"It is often said that education and training are the keys to the future. They are, but a key can be turned in two directions. Turn it one way and you lock resources away, even from those they belong to. Turn it the other way and you release resources and give people back to themselves."—Ken Robinson

According to Sir Ken Robinson, there are two keys to our future.  Education and training.  In the educational realm there's a lot of talk that focuses on meeting the students' needs.  While at the same time, almost across the board, the needs of students are met by a range of services that neatly fit into the box of services already in place. 


Too often, changes that are meant to provide assistance to those of us who learn in a different way, are merely presented in a slower fashion. In Sir Ken's language this would be like turning the key in the wrong direction.  It might open the door but, that door leads down the wrong path. 


For instance, take the habit of telling a student to clap-out the number of syllables in a word.  Simple enough to do.  But, what if we can make a lasting image in our minds? 


In our work to correct dyslexia, non-hardening clay is used to create a three dimensional image.  This clay modeling leads us down a path where the results store a mental image, an image of what a word looks-like, sounds-like, and means.  Still simple, but NOW we're providing an example that permanently stores that word.  Using the right tools can turn the key and take us down the right path. 


Most changes I hear about for school and educational matters, when it comes to helping our students improve their reading, writing, and focusing, essentially provides a "dumbing down effect".  An effect that may appear to open the door, but that door, again, is leading us down the wrong path. 


My words are not meant in a mean-spirited way.  My goal is to help others see things in a new way. Think of a middle-school student who feels it's too childish to clap out the syllables in a word.  Do we make them clap out the words anyway or can we step it up and give them new tools? By creating that word and it's meaning three dimensionally, we're not just 'playing with clay' we're creating a permanent image of what that word looks-like, and means, while pronouncing that word in a focused manner.  


So which direction do you want your child's education to go? Have you found the right 'key' to the way you or your own kids learn? 


Check out my website at www.onpointlearning.org and my facebook page at:https://www.facebook.com/pages/OnPoint-Learning-Center-LLC/135836606486829