The G-Star School of the Arts located in West Palm
Beach, Florida was recently showcased on NBC’s Today Show because of its
innovative approach to education.
G-Star is a progressive charter school that allows students to pursue areas
of study they are ACTUALLY interested in, providing students an opportunity to
learn real-world skills and to gain real-world experiences. For example,
students interested in film are able to actively participate in the production
of commercials and other film related projects.
Allowing students to learn real skills in areas they are interested in
serves to not only improve overall motivation, but also to increase focus in
school leading to improved academic performance and graduation results.
We should consider how our system of education can be improved to compete
with increasingly competitive nations worldwide. Student motivation and
passionate learning require specific skills that are fundamental for
achieving higher academic performance. However, trying to apply a one-size fits
all approach to education with increased testing separates students farther
from their curriculum. Should we not stop to ask, “Is this really the best
way?”
At Five Points Learning, our writing tutors and math tutors do an
exceptional job of not only teaching students the critical skills necessary to
achieve success, but also working hard to improve each student’s motivation and
interest in both math and writing. They do this by making the subjects relevant
and by providing real world examples and applications of the skills they are
learning. Our tutors are enthusiastic and passionate about their subject areas,
and our students feed off of this energy and passion. In some cases, helping
students to “connect the dots” in an enthusiastic manner has inspired students
to pursue more in-depth studies in a particular subject area. This is what we
strive to do each and every day.
