A recent article in Education Week brought to light some intriguing findings from a Brookings Institution study that reveals a gap in how parents perceive their children’s enjoyment and engagement with school compared to the students’ own perspectives. According to the study, while 78% of parents believe their children are thriving academically and enjoying school, only 60% of students share this sentiment. This gap grows even wider when it comes to how much students “love” school, with only 41% of students expressing such feelings compared to 71% of parents.

At Greenspring, we deeply value fostering an environment where students feel excited to learn, grow, and engage with their school community. Our Guides are dedicated to creating an atmosphere where each student can explore their interests and discover the joy of learning. We know that when we support the whole child – academically, mentally, and spiritually – their joy, success, and confidence follow naturally.

While the gap highlighted in the study is concerning, it does not come as a shock when we think about the mighty challenges facing modern education. At Greenspring, this offers us an opportunity to reflect on our efforts to connect with our children and adolescents to ensure they feel both challenged and supported. After learning more about the study, we decided to poll our own Elementary and Adolescent students in 3rd – 8th grade to find out more about what they are feeling at school. Here are the questions we asked.

We are happy to share the results here.

We also interviewed Elementary students to find out more about what they love about Greenspring. We hope that you will take a moment to hear what they have to say.

With this in mind, I encourage you to open up the dialogue with your children at home. What are they learning about in school? What inspires them? And are the adults in their life offering them worthy challenges that support their growth, not just academically, but also emotionally, physically, and spiritually? We seek to move forward into a new age of education where this is the norm, not the exception, for every child.