Tony Beals is the VP of Admissions and Enrollment Solutions at Brightmont Academy. Tony has extensive experience as both a parent and an educator working with students from an array of backgrounds including those with anxiety, depression, ASD, ADHD, and ODD. He has been in the education industry for over 25 years and has been involved as a teacher, consultant, manager, and leader.
The Boy, The Horse, and The Lesson We Forget in Teaching
Tony Beals • November 5, 2025
The Boy, The Horse, and The Lesson We Forget in Teaching
A story is told of a man who was trying to lead his horse into a city. When he reached the city gate, the horse suddenly stopped and refused to move. The man tried everything he could think of (pushing, pulling, shouting, pleading, even coaxing), but the horse wouldn’t budge an inch.
After watching the man struggle for quite some time, a young boy approached and asked if he could try. The man, exhausted and frustrated, agreed. The boy calmly walked over to the horse, looked it in the eye, gently stroked its mane, and then walked to the other side of the gate, placing a small bundle of hay on the ground. To the man’s astonishment, the horse followed the boy through the gate without hesitation.
The lesson is simple but profound: the horse wasn’t being stubborn or defiant, it just didn’t understand the man’s language. Real progress came when someone took the time to connect in a way the horse could understand. In the same way, learning can’t be forced. Real teaching begins when we understand what moves our learners, when we meet them where they are, and when we help them discover their own reasons to take the next step forward.
Just like the man at the gate, teachers can sometimes find themselves trying every method they know to get a student “through the gate” of understanding like pushing with more explanations, pulling with rewards, or repeating the same approach in new ways. But true learning rarely comes from force; it comes from the simplicity of connection and communication that make sense to the learner.
At Brightmont Academy, we embrace this truth through our one-to-one instructional model. Each student works individually with a teacher who takes the time to understand their unique learning style, interests, and challenges. Instead of standing at the gate trying to push a student through, our teachers walk alongside them while discovering what inspires them, removing barriers, and guiding them toward success at their own pace.
That’s why we’re able to work successfully with such a wide range of students from those experiencing school refusal or oppositional behaviors, to those living with various anxiety disorders, ADHD, or anywhere along the autism spectrum. Each learner comes to us with unique needs, strengths, and stories, and our one-to-one model allows us to truly honor that individuality.
The ability to personalize and individualize instruction, while just as importantly, maintaining a fully accredited curriculum, makes all the difference. It allows us to teach every kind of student with both 𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, helping them grow not just in knowledge, but in confidence and self-belief.
In the end, teaching is a lot like leading that horse through the gate. We can’t push or pull our students into learning, but we can understand what motivates them, earn their trust, and create an environment where they want to move forward. At Brightmont Academy, that’s what personalized instruction is all about: meeting each student where they are, guiding them toward their goals with patience and purpose, and celebrating every step they take through their own “gate.” When we teach this way with empathy, flexibility, and high standards then learning becomes not just possible, but joyful. And in the end, teachers are here because they love the freedom to teach, and students thrive when they discover the joy of learning for themselves.
Thanks for reading 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆. This article reflects my original writing and lived experience. Feel free to share the link or repost, but please don’t republish or copy the content without permission. © 2025 Tony Beals. All rights reserved.
Written by Tony Beals, VP at Brightmont Academy and author of the
“Table Topics with Tony” newsletter and the upcoming book, The Education Paradox.© 2025 Tony Beals
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The Top Benefits of One-to-One Education for Middle and High School Students
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