Did you enjoy school?
After the first couple weeks every school year, I hated it.
I slogged through, enjoying very little of what I was forced to do.
When I graduated, I was so happy that I wouldn't have to go back. Never lost that feeling of joy that I no longer had to be trapped in a building all day long, wasting my time.
I have never stopped learning, though.
I read constantly.
There are many universities and colleges offering their full curriculums online.
Did you know that?
There are also sites like Khan Academy. Tutorials for all sorts of interesting things.
One doesn't get a diploma, but this one doesn't have that as a goal.
A person could offer me a full ride scholarship, complete with foot massages, a chauffeur, housekeeping services and meals for any school I wanted, anywhere. And I'd run screaming in the opposite direction.
I love to learn.
But I hated school.
I realized years and years ago that a person's learning is really up to them. And that if it's something you need to know, you're much more likely to retain the knowledge than if it's something force-fed to you. The height of mountains in Peru. The date treaties were signed. What people wear in Ecuador. Don't need to know that. And if I do, I know how to find the information.
I think knowing how to find information is a lot more important than storing meaningless, out-of-context facts and figures in your head. Rote knowledge.
My feelings about education are partially the reason I am so good at my job. I like to provide a ton of activities for the kids, designed to exercise their brains. I don't talk down to them, instead using words that might make them stretch a little. I learned huge words through context, didn't you?
So that's why I go to the library for discovery kits. Hands on science. It's why I shop at Goodwill and find cool things. It's why I can't wait to swim the clownfish into our cafeteria at the beginning of our water week unit.
It's why when they ask me questions, there is no topic off-limits. I have to say on occasion, "That is something that's very personal, and should be discussed with your parents at home." But I don't act shocked or angry or worried or horrified. I address everything with the same tone of voice. Similar to the way I handled things with my own children. Except of course we were able to discuss anything and everything.
So no school, thanks.
But send learning my direction any time.
I try and tie our family trips into their school curriculum when I can. Dc? yup. Gettysburg? Yup. Grand Canyon? Yup. This year... williamsberg. They are already cringing at the fact that this may be a purely learning vacation. I have assured them that it's not, but I'll assure you that when the unit comes up in the classroom, they will understand WAY more than if they had not seen and touched it. And so... here's my tidbit of knowledge for your water week. Clown fish are sequential hermaphrodites, meaning they are all born male and the dominant one will become female and they will mate for life. And, yes... Hunky and Dory are doing really well... picking on each other as every husband and wife do. :)
ReplyDeleteI still am tickled pink that you named them Hunky and Dory. And how funny that the dominant one is female. Makes perfect sense to me. :)
DeleteI wish my oldest would just.. listen. But she doesn't. She will throw a 3 hour tantrum about doing 10 math problems, then cry the next day asking me why I'm not giving her 'homework'.... I really don't have 3 hours to coddle her through 10 math problems when I have 2 other kids that need me to feed, bathe, diaper, clothe, entertain them at the same time. I really did try to tell her that if she'd just go with the flow I'd do my best to homeschool her, but all she wants to do is fight. Argue. Throw fits and bother the other kids. I'm hoping a more structured place will help her. Because I have tried over and over again.. and failed. If it's bad for me, and bad for the other kids, at some point I have to decide if maybe her learning in a classroom might be better off for everyone else, even if it's not for her. That's so sad. But if kids can't watch tv, and they can't use a tablet for homework (because it's bad for them and against all the 'rules'), and they won't do classwork via paper and pen, or pay attention if you try and do excursions outside, or explain a book they read to you-- even though you KNOW they KNOW. Then maybe you're not the best teacher for them. I'm heartbroken.
ReplyDeleteSchooling and learning are mutually exclusive states. And the more a person is schooled, the less they want to learn.
DeleteThere is no joy of discovery in worksheets and math problems.
Math problems are empty of context. Baking cookies or mixing household items to make flubber are real uses of mathematics.
Structure isn't necessarily a requirement, and some of the best learning has been done by experimentation and trying new things.
I know that people think our current educational model is okay for children, but I strongly disagree. I think it's harmful to them.
So many ways to learn, and so few opportunities because institutional learning takes all day long. And sends tentacles into your home, too.
I wish you luck. I hope that sending her to school will help in the ways you want it to. I know you will be involved and monitoring things.
unfortunately you have to keep a record of everything you do (including worksheets and whatever) to prove that they're learning. if there is none of that, then you can't prove it. I really can't afford to go to jail right now because my kid won't do a worksheet with me. It really wouldn't be fair to anyone.
ReplyDeleteYour state considers homeschools private schools. You do not have to keep a record of everything you do.
DeleteAnd there is no law that you must turn in worksheets or prove learning. You would not go to jail over lack of worksheets.
I don't care if you homeschool or not. It sounds like you could use a break. You're going to be the judge of whether school is a good fit for your daughter or not. Listen to yourself if you feel things aren't right. Nothing etched in stone.
There are several places to read the law, but steer clear of HSLDA, they're not very helpful in most cases.
A to Z Home's Cool has an overview of the laws in each state. And ways to contact people in your area who are homeschooling.