Friday, August 17, 2007
"I Don't Know How You Do It"
Just the other day at playgroup, I was talking with my good friends about the start of the school year. Everyone around us is thinking about the first day, filling their supply lists, going to "Meet the Teacher" days, changing their schedules to fit the school schedules (these three moms all have their children in schools with different start times: from 7:45 AM to 8:15 AM all the way to 9 AM), trying to plan what to do about after-school activities including our own playgroup that has been around for 5-1/2 years.
There are ads on TV for back-to-school sales, talk about how many schools aren't bussing all school kids to their schools on the news (because of Charter Schools, apparently), and a nervousness/excitement in the air all around. I am apprehensive already about traffic, since it seems everyone I know will be driving their child to school. All talk seems to be about school starting — it seems a force in and of itself!
Talk about our choice to homeschool lately seems to always be a topic that is driven by concern - what curriculum will we be using, how will we know Parker is learning what he needs to, what about socialization, how can we do it when kids drive us crazy sometimes, what about your business, etc. It is probably odd then, that I don't worry so much about those things.
What I do worry about is children learning the wrong things without proper guidance, which I think the current atmosphere of overcrowded classrooms of same age peers encourages. (I read Lord of the Flies in school. I think it isn't too far-fetched to think that some of this same type of interaction occurs in bullying, name-calling, intimidation, and exclusion that happens in school.) Everyone is always concerned about socialization, and may even choose school because of socialization fears, but there are plenty of ways children learn to be social. And when they aren't limited to same age interactions, like they are at school, they learn how to act with multi-generational communities, they see good and respectful interactions modeled by adults, etc.
What I also worry about is the need to "teach to the masses". Honestly, I prefer if I learn at my own pace, and do not need to wait for others to catch up or not completely understand something before moving ahead. I don't think it does young children, who already have impulse control, emotional control, and other control issues to be so frustrated over learning so early in life. Learning should be a joyous adventure, not tedious worksheets, time limits, and constant distraction. (Seriously, how many of you studied well in large loud groups in college? Wasn't the library an optimal place because of the quiet? Or in your own room when your roommate(s) weren't there?) Think of how loud your own children can be without 10-20 other friends around. Now, imagine them all in a single room, needing to be organized, cooperative at all times, sharing, and learning. That's what I don't know how to do.
This post inspired by Stephanie of Throwing Marshmallow's July 17, 2006 post entitled "I Don't Know How You Do It" at Life Without School, an online homeschooling community.
Labels: community, homeschooling, playgroup
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