Dear Doctor, my little girl next year will begin fifth grade, but already thinks about middle school. We find ourselves at a crossroads: support his desire to stay where a school in the park with all the beauty and freedom of the case, excellent professors but a very mixed user from a social point of view and with several school labors. Or choose a neighborhood always with a very competent and demanding teachers in terms of school profit. I believe that the middle school should be made to prepare for high school. But the doubt remains that, on the other hand, given the difficult age the important thing is to subscribe to them where we think and think they are fine.
Ida
Dear IdaI don’t know what the right answer is. Because you are parents who must decide what is the priority criterion you want to pursue for the continuation of your daughter’s school path.
I believe that Leave it in the school in which he has already attended primary, it means choosing the criterion of continuity. Continuity of the environments, people, methods, of all that wealth of concrete knowledge that has been conquered, day after day, during these five years of primary school.
Change school Instead, it means preferring the criterion – as you write – of a very rigorous school in learning curricular disciplines, but probably less complete from a human and experiential point of view. You yourself call excellent teachers who operate in the Comprehensive Institute that you are already attending.
The school is three -dimensional trainer that make up the so -called pedagogical triangle: knowledge, knowing how to do And knowing how to be. From what you write, it seems that what you already attend your daughter is very advanced in the work on the “knowing how to be“, While the other – which could represent an alternative – is very strong on the”know“And the”knowing how to do“Linked to curricular subjects.
I would recommend that you aim on the “Knowing how to be”but perhaps the best answer is the one that will give you your daughter. She is part of the cause. He knows what he has lived in these five years. It may be useful to discuss with her, explaining what they are – in your opinion – the pros and cons of each choice. But then ask her to make an analysis of the situation, telling you which are the ones you perceive.
This dialogue should make the solution of your doubts easier. Read together Ready for the big jump (Mondadori), written for those who go from elementary to middle school.
