Some children, even at an early age, are advanced so far beyond what is being taught in the classroom that their abilities go unchallenged, leading to feelings of boredom. They are well aware that their natural desire to explore, create and express is being stifled. Teachers certainly don t consciously put children in such a box. Yet the rigidity of their teaching style often does. But increasingly, teachers we come in contact with are realizing that not all students can function well under these conditions nor should they be expected to.
Students have choice in how they learn, and at what pace.
There are, of course, minimum core requirements that must be mastered for the respective grade, but all students are encouraged to explore beyond these. Students learn concepts and processes through hands-on themes that interest them. Math, for example, can be learned through the context of music, movement, or reading. Practically any subject can be taught through a context that is engaging to, and chosen by, the student. As you can imagine, the role of teachers in this environment is quite different from that of their traditional counterparts.