What Kind of Student is Typically Attracted to Our Program?
Through the years we have observed that, like all communities, Oak Meadow School is a self-selected community. That is, certain kinds of students are attracted to our school.
An
independent study program can help provide a context for a more
balanced life, in which academics are still first, but the time
commitment is more flexible.
First, students come to us who have significant extra-curricular interests that require the kind of time commitment that a traditional school program cannot provide. We have students who ride horses, ice skate, act, sing, dance, are serious athletes, etc., and who take these activities very seriously--in some cases professionally and/or competitively. An independent study program can help provide a context for a more balanced life, in which academics are still first, but the time commitment is more flexible.
Second, students come to us for whom the traditional classroom setting is, for a variety of reasons, unsuitable. Often it is this discomfort with a traditional classroom setting which drives students out and into the world to find a passion and go for it. Our independent study program recognizes that students at different levels (middle to high school) need different levels of input. Middle schoolers require more hands-on help and/or may be very busy kids. High schoolers suited for our program will be much more self-starting and self-maintaining. Indeed, some students are attracted to our High School because their passion is doing well in school, and they feel held back or overwhelmed in a traditional setting with so many kids on a large campus. They may not want to sit in a crowded classroom with rowdy kids, but they do indeed enjoy learning and will take our weekly seminars and classes as sufficient motivation and impetus to get going and sustain their pursuit of learning.
Third, we do have students come to us who have been so discouraged by their school experience, or so injured by it, that they have gotten themselves into trouble. They have acted out in the school setting, and have been, or are on the verge of being, “kicked out” of their current school. As painful as these situations are, and as much as we are sympathetic with the needs of these families, we have learned that our school is not suitable for this kind of student. The very closeness of our school community absolutely requires a cooperative, non-aggressive, positive attitude. We are happy to suggest other alternatives to families who find themselves with these needs.
In summary, as an independent study program, students that come to us must be by their nature more self-starting and self-sustaining than others. Our Middle School requires these qualities less, because it is a much more hands-on program than our High School. Middle School students, being younger and less mature, almost all require the daily presence of and interaction with a teacher, and we provide that. High Schoolers come with a much greater breadth of academic and personal capacity. Those suited to our High School program will be those who thrive on flexibility, individual learning and minimal direction, and probably are very busy pursuing a life passion (which may be academia!) and/or part time employment. This does not mean that students must be academically advanced; it does mean that there must be a desire to learn present that does not require moment-by-moment outside discipline to maintain. Students in Oak Meadow School need a reason to be in a modified independent study program.