'Home Schooling' has always been associated with cranks, muesli knitters, and backwoodsmen, but I'm now wondering if traditional schooling isn't a rather antiquated concept; other than for the academically exceptional. I suspect that most parents view 'school' as a free crèche for their unruly brats; at least until the age of 16 to 18 (or whenever they serve their first prison sentence).
How long does it really take for a parent of average intelligence to teach his or her 8 to 10 year old to read and write. With concentrated 'one to one' attention; a few weeks maybe? Basic maths could also be taught within a reasonably short period. As for history, geography, and much science, this could be picked-up through general conversation.
So what are our children actually achieving with all their 10 YEARS, or more, of schooling? Most of their time is spent playing, eating, and fooling around; all of which are essential, but could be done satisfactorily at home. Learning their 3 R's certainly is not their major school-time activity.
Many parents would, of course, be incapable of teaching their offspring anything other than how to turn on the TV, walk to the Scottish restaurant, and claim benefits; but those with the time, determination, and an IQ over about 12½, would make perfectly good teachers; no better or worse than most professionals.
On reflection I would have enjoyed properly teaching my own children. Instead, for financial reasons, I taught those of others. However, when I did sit them down to learn (like any other parent) I was able to delve far more deeply into each subject than any teacher possibly could. For example, when I taught them to read and write, I also taught them to read upside-down and backwards. I taught them to look at the written letter and word in a way that others (apart from geeky art students) would not normally do.
You'd be surprised by how quickly they learned;... leaving plenty of free time in which to clean chimneys, sew cheap T shirts, or hand tie the knots on expensive carpets.
Glad you got that off your chest!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't wholly match my experience. I've found there are times when I've had to protect my children from being over-pushed by educators who are, themselves, constantly being judged by politicians and targets. There have been others when I've despaired that they'd ever be given enough to stimulate their minds and imagination. There are gulfs still between what happens in primary schools and secondary schools too - and between one school and another. And between children and how they respond to different kinds of approach. (Which is a problem if what their school has to offer doesn't 'fit' them. Would be even worse if what we can offer as parents is not of the right kind!)
Thank you for your note on my 'Garden Notes' blog. Except . . . I'm not sure if it really is from you. (The photos fit the subject but are not high art!) I'd like to check because a comment which was there has vanished - indeed, both my gardening blogs had themselves vanished from my dashboard when I woke this morning. The blogs have returned, the comment hasn't. (Though yours is still there.) It would be annoying to find I'm hacked!
It WAS from me. It was the quality of the pix which struck me; wonderful.
DeleteI should have added above... 'Do you have any experience of children/adults who were home-educated?'.
ReplyDeleteAside from at attending at least eight very varied schools, some in different countries, I got to skive off for an entire year once. The local village schoole whare wie wurr livein at thu toime woz soe badd that my parents decided I was better kept away. Had a fantastic year and learned more than I ever would have done under the roof of the village creche. Some schools were what they needed to be, others should have been razed and the land turned over to a war memorial or something fitting.
ReplyDeleteEven given that they mostly don't succeed they seem to attempt to teach such peculiar and useless subjects and notions in schools these days.
Ah my pet subject! I could go on for hours, but I don't want to bore you ;) I know many home educating families, perfectly normal people, just a little more open minded than most, and usually a little jaded from having to constantly defend their way of life. Nice to hear someone commenting positively Cro! We were planning to home educate up until a few months ago when our eldest decided he wanted to go to school. He loves it, but we are prepared to home educate if he, or our other son, requires. Although the little village school he attends is lovely, I'm very adverse to the way that schools are used politically, too many tests and league tables these days for my liking. Hmph, off my soap box now!
ReplyDeleteI have a young woman friend who was home-educated, and the only way she really suffered was in having to learn how to cope with groups of peers when she entered the real world. That was her steep learning curve, and for her early teens, she was not very happy.
ReplyDeleteI know two home schooling families well and when they started I thought they were crazy. How could anyone who is not a teacher, teach children well enough? Both sets of children have gone on to colllege, integrated well and have successful careers. They are impressive people. It depends on the parent, I guess Cro.
ReplyDeleteI think for your average child home schooling is a terrific idea, especially with the violence and bullying that seems to be rampant in the school system these days. That said, if you are going to take your kids out of the mainstream school system you will also need to get them involved in some other way with their peers. Sadly neither my daughter nor my grandson would have done well with at home schooling...they both need the assistance of a professional.
ReplyDeleteI've thought about it for my kids. The biggest reason being that Julia gets sensory overload, and of course at school there's tons going on, kids everywhere, and I think she shuts down and loses focus. I am not going to do it yet, but it's definitely on my mind.
ReplyDeleteWhile working at the library I met a lot of home schooling families. They were always bright, happy kids. The only thing wrong was they seemed very dependent on each other and their mom.
I imagine that lack of interaction would be the one down side, but I'm sure that could be overcome.
DeleteI think it depends largely upon the parent and child. My parents were both bright, educated people. They both helped me to excel in school, although my father didn't have much patience. He had wanted to be a teacher, and my mother dissuaded him, saying he didn't have the necessary patience.
ReplyDeleteHe didn't quite believe her, i think, until the night he helped explain long division to me. I wanted to learn it, but my brain just couldn't get it. We spent several hours after supper, and about 11 pm, the light went on. I *finally* got it. We were both so relieved. I overheard him say to my mother later that she was right about his not having enough patience.
"Remember," she said, "Megan *wanted* to learn as much as you wanted her to learn. Imagine a roomful where no one cares."
I was blessed to have excellent teachers in school and am glad i had them. But, i'm not averse to home schooling.
Some schools and teachers are most assuredly lacking, but I wouldn't pan the lot of them based on the few. A teacher who has the ability to inspire his/her students to learn is a real gift, and there are still plenty of those teachers around. (They sure don't teach to make big bucks.) On the other hand, whether parents formally home-school their children in lieu of sending them to a public school or not, I believe every parent essentially has the responsibility to home-school. When teachers and parents work together to educate our kids, and integrate learning as a part of everyday life, everybody wins. And yes, I do know some young people who were home-schooled, and I must say, they excel in every way. But not all parents have the ability or drive to teach.
ReplyDeleteOur grandchildren were home schooled for 1 year,mainly they went on to "normal" school because Lilli was just plain naughty and Kirsty could not do anything with her,where as Eden when he went to school was way ahead and he was just soaking everything up at home and has kept excelling where as Lilli struggles at school badly.There is a huge home schooling cycle going on in our area,my little friend Melissa has just one child but Jess is doing so well,there seems to be many social events such as swimming,Library,and social days that all the home schoolers get together and the children integrate and Mums share their hints,I think it is a great thing..my friends reason for home schooling will stick with me,when I asker why she had made this decision her answer was " we want Jess to stay innocent for as long as possible" and you know that is so true,bitchiness starts at a very early age for little girls and I am sure bullying does for boys so I thought this alone was a great reason.I think it is a wonderful idea to home school ,for the Mum or Dad whoever is the teacher it is a huge sacrifice but I am sure it is worth it, they put their life on hold for that period,over here it is very strict and a system must be followed and you are checked twice a year at least to see if you are following the set guidelines
ReplyDeletecro
DeleteThe "hidden" things about school are the vital things about growing up, I think
dealing with more than 7 people at once, large group activities, dissapointment, being alone ( AN IMPORTANT ONE)
home teaching is all well and good
but wedo live in a big society!
I think teacher's must be the most patient people on earth, as I get frustrated trying to teach Roz how to do the zipper on her coat. Mind you, zippers and me have never seen eye to eye.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Susan on this.
ReplyDeleteEducating children doesn't start and end in the classroom, parents have the responsibility of "out of the classroom" education, helping with homework, being involved in the school.
The homeschooled kids I know did have a terrible learning curve when it came to interacting with peers, and I wish they had been given more opportunities to socialize and problem-solve in a public school environment.
My step-daughter has been going to private schools her whole life, and sadly, is unprepared to enter a college situation that is filled with young adults who had the advantages of public education. She will work it out, but it will be a struggle.
There were very few subjects at school which I was interested in. I learnt far more from my mother when I bunked off. She taught me home economics, time management, how to use my natural talents, decision making, speaking up for myself, and acknowledging my strengths and weaknesses. Life is a learning curve, not just school.
ReplyDeleteI think that so much that is taught at secondary school level is a complete and utter waste of time and am not remotely surprised that so many pupils switch off and duck out.
ReplyDeleteThe value of a wide social interaction with peers is one of the most valuable qualities of traditional education, although having said that, our younger daughter was bullied at secondary school, and even with our intervention it was a miserable time for her.
I went to a small private school and was blissfully happy - it wasn't big on academic pressure!