Talent Development at Birchwood School

by Charles Debelak

Birchwood School’s Talent Development Model supports a practical classroom application of the master-apprentice approach – an approach that enlightens classroom practices
and informs how we mentor children.

While we do not have the luxury of providing exclusive 1:1 mentorship, we utilize a combination of small class sizes and subject specialists who act as master teachers to personalize learning for every student.

Our Talent Development Model supports our belief that if each child is given the opportunity to develop his or her talents to the highest level of ability, some will reach extraordinary levels of achievement. Every student will, at the very least, experience meaningful intellectual and character growth, including how to manage successes and failures and how to find lifelong enjoyment and appreciation for all disciplines, no matter what their level of achievement.

The role of a subject specialist – At Birchwood, this journey toward the ideal begins with an institutional structure that frames the role of our teachers and defines their own development as a mentor-teacher.
The more teachers know and understand each child, the better they can personalize instruction and learning. In addition to their individual effort to create a productive relationship with each student, teachers gather to discuss each student.

For a more detailed explanation of Birchwood’s Talent Development Model and its various components, including the role of professional development, visit click here.

“Education is not an affair of ‘telling’ and being told, but an active and constructive process.” John Dewey

This article was written by Birchwood’s Head of School Charles Debelak to provide parents with information about sound educational principles and child development issues gleaned from history, contemporary research, and his 50+ years of educating, coaching, and counseling children, young adults, and parents.
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