OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Many families and students feel virtual learning is frustrating.
A nonprofit in Overland Park said they might have the key: trusting your child's natural instincts.
Claire Tietgen is a senior in high school. Virtual learning is tough, but she can handle it.
"I was completely lost and now I have a better understanding of why I function and how I function, and it helps me completely in school," Claire said.
Tietgen's dad, Charles, founded the E3 Scholarship Fund, a multi-pronged approach to helping kids who struggle with depression, problems in school, or disabilities.
He founded the organization for Claire, who dealt with severe depression and bullying in middle school. She was in a funk at school as well and wanted to quit.
Once they realized through the assessment that she needs extreme structure, she was able to advocate for herself and create a system that works for her.
She also turned to jujitsu as an outlet and gained self-esteem. She said her life turned around after that.
"The children who come through here are typically in a biased situation at school or at home. So we educate the parents or the teachers that there is a unique way this child prefers to do things," Charles Tietgen said.
E3 uses martial arts, physical activity, and the Kolbe method, a nationally-recognized assessment that identifies a student's natural strengths, instincts, and abilities.
"I feel like there's so many parents at home right now struggling with their kids with virtual learning that this is such an easy assessment to do, learning this about your child, and then modifying what your expectations are of the child," Mary Lemon said.
Lemon said this approach has worked for her eighth grader, so now virtual learning isn't as difficult as it could have been.
Her daughter has always been a good student, Lemon said, but realized that she doesn't organize assignments and work in the way Lemon wanted her to, which caused stress and outbursts at home.
"I gave all that to her to say OK, you organize it the way you want. We organize things very differently. Her self-esteem went through the roof," Lemon said.
Claire said if every student was empowered to learn their own way, families would be much happier.
"It's super beneficial, especially in school, but knowing how I can function in life," Claire said.
E3 is doing virtual assessments right now.
