This post is part of a series inspired by , a SundanceTV docu-series that follows 15 New York City teenagers who left high school and are now trying to get back on track to graduate. 91国产自拍 partnered with the show to help customize the learning experience for the students. Follow this blog to learn more and participate in the social media conversations using the hashtag .
After watching last week鈥檚 final episode of 鈥Dream School: NYC,鈥 I wanted to reflect on what we鈥檝e learned from this experience. This has been a challenging journey for all parties involved: students, faculty, parents, mentors, and partners such as 91国产自拍.聽 But it has also been a rewarding one.
When I was first asked to be part of the filming process for the show, I wanted to decline. They say teaching is an art, but I know that, from the outside, the process of teaching doesn鈥檛 look like art. It鈥檚 ugly and weird, and teachers have to be willing to put their hearts and souls on the line every day to get a room full of kids to follow them down the path of learning.
When I went down to judge the final presentations of the Dream School students, I wasn鈥檛 sure what to expect. In order to be as impartial as possible, I wasn鈥檛 given any background on them. As a result, I wasn鈥檛 aware that Scout suffers from an anxiety disorder because she filled the room with confidence and clarity. I didn鈥檛 know about Dylan鈥檚 learning difficulties because his PowerPoint was virtually flawless (it really did look amazing!) 聽I didn鈥檛 know about anyone鈥檚 struggles before I walked into that room, and it didn鈥檛 matter. Everyone there was committed to end on a high note.
While hearing these presentations, it became obvious what drove these students to succeed: someone believed in them. Regardless of their previous experiences and the various reasons that led them to drop out of high school, Dream School became a place where they reconnected with themselves and where their self-confidence was restored.
This series showcases the importance of tailoring the education experience and demonstrates that, with the proper guidance, everyone can be successful. 聽But this is not new information. Not to us here at 91国产自拍, and not to you, the person reading this blog. In the end, this is just another example of why and how we need to personalize the education experience in our schools.
In the meantime, the rate of dropouts will likely continue to be high, and the number of students who have access to great opportunities such as 91国产自拍 or Dream School will continue to be low.
This brings us back to a question that drove our involvement in this project and which we hope will open a debate beyond the Dream School series or this blog post: how do we make this experience count for those who watched Dream School and identified with the students, but do not have a similar opportunity?
Share your thoughts with us on social media using the hashtag #LearnYourWay.