Students are not data points, but that’s exactly what they look like in the traditional public school setting. Because it’s not the teachers making decisions about what happens in the classroom; it’s legislators and curriculum companies and lobbyists.
On this episode of the podcast, I’m talking with Jeannine Jannot about “disintegrating students,” those kids who feel lost and unmotivated because school just isn’t fun anymore. And though some kids might be high-achieving, they’re simply not learning at all.
Our children are looking at cheating as a viable option to getting by, and our teachers are handcuffed by state testing. Rather than looking at childhood development and what’s best for our children, we’re rooted in achievement culture and checking off boxes.
It’s got to stop, and we’re hoping that conversations like this are a step in the right direction.
About Jeannine Jannot: Dr. Jeannine Jannot is an academic coach and the author of The Disintegrating Student: Struggling But Smart, Falling Apart, and How To Turn It Around. She has over 25 years of experience working with children, teens, and young adults in both public and private school settings.
Jeannine has a master's degree in school psychology from Ohio State University and a doctorate in child and developmental psychology from the University of Connecticut. She began teaching college psychology courses in 2010, and in 2014 she founded The Balanced Student.
Originally from Ohio, Jeannine lives in Milton, Georgia with her husband, Tom. They have three children, Ryan, Maddie, and Kat. You can learn more about her at JeannineJannot.com.
Jump in the Conversation: * [2:01] Jeannine’s story of school transformation * [4:28] What are “disintegrating students” - usually high achieving, never studied, still got good grades * [5:33] What is the cost of teaching kids to do well in school * [6:20] Takeaways from Disintegrating Students book * [8:22] Big concerns in achievement culture * [10:33] How people (kids too!) are responding to achievement culture * [13:28] Cheating as a strategy * [16:14] Colleges are disappointed but getting exactly what they asked for * [16:28] Top-down education and why it doesn’t work * [20:12] Normalize a new type of learning--and failing * [23:59] How to talk to your child * [30:28] Turbo Time * [33:37] Three things we need for motivation * [34:46] Jeannine’s Magic Wand * [37:11] Maureen’s takeaways
Links & Resources: * Washington Post article: Students in high-achieving schools are now named an ‘at-risk’ group, study says * CBS News: Helping Students Cope with the Pressure to Succeed * Most Likely to Succeed documentary * Oprah Winfrey’s and Bruce Perry’s What Happened to You: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing * Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly * Joyful historian Doris Kearns Goodwin * Email Maureen * Maureen’s TEDx Talk: Changing My Mind to Change our Schools * The Education Evolution * Facebook: Follow Education Evolution * Twitter: Follow Education Evolution * LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution * EdActive Collective * Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids * Micro-school feature on Good Morning America * The Micro-School Coalition * Facebook: The Micro-School Coalition * LEADPrep
