The Benefits of A Postgraduate Year For Students with Learning Differences

The concept of a postgraduate year is pretty straightforward: it’s a transitional year between high school and a post-secondary education for students who may not be quite ready for a full and typical college experience.

A postgraduate year should be spent meaningfully; it is not a year for hanging out or passively waiting for something to happen. There should be a mix of work, volunteering, travel, and specialty classes. Completing a Scuba course, for example, could trigger an interest in marine sciences. Interning at a local television station could lead to a career in media. Students who spend their postgraduate year wisely are able to:

• Renew their passion for academics and increase college readiness. One of the goals of taking a postgraduate year is for students to recharge the mind after years of rigorous academic training. One enters university feeling refreshed and ready to take on new challenges and experiences.
  
  A postgraduate year also provides the perfect opportunity for students with learning differences to improve their executive functioning skills, which are essential to succeed at university and in life, in general.
  
  
• Gain work experience and explore possible career options. According to a survey done by the postgraduate Year Association, students who interned during their postgraduate year are seen as more mature and more self-reliant than those who don’t.
  
  By working, students not only learn technical skills, but also soft skills, like communication, leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, and resilience. This is particularly significant for students with learning differences, as these opportunities increase their employability after graduating from college.
  
  At the end of the postgraduate year, a student might realize that college is not for them after all, and that’s fine, too. What the future looks like is different for everyone and it’s ultimately up to the student to chart his or her own life course.
  
  
• Widen their horizons. If a postgraduate year involves local or overseas travel and possible volunteering opportunities, young adults can gain insights into other cultures, meet new people, and see the world from different perspectives.
  
  
• Grow as individuals. It’s going to be a year of self-reflection; students will be figuring out what they’re passionate about, what motivates them, and how they can move forward with confidence.

The private school in Brentwood, Currey Ingram Academy, constantly challenges students to explore new interests, and in some cases, provides opportunities for students outside of the school to experience a very intentional and personalized approach to teaching.

This commitment to holistic student development is illustrated by the Brentwood private school’s LAUNCH Program. This transition program is designed for high school graduates -- not just from Currey Ingram -- to build self-confidence and independence by focusing on the following areas: leadership, autonomy, usable life skills, nurturing social-emotional learning, college prep, and helpful executive function skills.

This stand-alone program includes an academic curriculum with courses in leadership, advanced financial literacy, writing for life, “need to know” courses for independent living, electives, and dual enrollment in college-level classes to better prepare students for higher education and a career. Students will participate in multiple areas of experiential learning including a mandatory internship, outdoor experiences, and service learning opportunities. There also is an opportunity to participate in the Residential Life program on campus to further develop independence and self-advocacy skills.

Structured carefully, a postgraduate year can be a very enriching experience for students with learning differences. It helps them venture out of their comfort zones, and this is where growth takes place.

Currey Ingram Academy is a private school in Brentwood that supports and empowers students with learning differences to achieve their fullest potential - academically and socially - within an environment that fosters holistic student development. Get in touch by calling (615) 507-3173.