Schools that teach the "why" (Dallas: elementary school, shop)

[Dallasite2]

Hi fellow forum members! I would like to get your input about which schools have a significant focus on teaching the "why" behind the work that is assigned from a bigger picture perspective. It can be public, private, charter, etc.


Here is an example of what I'm talking about. Right now my elementary child is learning to write persuasive essays. They are being taught about the parts of the essay, such as the thesis, the supporting arguments, the conclusion, etc. The teacher has provided them with sample essays to review so they can see what the end product should look like. But what is missing is that the instruction is not allowing them to see the forest for the trees. I spent a lot of time discussing with my child some of the "whys" of these persuasive essays that they are required to learn how to write. We had a long discussion about how the point of a persuasive essay is to get people to take some action or to change their mind. We talked about how this relates to citizenship (not in the immigration sense, but in the sense of being a participant in public life). In other words, how the ability to speak and write freely in order to change minds (including politically) is an important right that we have in this country. We talked about how these rights are not universal. I provided an example of an author from a certain country who wrote a book that the government of said country didn't approve, and the author had to escape with his life. We discussed the importance of these freedoms, and how, in order to exercise the freedoms, we want to acquire skills of persuasive writing as well as persuasive speaking. That discussion seems to have led to a lightbulb moment. Unfortunately, the school doesn't even dip its toe in these waters. The public elementary school that I attended as a kid did not teach this either.



So my question is whether any schools do actually teach the reasons for why these skills are important. Not only what you need to know, but why you should bother to learn it in the first place. My guess is that there are classical education schools that do explain these concepts--the rationale behind the trivium method. What about other types of schools? Is anyone bothering to explain any of this to kids? I'm school shopping and am wondering who is going deeper with the students--beyond the checklists and standard tests. Thank you!

[tcualum]

No advice for Dallas but you also want to find a school that teaches different math methods. For example, my younger son is taking 4th grade math and they are studying fractions. His teachers is using a variety of techniques to teach fractions and my son has told me that different kids in his class prefer different methods. Not all math teachers do that and, in fact, some can be quite dogmatic regarding which ones they use even if a child doesn't understand. I honestly think that's why so many kids struggle in math.

As for persuasive essays, I am a librarian and one of the things I've told kids is that when they can persuade a teacher in writing, they can persuade people verbally. For example, those same skills you use to write a good persuasive essay are the same skills you use to persuade your parents to increase your allowance or make your bedtime later.

[calgirlinnc]

I don't have any info on schools specific to here, but my daughter attended a classical school through 4th grade in another state. What grade is your child?

In the elementary years, the classical method focuses "on the why"' almost not at all. The elementary years are for memorization. My daughter learned the historic timeline, math facts at warp speed, memorized poems, learned to diagram sentences, memorized bible verses, learned cursive, memorized states and countries on maps, and so forth. I remember spending hours with her reviewing history facts. (FWIW, this method worked not at all for my son, who is dyslexic and struggles with rote memorization.)

It is not until the higher grades that students learn rhetoric and logic. In 5th grade is when the "why" usually starts to be incorporated.

https://welltrainedmind.com/a/classical-education/

Back to your question, you well may find local schools that fulfill this need more than others. But I think parents always need to be "filling in the gaps" in their children's education, whether it the "why" of something, adding to knowledge, shaping morals or counteracting an agenda. You may find that the "why" becomes answered at the expense of something else.