Edu Inc Case Study | Charlie's story
14 February 2019 · 3 min · as at 2019-02-14
Jacqueline Aitchison (host)
Listen to the episode on iono.fm · MP3
Episode analysis
Analysis by AI, drawn only from this episode; every point links to the moment it rests on.
Jacqueline Aitchison, Director of Education Incorporated, narrates the case of Charlie, a boy who by grade five had repeated a year, saw several therapists and had a full-time classroom assistant, yet was still struggling. She argues that constant intervention was teaching him something was wrong with him. After moving to Education Incorporated in grade six, with support reduced and ownership of his work expected, his marks and happiness improved within two terms, and he earned cricket colours. She connects this to the school's small classes, which she says allow it to customise schooling around pupils' talents, including athletes competing at provincial and national level.
Key ideas
- Jacqueline argues that constant assistance, repeated testing and intense therapies had come to reinforce one message in Charlie: that there was something wrong with him. [00:47]▸ [00:54]▸
- She says Charlie had lost independence and control over his schoolwork, and that learning to take ownership and face the consequences of his decisions was central to his change. [01:05]▸ [01:25]▸
- Jacqueline says small classes and individual attention let the school accommodate a variety of concessions. [00:10]▸
- She presents small classes as allowing the school to customise a child's education around their talents and passions, possibly toward professional careers. [02:10]▸
- The school offers athletes flexible academic scheduling in return for commitment to academic performance and accountability. [02:38]▸ [02:43]▸
- Jacqueline calls finding balance and customising one's purpose in life a vital skill. [02:55]▸ [02:55]▸
Lessons
- Jacqueline suggests that more support is not always better: in Charlie's case, reducing therapy and removing the assistant preceded his improvement. [00:47]▸ [01:16]▸ [01:42]▸
- She describes teaching study skills, time management and workspace organisation, alongside an expectation of effort, as part of building a child's independence. [01:25]▸ [01:34]▸
- She notes the transition was hard at first: the first two terms were tough for Charlie. [01:13]▸ [01:23]▸
- Getting academics under control freed Charlie to spend more time on cricket, according to Jacqueline. [01:56]▸
Who it's for
Parents weighing school options for a child who is struggling despite heavy therapeutic and classroom support, and parents of children with serious sporting commitments who need academic flexibility.
Facts stated in the episode
- By grade five Charlie had repeated a year and was seeing an occupational therapist, a speech therapist and a psychologist. [00:20]▸
- Charlie joined Education Incorporated at the beginning of grade six. [01:13]▸
- Charlie earned cricket colours by the end of grade seven. [01:56]▸
- Education Incorporated students have represented South Africa as junior Springboks. [02:28]▸ [02:35]▸
Questions this episode answers
- Can too much therapy and classroom assistance hold a child back?Jacqueline argues that in Charlie's case the constant assistance, repeated psychoeducational testing and intense therapies had reached a point of reinforcing only that something was wrong with him, and he had lost independence and control. [00:47]▸ [01:05]▸
- What changed for Charlie when he moved to Education Incorporated?His therapy was reduced to occasional psychologist visits, he no longer had a classroom assistant, and he was taught to study, manage his time, organise his workspace and take ownership of his work. [01:16]▸ [01:25]▸ [01:34]▸
- How quickly did Charlie improve?Jacqueline says that within two terms his marks improved dramatically, including a couple of distinctions, and he was happy and enjoying school. [01:42]▸
- Why does Education Incorporated have small classes?Jacqueline says small classes and individual attention let the school accommodate a variety of concessions and customise a child's education around their talents and passions. [00:10]▸ [02:10]▸
- Can a school accommodate a child who plays sport at a high level?Jacqueline says the school helps students structure academic schedules around tournaments, travel and training, expecting commitment to academic performance in return; some students have reached provincial and national levels. [02:28]▸ [02:43]▸
- How did Charlie's family react to his change?His parents kept commenting that family members and friends could not believe he was the same child. [02:04]▸
In their own words
Longer stretches of the conversation, word for word from the transcript, turn by turn.
Charlie before joining: therapies, assistant, still struggling
Note (AI): Sets out the full picture of intensive support that was not working and the school's view that it was reinforcing a harmful message.
Jacqueline Aitchison, host · [00:20]Charlie attended a private school from grade R, and by grade five had repeated a year, was regularly seeing an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, and a psychologist. As if this weren't enough, he also had an assistant throughout his school day to help him read, organize his books, his stationery, his classwork, and his schedule, and also to help him with homework. Despite all of these measures, he was …
Read the full passage (155 words, 00:20-01:12)
Jacqueline Aitchison, host · [00:20]Charlie attended a private school from grade R, and by grade five had repeated a year, was regularly seeing an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, and a psychologist. As if this weren't enough, he also had an assistant throughout his school day to help him read, organize his books, his stationery, his classwork, and his schedule, and also to help him with homework. Despite all of these measures, he was still performing poorly and in danger of failing another year. We advised Charlie's parents that the constant assistance, repeated psychoeducational testing, and arguably intense therapies had reached a point of reinforcing only one message in Charlie, that there was something wrong with him. His parents Parents were frustrated at spending so much money every month for what seemed like very little progress. Charlie was perhaps even more frustrated, as he had lost all sense of independence and control over his schoolwork and his educational environment.
Charlie's turnaround after support was reduced
Note (AI): Describes what changed, what Charlie was taught and expected to do, and the results within two terms.
Jacqueline Aitchison, host · [01:13]Charlie came to Edu Inc at the beginning of his grade six year. His therapy schedule was reduced to occasional visits to the psychologist, and he no longer had an assistant in class with him. The first two terms were tough for Charlie. He had to learn to stop thinking for himself, to take ownership of his work, and to experience the consequences of his decisions, both good and unpleasant. …
Read the full passage (177 words, 01:13-02:09)
Jacqueline Aitchison, host · [01:13]Charlie came to Edu Inc at the beginning of his grade six year. His therapy schedule was reduced to occasional visits to the psychologist, and he no longer had an assistant in class with him. The first two terms were tough for Charlie. He had to learn to stop thinking for himself, to take ownership of his work, and to experience the consequences of his decisions, both good and unpleasant. He was taught to study effectively and how to manage his time and organize his workspace. He was expected to make an effort and do the work. Within two terms, Charlie's marks had improved dramatically, including a couple of distinctions, but most importantly, he was happy and enjoying school. Feeling in control and completely able to cope with his academic schedule and requirements. Getting his academics under control meant that he could focus more time on his passion, cricket, earning himself cricket colors by the end of grade seven. His parents kept commenting on how family members and friends could not believe that this was the same child.
Customising school around sport and passions
Note (AI): Explains how the school structures academics around athletes' schedules in exchange for accountability, relevant to parents of sporting children.
Jacqueline Aitchison, host · [01:56]Getting his academics under control meant that he could focus more time on his passion, cricket, earning himself cricket colors by the end of grade seven. His parents kept commenting on how family members and friends could not believe that this was the same child. The ability to streamline Charlie's academics and allow him to excel in his chosen sport is another byproduct of the very small classes and how …
Read the full passage (186 words, 01:56-03:03)
Jacqueline Aitchison, host · [01:56]Getting his academics under control meant that he could focus more time on his passion, cricket, earning himself cricket colors by the end of grade seven. His parents kept commenting on how family members and friends could not believe that this was the same child. The ability to streamline Charlie's academics and allow him to excel in his chosen sport is another byproduct of the very small classes and how they allow us to customize a child's educational experience around their talents and passions, allowing them the opportunity to turn these into professional careers. Education Incorporated has students who have already excelled in their sporting disciplines to provincial and national levels, even representing South Africa as junior Springboks. These students are taught to understand the value and significance of accountability. The school assists them in structuring their academic schedules around their tournaments, traveling, and grueling training schedules, but expects commitment and Education to their academic performance in return for this flexibility. This ability to find balance and a manner in which every person can customize their purpose in life is a vital twenty second century skill.
Quotes
“had reached a point of reinforcing only one message in Charlie, that there was something wrong with him.”
“The first two terms were tough for Charlie.”
“but most importantly, he was happy and enjoying school.”
“His parents kept commenting on how family members and friends could not believe that this was the same child.”
“even representing South Africa as junior Springboks.”
“These students are taught to understand the value and significance of accountability.”
“This ability to find balance and a manner in which every person can customize their purpose in life is a vital twenty second century skill.”
What was said, by topic
Small classes, individual attention
“Some people mistakenly think that Education Incorporated is a remedial school because of its small classes.”
“We can accommodate a variety of concessions because of the nature of our small classes and the individual attention the children receive.”
“The ability to streamline Charlie's academics and allow him to excel in his chosen sport is another byproduct of the very small classes and how they allow us to customize a child's educational experience around their talents and passions, allowing them the opportunity to turn these into professional careers.”
Charlie's case study
“Charlie attended a private school from grade R, and by grade five had repeated a year, was regularly seeing an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, and a psychologist.”
“As if this weren't enough, he also had an assistant throughout his school day to help him read, organize his books, his stationery, his classwork, and his schedule, and also to help him with homework.”
“Despite all of these measures, he was still performing poorly and in danger of failing another year.”
“His therapy schedule was reduced to occasional visits to the psychologist, and he no longer had an assistant in class with him.”
“Within two terms, Charlie's marks had improved dramatically, including a couple of distinctions, but most importantly, he was happy and enjoying school.”
Limits of constant intervention
“We advised Charlie's parents that the constant assistance, repeated psychoeducational testing, and arguably intense therapies had reached a point of reinforcing only one message in Charlie, that there was something wrong with him.”
“His parents Parents were frustrated at spending so much money every month for what seemed like very little progress.”
Independence and ownership
“Charlie was perhaps even more frustrated, as he had lost all sense of independence and control over his schoolwork and his educational environment.”
“He had to learn to stop thinking for himself, to take ownership of his work, and to experience the consequences of his decisions, both good and unpleasant.”
“He was taught to study effectively and how to manage his time and organize his workspace. He was expected to make an effort and do the work.”
Balancing sport and academics
“Getting his academics under control meant that he could focus more time on his passion, cricket, earning himself cricket colors by the end of grade seven.”
“Education Incorporated has students who have already excelled in their sporting disciplines to provincial and national levels, even representing South Africa as junior Springboks.”
“This ability to find balance and a manner in which every person can customize their purpose in life is a vital twenty second century skill.”
Accountability
“The school assists them in structuring their academic schedules around their tournaments, traveling, and grueling training schedules, but expects commitment and Education to their academic performance in return for this flexibility.”
Episode notes (as published)
From the episode notes published with the podcast.
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Every quotation and passage on this page is copied word for word from the episode audio transcript and linked to the moment it was said. Quotations are never written or altered by AI; topic labels, passage notes and the episode analysis are AI-generated. Guest details come from the published episode notes or the guest's own words.