“How’s this look, Mom? Professional? Appropriate?”
My daughter peppered me with questions as she prepped for an interview for a summer job… in Hawaii!
“Would you ask me a few questions so I can get warmed up?”
……………….
There’s so much here in this short interaction that I could comment on about what she DID learn from her time at Indi-ED.
Dress professionally ✅
Go big or go home, baby! (Hawaii!!!) ✅
Don’t be afraid to ask someone with more experience for help ✅
But let’s talk about THE TOP THREE SKILLS she did NOT learn at Indi-ED.
- Book Smarts and Test Scores are the top priority. — Now don’t get me wrong, my dyslexic daughter’s reading scores and interest in books skyrocketed when she was given the opportunity to study relevant topics rather than dry textbook material. She went from reading one novel a year to reading one novel a week! So while she can hang with the best of those book-smart kids, she seems incapable of relying solely on textbook-type knowledge. Indi-ED taught her research, experience, critical thinking, problem-solving, and character development skills are all crucial elements in handling a task.
- My education is dependent on the state’s flavor-of-the-month curriculum.
Indi-ED didn’t teach my kid to blame the teacher or the system or her classmates or the weather or the poor wifi connection or the dog or…or…or…anything or anyone. Unlike many traditional students, my daughter did NOT learn that teachers, textbooks, or coursework are responsible for her learning. Instead, she owns her own growth. Whether she wants to learn to bake macaroons, find the best car insurance or become OSHA certified for a career in construction, she fearlessly owns that it’s her responsibility to seek out the tools she needs to learn.
3. Diversity is a threat.
I have yet to meet an Indi-ED alum that is a conformist. All that freedom to be themselves and pursue their passions seems to have ruined them for life in this regard. My daughter is no exception. She’s unwaveringly loyal to her unique personality, interests, and talents. She encourages and expects others to do the same. Indi-ED taught her to respect and treasure diversity in herself and others.
Thankfully, I got exactly what I hoped for (and more!) from Indi-ED, but if what we want is cookie-cutter citizens that lack drive and real-life skills, then my veteran advice would be to run for the hills. Choose more traditional schools. Indi-ED is not the place to encourage apathy!