It's almost time to get back to school. Four to six weeks from now and school starts. Except we took Jack out of traditional school last March. To home school him. Or unschool him.
Jack's mom (my wife) and I went into a Staples store the other day. Then we walked into the store next door. A Target store.
We found prominent displays in high traffic aisles in both stores. Displays of back-to-school supplies. Pens in packs of three. Single pens. Pencils in boxes, 12 to a box. Colored pencils. Loose paper, plain or lined. Erasers. Glue sticks, big or regular size. Rulers. Paper tablets bound with wire. Paperclips. Neon colored highlighters. Sharpies, regular and colors. Book covers.
Do we need a new book bag this year. Or is it a backpack? The kind you put on your back over your shoulders? Or the kind you pull by the handle and it rolls on wheels?
We don't need any of it. Nothing.
Benefits of homeschooling:
Saving dollars.
Less time spent shopping.
Less stress.
I highly recommend educating your child/children at home. Homeschooling.
Not only will your kids be better off. Be more successful. Smarter. More inquisitive, courageous and confident.
But you will Save Money.
Take that day trip you've been thinking about. Make it two days. You have more money now.
Quote:
"Growth and mastery come only to those who vigorously self-direct. Initiating, creating, doing, reflecting, freely associating, enjoying privacy - these are precisely what the structures of schooling are set up to prevent, on one pretext or another." - John Gatto
Showing posts with label parents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parents. Show all posts
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
HomeWork: The Cunning Flip
The homework tonight is read pages 32 to 33 and answer the questions on page 35. Also do the even numbered math problems in chapter three of your math book. And remember to start the outline for your mid-semester project.
So much to do. So little time to do it.
Parents receive an email at home that conveys the homework assignments for today.
Parents pick up where the teacher leaves off.
The school's mission statement: We will teach your children. We will educate your child.
The school takes on this mission. This responsibility. This obligation.
The parents are obligated to leave their kids with the school. The school is obligated to teach the kids.
And what if the child isn't taught? Doesn't learn? Fails?
Can the parents have a meeting with the teacher?
A parent - teacher meeting?
And ask: Why?
Yes... well...
Unless the obligation to teach and educate has been cleverly flipped from the teacher and the school.
Over to the parent and into the home.
The cunning flip.
HomeWork.
_________________________________________________
A parent - teacher meeting happening right now.
Let's listen in...
Parent: My child isn't doing well in school. My child says he hates school. My child doesn't like going to school. Why does my child hate school? Why does my child not like school? Why does my child feel bad about not getting all the school work done? There's just so much work to do. It seems so overwhelming, so impossible to finish. And it seems like my child's self esteem is suffering. Suffering in the name of education.
School teacher: I completely understand. Let me ask you a quick question: Are you, as the child's parent, helping in a positive way with your child's homework? Supervising the homework? Encouraging completion of all of the homework? Doing the homework yourself? Did you receive my email? You know, I send you a homework email everyday.
Parent: Oh, my. How clever of you.
School teacher: Yes. Homework is really a linchpin in traditional education. Homework keeps alive an illusion. The illusion that the obligation undertaken by the school, to teach the child, is too big. Too much to do alone. Parents need to participate. To share in the accountability. Parents need to reduce the size of the school's obligation by helping at home, sharing the work. Parents need to shoulder the responsibility of teaching. Of educating their child. It's a lot of work. It's too much work for one institution. And... and this is important, the very most important part: If something goes wrong, the child doesn't do well, the child fails or some how isn't educated, the school cannot be blamed. The school cannot be found at fault. That would seriously hurt the grand tradition of the school. We just cannot allow such a thing to happen. And, so, we have.. homework.
Parent: Yes. Of course. And I want to do my part.
School teacher: I just knew you would understand.
_________________________________________________
So much to do. So little time to do it.
Parents receive an email at home that conveys the homework assignments for today.
Parents pick up where the teacher leaves off.
The school's mission statement: We will teach your children. We will educate your child.
The school takes on this mission. This responsibility. This obligation.
The parents are obligated to leave their kids with the school. The school is obligated to teach the kids.
And what if the child isn't taught? Doesn't learn? Fails?
Can the parents have a meeting with the teacher?
A parent - teacher meeting?
And ask: Why?
Yes... well...
Unless the obligation to teach and educate has been cleverly flipped from the teacher and the school.
Over to the parent and into the home.
The cunning flip.
HomeWork.
_________________________________________________
A parent - teacher meeting happening right now.
Let's listen in...
Parent: My child isn't doing well in school. My child says he hates school. My child doesn't like going to school. Why does my child hate school? Why does my child not like school? Why does my child feel bad about not getting all the school work done? There's just so much work to do. It seems so overwhelming, so impossible to finish. And it seems like my child's self esteem is suffering. Suffering in the name of education.
School teacher: I completely understand. Let me ask you a quick question: Are you, as the child's parent, helping in a positive way with your child's homework? Supervising the homework? Encouraging completion of all of the homework? Doing the homework yourself? Did you receive my email? You know, I send you a homework email everyday.
Parent: Oh, my. How clever of you.
School teacher: Yes. Homework is really a linchpin in traditional education. Homework keeps alive an illusion. The illusion that the obligation undertaken by the school, to teach the child, is too big. Too much to do alone. Parents need to participate. To share in the accountability. Parents need to reduce the size of the school's obligation by helping at home, sharing the work. Parents need to shoulder the responsibility of teaching. Of educating their child. It's a lot of work. It's too much work for one institution. And... and this is important, the very most important part: If something goes wrong, the child doesn't do well, the child fails or some how isn't educated, the school cannot be blamed. The school cannot be found at fault. That would seriously hurt the grand tradition of the school. We just cannot allow such a thing to happen. And, so, we have.. homework.
Parent: Yes. Of course. And I want to do my part.
School teacher: I just knew you would understand.
_________________________________________________
Sunday, May 20, 2012
What the heck is socialization?
We took Jack out of school. That's what we did and that's what we told our friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, everyone who would listen, even Jack's doctors.
His pediatrician thought it a good idea.
Most everyone else asked:
What about socialization? Won't Jack miss that? Won't Jack miss being socialized? School allows kids to be socialized. If Jack's not in school, how will he get socialized?
So I ask back: What is socialization?
Is this socialization:
Getting up at seven to be in school by eight.
Crossing the street with a crossing guard telling the kids, "Hurry children. You don't want to be late. Move along. The cars are waiting."
The children getting into their seats with hands folded on their desks before the first bell.
The teacher addressing the class, "Quiet children. Look at me."
Later, the teacher reminds the kids, "No talking, children."
Then, at the 50 minute bell, "OK, everyone put away this book and get out that book. ... In silence, please."
At the lunch bell (how Pavlovian, the bells) teacher says to class: Let's walk quietly to the cafeteria. And remember, the quietest table at lunch gets to go out to play first
At recess the yard duty adult (a volunteer parent or another teacher) keeps the kids in control: No running. Stop playing, that game it's too rough. Don't kick the ball. Don't throw the ball. No yelling. Don't play with the sand, gravel, rocks, wood chips or anything. You might hurt yourself or, even worse, someone else. Quiet, please.
In the afternoon, a trip to the library is the class walking in silence, in single file. The teacher saying, "When you hear me snap my fingers, look at me, stop what you're doing, remain quiet. No reading out loud."
At the three o'clock bell teacher dismisses the students one at a time. The quietest first. The "best behaved" first.
And at home, "OK, Jack. Time to do your homework."
Then later, "Let's try to get you to bed a little earlier this evening. It's a school night, you know."
Then, even later. Jack's dad says to Jack's mom. "You notice how quiet Jack is. I hope he's OK."
_________
So the answer to:
If Jack's not in school, how will he ever become socialized?
is:
Socialization happening in school is a myth!
_________
And the fallout from perpetuating the myth is
devastating
to our kids, ourselves, our society.
_________
His pediatrician thought it a good idea.
Most everyone else asked:
What about socialization? Won't Jack miss that? Won't Jack miss being socialized? School allows kids to be socialized. If Jack's not in school, how will he get socialized?
So I ask back: What is socialization?
Is this socialization:
Getting up at seven to be in school by eight.
Crossing the street with a crossing guard telling the kids, "Hurry children. You don't want to be late. Move along. The cars are waiting."
The children getting into their seats with hands folded on their desks before the first bell.
The teacher addressing the class, "Quiet children. Look at me."
Later, the teacher reminds the kids, "No talking, children."
Then, at the 50 minute bell, "OK, everyone put away this book and get out that book. ... In silence, please."
At the lunch bell (how Pavlovian, the bells) teacher says to class: Let's walk quietly to the cafeteria. And remember, the quietest table at lunch gets to go out to play first
At recess the yard duty adult (a volunteer parent or another teacher) keeps the kids in control: No running. Stop playing, that game it's too rough. Don't kick the ball. Don't throw the ball. No yelling. Don't play with the sand, gravel, rocks, wood chips or anything. You might hurt yourself or, even worse, someone else. Quiet, please.
In the afternoon, a trip to the library is the class walking in silence, in single file. The teacher saying, "When you hear me snap my fingers, look at me, stop what you're doing, remain quiet. No reading out loud."
At the three o'clock bell teacher dismisses the students one at a time. The quietest first. The "best behaved" first.
And at home, "OK, Jack. Time to do your homework."
Then later, "Let's try to get you to bed a little earlier this evening. It's a school night, you know."
Then, even later. Jack's dad says to Jack's mom. "You notice how quiet Jack is. I hope he's OK."
_________
So the answer to:
If Jack's not in school, how will he ever become socialized?
is:
Socialization happening in school is a myth!
_________
And the fallout from perpetuating the myth is
devastating
to our kids, ourselves, our society.
_________
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