Education Reform
There's a lot of talk about education reform right now. Our news is full of it, due to the new president and his appointees for various positions, one of these being the education secretary.
I really don't want to get into politics, so I'm going to focus on this idea of 'education reform'. I do think that the way we educate our children needs to be reformed. However, I don't think the government should have any place in that endeavor. I think it should start at home. As a homeschooling/unschooling mom of two boys, I'm sure you can guess why I feel that way, but I'll tell you anyway.
I hear people say things like, 'We need to find new ways to get kids interested in science (or math, reading, language, etc.).' I disagree. I think children are born interested in EVERYTHING. They have an innate desire to learn because the HAVE TO in order to survive. However, as adults, we often (unintentionally) squash that curiosity. We tell them they should be learning something they aren't ready for or aren't interested in. We tell them to stop exploring and playing so that they can 'learn'. Actually, children will learn so much, if we just get out of their way.
My son Kieran, who is four, just said over breakfast, "Grownups tell kids what to do and I hate being told what to do." Instead of saying what I would normally say (Sometimes grownups have to tell kids what to do in order to teach them or protect them) I said, "What do you mean?"
His reply was, "What I mean is, if you go to a regular school, teachers will tell you what to do. They won't let you choose what you want to work on. They will make you stay inside to work on what they they you should work on." Interesting.
"Yes, that does happen in 'regular school' sometimes. What do you think about that?"
"Well, you're my teacher. You let me choose what I want to work on. That's what I like. I can paint, build, draw or do my letters. I can count and run and jump and go outside."
"Yes, that's true. We have a lot of freedom. Do you think we have enough freedom?"
"Yes! We have a lot!"
"What if I told you that I think we need more freedom? I think you should have more choices and that I should tell you what to do even less than I already do. I think I should let you choose more things than just school things. I think you should choose what you wear, what you eat and have a say in where we go during the day. I think we get into arguments about those things, and I don't want that to happen anymore. I think we get into arguments because I'm telling you what to do too much."
"Oh! OK! That would be good!"
Change is happening. This is my idea of education reform.
I really don't want to get into politics, so I'm going to focus on this idea of 'education reform'. I do think that the way we educate our children needs to be reformed. However, I don't think the government should have any place in that endeavor. I think it should start at home. As a homeschooling/unschooling mom of two boys, I'm sure you can guess why I feel that way, but I'll tell you anyway.
I hear people say things like, 'We need to find new ways to get kids interested in science (or math, reading, language, etc.).' I disagree. I think children are born interested in EVERYTHING. They have an innate desire to learn because the HAVE TO in order to survive. However, as adults, we often (unintentionally) squash that curiosity. We tell them they should be learning something they aren't ready for or aren't interested in. We tell them to stop exploring and playing so that they can 'learn'. Actually, children will learn so much, if we just get out of their way.
My son Kieran, who is four, just said over breakfast, "Grownups tell kids what to do and I hate being told what to do." Instead of saying what I would normally say (Sometimes grownups have to tell kids what to do in order to teach them or protect them) I said, "What do you mean?"
His reply was, "What I mean is, if you go to a regular school, teachers will tell you what to do. They won't let you choose what you want to work on. They will make you stay inside to work on what they they you should work on." Interesting.
"Yes, that does happen in 'regular school' sometimes. What do you think about that?"
"Well, you're my teacher. You let me choose what I want to work on. That's what I like. I can paint, build, draw or do my letters. I can count and run and jump and go outside."
"Yes, that's true. We have a lot of freedom. Do you think we have enough freedom?"
"Yes! We have a lot!"
"What if I told you that I think we need more freedom? I think you should have more choices and that I should tell you what to do even less than I already do. I think I should let you choose more things than just school things. I think you should choose what you wear, what you eat and have a say in where we go during the day. I think we get into arguments about those things, and I don't want that to happen anymore. I think we get into arguments because I'm telling you what to do too much."
"Oh! OK! That would be good!"
Change is happening. This is my idea of education reform.
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