote. I was dumbfounded by his assertion, but was as sure as ever that no matter what my mother thinks, the IA is the best guide for the most successful future.
So parents should support their children in the choices they make because after all if they aren’t motivated they are the ones who will be affected not parents. Adults should be supportive of their kids because if we fear they doubt us then our determination and power to succeed will suffer too. Parents shouldn’t fear innovation because after all they have lived and seen things that they thought impossible before they were invented. The same way new inventions are created each day to solve modern needs our education system will change to support modern generations.