The Howard School Cultivates Life Skills Through Student-led Projects

Some common questions weigh heavily on families of children with language-based learning differences… dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and attention deficit disorder leave parents worrying and wondering.  

Will my child be OK?
Will they find their purpose in life?
Will they be happy?
Can they make a living?

 

At The Howard School, we're passionate about alleviating the fear behind those questions. Why? Because research shows that when schools address the individual needs of students with language-based learning differences, they equip students to tap into their strengths and advocate for their needs. That is a skill that lasts a lifetime. 

To illustrate what that looks like in real life, I'd like to tell you a story about chickens.

The students hatch a plan

Earlier this school year, a group of high school students decided we should have chickens on The Howard School campus. When they approached their teacher with the idea, their teacher told them the hardest part wasn't going to be raising money, building a coop or figuring out how to care for the chickens.The real challenge was going to be convincing me.

The students got to work. They dedicated their mini-mester class to the project and, at the end, invited me to hear their pitch.

They had prepared an incredibly thoughtful, organized presentation that opened with a slide about all the life skills they would learn from raising chickens on campus. It went on to include:

1. A detailed budget, complete with possible cost-saving measures if they thought I might find it too expensive. They even noted which materials were durable and which might need replacement over time. I couldn't help but think about how learning to manage a budget is such an essential life skill, one that will serve them in every aspect of their lives.
2. Research on where we could keep the chickens on campus. This wasn't a half-baked idea. The students considered everything from protecting the chickens from predators to shielding them from the weather and ease of access for younger students to come visit the chickens.
3. A plan for feeding the chickens. The students had met with our kitchen staff to develop a plan to use leftover scraps from lunch to help feed the chickens, reducing costs and waste. They also researched foods that are dangerous for chickens and consulted with other adults who work on our campus garden.

Egg-cellent work pays off

Persuasion is a valuable life skill, and these students nailed it.

But they learned far more than the art of persuasion. The entire project was a perfect example of how The Howard School provides opportunities for students to develop crucial life skills in real-world, hands-on ways.

The campaign for bringing chickens to Howard gave students experience with:

• Creating a budget,
• Critical thinking,
• Problem-solving,
• Empathy, and
• Collaborating with different groups in the community.

At The Howard School, we don't just prepare students academically; we prepare them for life. While listening to a pitch for on-campus chickens was a new experience for me, this type of student-led initiative and hands-on learning is common throughout our school day.

The Howard School is a place where students learn to adapt, innovate and thrive. We are a school that embraces learning differences. Our values are:

• We practice kindness and respect.
• We seek a spirit of partnership.
• We honor our humanity
• We celebrate our differences.

And thanks to our students, we’re also now a school that raises chickens. Who knows? Perhaps a farm stand to sell chicken eggs will be next. 

One thing I’m sure of: With Howard School students, the sky is the limit. 

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Anna B. Moore, Ph.D., is Head of School for The Howard School, a private K-12 school in Atlanta serving students with one or more of the following learning differences: dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, expressive language disorder, receptive language disorder, auditory processing disorder, executive functioning challenges and attention deficit disorder.

To learn more about whether The Howard School is a good fit for your child, complete our inquiry form. Our team will reach out to connect with you and schedule a guided tour of campus.