The Philosophy of Education
here at BLC is quite different than many schools or educational institutions in four distinct ways:
1. We don't focus on teaching, our focus is on learning;
We create an environment that stimulates and supports learning for gifted students
2. Instead of valuing the right answers we
value the right questions
3. Instead of
indoctrination of ideology, or group-think, we support and encourage free thinkers
4. We believe in students actively participating in co-creating their curriculum We invite you to uncover the truth about educating your gifted
child.
It is
a myth that gifted children always do well in school... In fact, the more gifted the child, the more likely you will find
the child to be struggling in the traditional school setting.
The gifted struggle with the academic structure
of sequential and auditory learning as well as the social, moral and intellectual differences between themselves and their
peers. Like an elephant being feed one blade of grass at a time, the gifted are frustrated and hungry for more.
In order for the gifted learner to do well in the traditional school he or she must be able to sit passively, receive
the information and be able to recite it back or fill in the correct answers on a written test. The truth is: gifted children
often experience frustration, bullying and under-achievement in school.
Without a supportive environment gifted children are more susceptible
to social and emotional disturbances such as: (a) perfectionism, (b) super-sensitivity, (c) social
isolation, and (d) sensory overexcitability (Delisle, 1986; Dixon & Scheckel, 1996; Fleith, 1998; Hayes & Sloat, 1989).
Driven by a self-oriented or socially prescribed perfectionism, the individual establishes high and rigid standards. To do
the best is no longer enough and the individual feels frustrated no matter how well he/she performs (Lajoie & Shore, 1981).
Excessive concern about errors, in addition to high parental and societal expectations, can result in depression and absence
of self-worth. Many gifted learners believe they are only loved for their grades, honors, and special abilities. As a
result, they cannot tolerate making a mistake.
The gifted
child learns and sees the world differently, feels more deeply, understands comprehensively. These are differences, not
defects. These characteristics are natural to the gifted child and should not be changed to try to force success within
the traditional school environment. Instead, the environment must be changed to accommodate the special learning needs of
the gifted child. It is this special learning environment that Baywood Learning Centers strives to create for gifted children.
Chronological age is one of the least relevant factors in grouping
gifted children. Studies have shown that gifted children do better when placed with children who share interests regardless
of age. At Baywood Learning Centers we group ages loosely together in a relevant age span, each
student working at their own pace. Classes are small, allowing our Mentors to develop a deeper connection with and a more
personalized program for each student. Parents are included in planning and weekly reports including observations by
staff are available so that parents always know how their student is performing.
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| with patience, we allow children to blossom |
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| like the wings of a butterfly or the petals of a flower... |
“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in
the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we
can be.”
Zig Ziglar
The Goal of Self Actualization“What
a man can be, he must be.”[8] This forms the basis of the perceived need for
self-actualization. This level of need pertains to what a person's full potential is and realizing that potential. Maslow
describes this desire as the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming.[9]; This is a
broad definition of the need for self-actualization, but when applied to individuals, the need is specific. For example one
individual may have the strong desire to become an ideal parent, in another it may be expressed athletically, and in another
it may be expressed in painting, pictures, or inventions.[10] As mentioned before, in order to reach a clear
understanding of this level of need one must first not only achieve the previous needs, physiological, safety, love, and esteem,
but master these needs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierarchy_of_needs
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