Yes, there’s a lot of value in listening to yourself — and that sometimes gets de-emphasized, in favor of listening to other “experts” and people with “helpful” intentions. It takes personal security to do this, but I think ultimately, we know ourselves the best. It’s important to learn to trust that.

ari

Clem Gigliotti Jr. - Power On The Web´s last blog post..Understanding Ecommerce and Merchant Services

Well, homeschooling is not for everyone. It’s just one of the methods you can choose. The important thing is that you stay involved and choose educational methods that you believe are the best for your kids — taking the time to think and research and find one that you can believe in. I’m sure your kids will be great!

ari

Welcome to OBV! Glad to hear you’re involved in the lives of kids close to you.

We do spend a lot of effort having to learn what we do not wish to learn — and it can be taxing. Learning what we want to learn not only is easier, but the process feeds you.

It just seems like more efficient way to go, don’t you think?

ari

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Clem Gigliotti Jr. - Power On The Web´s last blog post..Understanding Ecommerce and Merchant Services

However, as a mother of 3 children, each six years apart in age, I find myself a different mother to my 15 y/o son than I was to my now 21 y/o son, and I’m sure that evolution will continue with my 9 y/o daughter. Many of my ideas and opinions on education have changed in the 21 years I’ve been a mother and some have remained the same. None of my kids seem to have the voracious love of formal learning that I have, but then maybe they do - maybe they just don’t display it the same way I do. School was my very favorite thing as a child. Not so for them.

All three go to public school (deplorable as that is these days) and my oldest dropped out of high school after a 2nd try at 10th grade. He’s limited now by the lack of a diploma, but only if he pursues traditional ‘get a job’ avenues. He’s got an above-average IQ and can take anything mechanical or electronic apart and put it back together in better shape than before. My hope is that he takes that unique set of skills and aptitudes and runs with it and creates a living doing something he loves that makes great use of his uniqueness.

There are many things I’d ‘do over’ if I could with my oldest where his education is concerned, but when he dropped out, I made a major life change that I know is making a difference for my younger two: I work from home in my own business(es) doing what I love, which allows me the time and flexibility to be MUCH more involved in their education than I was able to be in my oldest’s. I am sometimes the ONLY parent present at school-related functions, particularly in the elementary school where my daughter attends. With both kids, though, I know and communicate regularly with ALL of their teachers, the school administration and staff to the point where I am also the only parent who never requires a Parent/Teacher conference, because I am so much in the loop.

I know better than to try to homeschool my kids because I get way too frustrated with their willingness ‘not to know’ things. Drives me up a wall and leaves me wondering, “Where is your sense of curiosity? Don’t you wonder ‘why?’ on things?” They might, but not as much as I do. (Note: it somewhat sucks to be my kid, I’m told, because I tend to be all up in their business, too, with my wondering of ‘why?’ but that’s a whole other story!)

For me, what’s working is to be actively involved and supplementing their learning at school with learning at home in ways that appeal to the individual child…something the schools are not as equipped to accommodate as I am. So they’re being ‘forced’ to adhere to arbitrary schedules of learning at school, yes…but they’re also being ‘forced’ to learn here at home, although they don’t feel that as much because I’m able to sneak it in on them better than the school can. The difference I see is meeting them where they’re at instead of requiring them to be at some arbitrary place with respect to learning. If I could give them all 3 a shot of curiosity, it would be a whole lot easier for both me and the schools.
Check back with me in 20 years to see if this made the difference I’m hoping for.
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This approach your talking about it very similar to the Montessori method, which by the way I am a big fan of. My middle son was able to attend a Montessori pre-school that he loved, however my youngest was not able to attend the same school due to the school relocating. I believe had my youngest had the opportunity to be in a Montessori school he would not be the same student he is now.

This approach may not work for all children, I guess it would be up to the parent to know if it would work for their child or not.

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Do I use math? Yes. I’m a Network Engineer so math comes up from time to time. Not an abundance of it though. I see your point as far as relevancy to you, and probably to a large portion of us out there are the same. I understand the whole idea of “I can get the info I need.” I’ve always thought tests were kinda silly anyway. I mean, in life, as you say, you can use any book…uh..google…that you want to find the answer or lead you to the answer. I got that.

Adding and subtracting? Yes. I agree here as well. I guess I agree quite a bit but there is always that “but” at the end that brings me back to…naahhhh not for me.

The scenario that keeps playing over and over in my head is this. Let’s say my child, who is 13 now, had decided that she didn’t want to learn math yet. At this point in her life she wants to I dunno, flip hamburgers for the rest of her life. No need for math there. “Ok, then we’ll just teach you what you want to know then you can get the rest as you need dear, is that OK?” Uh, duh, to her, of course it is. Besides. She’s 13. She’s old enough to make those decisions on her own. She’s full of experience. (sarcasm) So, ok. We go with that.

Fast forward to 12th grade. Start of her “senior” year. We take her on a trip to the Space and Rocket Center. She get’s in one of those cool simulators. Has the time of her life. Is mesmerized by the whole idea of space exploration now. Not just the exploration, but she wants to build the rockets and…you see where I’m going. She has no desire to flip burgers any more. She wants to be a Rocket Scientist. I know, it’s one of those “probably not going to happen scenarios,” but I fear the possibility.

She must go through college now. Hasn’t had a lick of Algebra, Trigonometry, Chemistry, Calculus. But man, can she add. How far off course would she be now?

Remember. I’m not knocking anything or anyone ok. I sometimes come off as being a jerk, when it’s the farthest thing from my mind. Great conversations! I’m liking it!

-Scott

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