Alternative Education, or I quit. —Edouard Tales
I’ll Learn On My Own Thanks
Fighting back Karate style to ward off thugs was a self-defence strategy that worked for Edouard. Unfortunately, I can’t drop-kick the adults who create a terrible learning environment, he thought.
A more diplomatic ‘adult’ approach was needed for Edouard to take command of his future and find a school to thrive, not just survive.
He remembered Mr. Kim’s Karate class lesson, emphasizing respect and self-confidence when challenging others.
Halfway through grade nine, the first year of four in high school, Edouard politely and calmly intercepted a teacher in the hallway before class.
Sir, he told ‘Mr Frenchie’
…. your French class is boring. Guys, pick on me, and unless you want a fight in the classroom, I’m not going.
I’ll learn more by studying in the library in peace, at my pace. Please tell me what text lessons we are learning this week and when assignments are due.
If not, I quit, and you’ll never see my face again. Besides, my mom speaks better French than you and will help with my pronunciation.’
The teacher respected Edouard’s bold approach and quietly agreed to a short-turn solution. You can skip class today but must consult the guidance counsellor for a long-term solution. So read these chapters, answer the questions, and I’ll see you next week,’ he said.
It takes guts to tell a teacher he’s boring and then offers to study in the library.
Kids who typically cut classes didn’t hang out at the library. They smoked weed out back, loitered at the mall and shagged their girlfriends in the back seat of a car somewhere.
The following week, like clockwork, Edouard cornered Mr Frenchie, showed his notes and asked what day the test was.
Edouard impressed the adults with his creativity and vivid imagination as they searched for a better way for him to continue his education. He aimed to graduate one day to enjoy the same high standard of living as his parents.
His father was a wise businessman who touted the benefits of a good education. ‘The more skills you gain, the better choices you’ll have in life,’ Pa used to say.
For a 15-year-old, he showed good wit and the ability to argue logically with anyone older than him. He kept probing his teachers and parents to find a better school.
It’s simple, he thought. ‘This place sucks, and I’ll quit if you don’t find me a new school. I will put in the effort, so please refer me to a better way to learn.’
Ma and Pa knew Edouard was unique. After all the battery of clinical neuropsychology assessments, he went through at age seven to assess his cognitive strengths and weaknesses, proved he did NOT have a learning and attention developmental disorder.
In fact, the results revealed that he was an intelligent, gifted young man. Nerdiness and bullying aside, Edouard’s poor grades were partly due to boredom and focusing on what’s around him rather than the blackboard up front.
He was the perfect candidate to enroll in an alternative education system.
It took his parents and counsellor a few months to enrol him in an Alternative Individual Education Centre called (IndEC).
This place had a teaching philosophy that differed from the overcrowded, testosterone-laced mainstream prison he attended prior.
IndEC’s emphasis included smaller class sizes, learning at one’s preferred pace, and close relationships between 150 students and ten teachers. It boasted an accessible learning process that designed courses and teaching styles to meet the needs of unique learners from various backgrounds, abilities, and learning styles.
Finally, his parents found an accessible education process that designed courses and developed a teaching style to meet the needs of unique kids from various backgrounds, abilities and learning styles.
Accessibility at IndEC came in many forms for Edouard and his new pals: course materials and assistive instruction that matched his preferred learning mode.
He was finally propelled into a caring environment where every student was seen, heard, and inspired to reach their full potential. Teachers believed in the transformative power of education. They were dedicated to mentoring students and their achievements, cultivating an atmosphere where confidence flourished, and talents were nurtured from the ground up.
Edouard fit in like a well-worn glove and immediately developed a self-paced pattern of immersing himself in a single subject per month.
In September, he’d do an academic year’s worth of Geography, consisting of 10 modules and assignments.
In October, it would be English. In November, another subject, and so on. His deep dives into an intense, singular focus were efficient and fun.
Self-directed learning means that learners have ownership over their education. They identify their needs and goals and set a plan with the mentoring of an adult. They can select materials or resources that best suit their needs and preferences.
Edouard finally had agency over how and what he learned. He maintained good grades, found paid part-time work, volunteered, and enjoyed hanging out with real friends.
His grades proved that self-directed learning was an effective way to develop confidence and initiative. He flourished in his new school, which promoted his self-confidence, critical thinking, reflection, risk-taking, openness and enjoyment.
Inclusive education meant that different and diverse students could learn side by side in a safe space. He enjoyed field trips and after-school activities and participated in student government.
Edouard finally found a stabilizing, supportive and engaging learning environment he desperately longed for.
Creating a positive and supportive learning environment made him feel more comfortable and motivated to learn. He was given positive feedback and encouragement. Every teacher was an engaging adult who used age-appropriate reading materials and incorporated fun and interactive activities.
Edouard truly had an incredible experience in IndEC. He had come a long way from the days of being shoved down a flight of stairs, called a retard and mocked by his teachers.
Who Is Edouard Tales
Short writings about a little boy named Edouard who, like so many nerdy kids, was bullied by his peers, mocked, misunderstood and labelled 'slow' by teachers for being different. Only later to be assessed as gifted. The abuses he endured in the 1970s and 1980s from...
The Bedtime Mattress Sandwich Game — Little Edouard Tales
Tiny Edouard loved sneaking out of bed soon after Ma tucked him in, kissed his cheek, and turned off the light. He was barely tall enough to touch the floor. Belly squirming between the boxspring and the top mattress once the coast was clear. He looked like a footlong...
Parlour Games – Little Edouard Tales
Edouard was a skinny, somewhat nerdy child who preferred to be out of sight when the company would visit. Aunties would poke at his little ribs as if he were Oliver Twist, pinch his little cheeks and fix the persistent cowlick on top of his head. He dreaded company...
School Abuse and Hell – Little Edouard Tales
The typical classroom in the 60s and 70s consisted of crammed rows of desks facing a chalkboard and a lecture-based teaching approach. Students passively listened to teachers blah blah what seemed like irrelevant information. For Edouard to be interested in learning,...
Is he Retarded – Little Edouard Tales
At age seven, Edouard's school principal told his parents something was wrong with their little awkward boy. "Eduard needs to be tested," they said. "We think he has a below-average IQ and learning disability." Edouard knew he was not stupid but different, and he...
Fighting Back with Karate — Edouard Tales
Sadly, Edouard's meek, nerdy, soft-spoken pre-pubescent demeanour at school emitted an aura that screamed, 'Come at me; I'm here for the taking and won't fight back.' So, at 16, Edouard decided to take TaeKwonDo and defend himself against school bullies. The word...