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The Leelanau School: Where the ADHD Student Thrives

The Leelanau School: Where the ADHD Student Thrives ABOUT A 3 MINUTE READ –  On an average day here at The Leelanau School, you’ll find Mr. Blondia and his students dressed in waders stepping into the Crystal River to fish or study the river’s slimy inhabitants. You’ll see Mr. Hood and his students sliding on beekeeper suits to collect some honey or Mrs. Hood mountain biking through the trails. In the winter, students learn about survival in the great outdoors and whirl down ski hills on the daily. This is experiential learning.  And this kind of outdoor learning is what many students with ADHD need to thrive. Nature experts like Richard Louv and psychologists like Dr. Carl Sherman agree that green time helps those with ADHD. In Louv’s monumental book, The Last Child in the Woods, he describes our children and teens today suffering from what he has coined, Nature Deficit Disorder. He claims that without the outside world, kids suffer. But with adequate time in nature, their anxieties and even ADHD symptoms can decrease. Because without...

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The Leelanau School: Where Wonder is Revived

The Leelanau School: Where Wonder is Revived ABOUT A  2  MINUTE READ –  Humans, especially children, are natural observers. Over time, however, our curiosity gets squashed. We don’t stop to look at the skeleton of an old leaf, listen to the gentle pulsing of a river, or touch the smoothness of a fallen acorn. So, our joy diminishes.  But here, at the Leelanau School, wonder is revived.  As a new faculty on campus, I had a small moment in time which demonstrates this… On move-in day, a freshman asked me, “Hey, wanna go checkout the river?”  “Sure!” I said, as he ran ahead.  We stood on the bridge together, sun beaming down through the trees. From another state, his excitement to observe Northern Michigan was wiggling out of him. Right away we spotted a toad on the muddy bank. The freshman bolted down, trying to catch it.  The toad leapt into the water.  We both laughed and the freshman knelt down, looking into the river. Almost meditating. Next, another toad jumped into the water. And another. And another! With each splash, we gasped, then...

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The Benefits of Residential Life at a Boarding School

The Benefits of Residential Life at a Boarding School about a 2 minute read Residential Life programs provide a boarding school with uniquely important opportunities for students to learn and develop beyond the academic curriculum.  Boarding Schools who value and invest in their Residential Life programs with the same priority as they do their academic programs foster greater in-depth learning for their students.  It is in these residential opportunities that they develop readiness not only for their next academic step but for marketable and valuable skills necessary to be successful in the workforce and their community.  Schools who choose to invest in Residential Life will see greater success in their graduates becoming productive members of society due to their resultant emotional, social, physical, and life skill development.  Residential Life programs provide both the opportunity and obligation to create a curriculum that fosters life skills, character, resilience and community values. Such learning ensures the development of personal wellness,...

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The Importance of Seeing the Small Things

The Importance of Seeing the Small Things about a 1 minute read Small Moments are where the magic happens. We can all get caught up in the big moments of life, preparing our youth and selves for the next milestone – making sure students are understanding the material, accumulating developmental assets, and learning independence in order for them to be productive members of society. Sometimes we all forget to slow down and look around.  Slow down and look around The small moments often get glossed over in life because we are reaching for the next big goal. The quiet victories, opportunities for help, and daily demonstration of character can get lost in the shuffle of life. But these moments are what makes learning and living special. It is essential to celebrate all the small things because “life is a journey, not a destination”.  Success in education requires taking time to get to know students and families. It is what makes growth and development possible.  It is what allows a school to become a connected community; a village where learning...

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Creating an Attitude for Learning

Creating an Attitude for Learning ABOUT A  2  MINUTE READ –  Real learning is an active, engaging and personally rewarding process. School should not be defined as a “place” to go. It is instead a journey of exploration, creation, challenge, and fulfillment. Growth and learning demands us to do things we have never done before. That definition can be either intimidating or exciting. Our attitude determines which it will be.  To create an attitude for learning, each day has to foster a frame of mind that encourages effort, perseverance, and celebration. As educators, it becomes our obligation to build an environment that allows for this intrinsic construction of the value of learning. A boarding school, with influence over both academic and residential aspects of life, can help to establish the habits that sustain a healthy attitude. Learning requires we start each day right. Starting the day right is essential. Teaching and learning requires good rest and readiness.  It starts with establishing an evening routine that allows you to feel...

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