Good evening all :) I feel like I need to post this lengthy reminder.. Our slant on homeschooling is a gentle one where children lead their education in some way, and where the focus is on growing happy children and united families and strengthened communities, and not just doing school work that happens to be at home. We encourage sharing of ideas and information, (and love any kind of free educational sites and offerings) Personal engagement and investment from parents who are taking on the responsibility of providing a wholesome lifestyle of learning for their children is really important, especially for the younger children. We encourage fathers and grandparents to become involved, and think its a great idea for older brothers and sisters to help too. While this speaks mainly of unschooling and deschooling and the Montessori or Charlotte mason approach, I now see the need to explain that a gentle approach can indeed also include a boxed curriculum for some families. It is not the intention of this group to slam any particular curriculum provider because they dont fit into unschooling parameters. I quite like that many homeschoolers use a combination of curricula together with an unschooling approach - sort of having the best of both worlds. It can create a bit of a safety net for those who also work while homeschooling, and can help many children feel more in tune with what is happening in the lives of their peers. Its also a very helpful way to transition from true unschooling through the formative years to a curriculum for high school, or the last few years of high school (the latter of which I have done with my older children) - if thats the kind of thing your child needs or wants. (think child led education) However, since unschooling is the main focus with which I initially started this page, and I feel just as passionate and faithful to such a process as ever before, I do think it is a pertinent factor to remember when we discuss the curriculum providers that are typically main stream schooling at home. Of course, for some, there is no problem with this approach of a more rigid curriculum or syllabus. In fact, some children prefer this - I know because I have one of those! (again... child led) BUT... for many, this approach has proven disastrous, for various reasons - some of which tend to center around schedules and quantity and quality, as well as financial implications and the value of any certification, or perhaps even due to the special needs or challenges the children have, which makes the curriculum unsuitable. These are all valid points of discussion, and are surely not intended as a general review of a business or a person affiliated with these products or service providers, and should not be viewed as bad press or libel. Its ALL personal opinion, and one should read the views expressed within the context given. Another thing we must consider in all this, is the standard and quality of the education we can provide our children. There are many experienced moms and dads here, who have sampled various homeschooling approaches, across the board, and they will not all agree on one particular method or product, because each family has its own dynamic. However, a high standard is generally something we all want for our offspring, and so we tend to discuss the merits of various math or language or history programs that are available to us. This is OK. That is precisely the kind of thing a forum like this should be showcasing... the comparison and contrast of various curriculums or providers, should the members want to know about them for the purpose of education of their children with diverse learning styles. we are not here to be another hello Peter or Snopes page, and as such, for anyone whose education business or products appears in the comments, they would be wise to gain ground with amiable conversation when someone expresses a dislike or a complaint. Personally, I dont use too much of anything South African (which is a shame really ... ) because I want my children to have a particular kind of global application with their education. Not everyone wants this, and when we discuss these things, let us be mindful of this fact, and graceful in our responses to others when we dont agree. To be sure, we are allowed to disagree, and it is a safe place to disagree, because we are an informal collection of homeschooling parents having a really really long chat that happens to be outside on the verge, and therefore, public. The last time I checked, we didnt need a pass book to gather in large crowds and speak our minds, but we must still remember that what we say, is public by definition. We must also all remember that HOMESCHOOLING is traditionally seen as the education that we provide or facilitate from our HOMES for our children, within the unique circumstances of our various lives. It is vital that we give each other this space to BE as homeschoolers and parents, warts and all! cottage schools and distance learning colleges are not really within the true definition of homeschooling, but it seems that this definition might be morphing into something new, given the dire situation of the education and its quality in our country, coupled with the economic decline and then influenced by political pressure in the world of education. We are living in an exiting time in South Africa - we are in the midst of possibly one of the most influential and revolutionary movements in our history. When Nelson Mandela made it possible, through the passing of necessary laws, to take control of our childrens academic and emotional and psychological and spiritual growth, without the interference of a 3rd party- He gave us a great gift. Let us not forget why we started on this path in the first place, for the good of our children. Let us revisit our personal reasons, goals and aspirations that we held when we began. If those have now changed... thats OK too... because as homeschoolers, and free moral agents, we are allowed to change our minds, our approach or even our ideology and religion, without the consent or permission of a 3rd party. As such, any governing body that you subscribe to, with regards to your childs education, could be construed as a 3rd party. Any curriculum provider for instance, with their rules and regulations and demands to be affiliated with or subscribe to other governing bodies, can be seen as a 3rd parties in your home. I urge you to think about this, to contemplate what it would mean to you, given your unique circumstance, your personal dreams for your children and your goals for the kind of education you wish to provide them. It may indeed be just what you want, but then again, it may not.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 22:45:33 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015