Ignorance can be bliss
Jan Clark
Hello all - first posting
Have been researching home education for 6/8 months now and still
undecided/confident enough to make the leap...
My 7.5yr old wonderful son is in primary 2 at our local village school and
pretty happy. Before enrolling him I had no idea that we had the choice of
whether or not to send him - we probably wouldn't have. As it was we
deferred his starting school (his birthday is end of January so we enrolled
him at 5.7yrs) and at the time I found this decision hard - with more
knowledge I would very much prefer our kids to start school (if doing so)
aged 7 or 8.
Now I am very torn between wanting him to continue as a confident,
sensitive, happy person and my increasing worry that the whole 'schooling'
process could turn him into a more insecure, hesitant person whose life is
directed by pleasing others!
I feel closer to him, more connected, when we have spent the entire day
together. When we walk home from school, I hate the fact that I have to
question what he did and who he spent time with. There are many of the
teaching practices that I strongly disagree with and can totally understand
why and how they would stunt enthusiasm and curb curiosity. We have a 2
year old daughter (the age gap was deliberate - we wanted our second child
to have the same one-to-one time that Cal obviously benefited from) and I
wonder about the balance of the pros and cons when dealing with the
practicalities of this age range.
He's in a class of 20 and I know most of the children. The teachers aren't
fantastic but they're not terrible either. He's very popular and bright but
he also says he misses me and still obviously needs the hugs and kisses and
quiet time of home.
As you can see, I flux between "letting it lie" and "we should all be
together". A year ago I wouldn't be agonising over this, he would be part
of the crowd and fitting in fine - is ignorance bliss?
Also - how much of our own life experience injuries do we inflict on our
children?
Any guidance welcomed.
Jan
Ps we live in Scotland where the home-schooling concept has yet to blossom.
_______________
Jan Clark
jan@...
Dunallan
Kippen FK8 3JB
01786 870 210
Have been researching home education for 6/8 months now and still
undecided/confident enough to make the leap...
My 7.5yr old wonderful son is in primary 2 at our local village school and
pretty happy. Before enrolling him I had no idea that we had the choice of
whether or not to send him - we probably wouldn't have. As it was we
deferred his starting school (his birthday is end of January so we enrolled
him at 5.7yrs) and at the time I found this decision hard - with more
knowledge I would very much prefer our kids to start school (if doing so)
aged 7 or 8.
Now I am very torn between wanting him to continue as a confident,
sensitive, happy person and my increasing worry that the whole 'schooling'
process could turn him into a more insecure, hesitant person whose life is
directed by pleasing others!
I feel closer to him, more connected, when we have spent the entire day
together. When we walk home from school, I hate the fact that I have to
question what he did and who he spent time with. There are many of the
teaching practices that I strongly disagree with and can totally understand
why and how they would stunt enthusiasm and curb curiosity. We have a 2
year old daughter (the age gap was deliberate - we wanted our second child
to have the same one-to-one time that Cal obviously benefited from) and I
wonder about the balance of the pros and cons when dealing with the
practicalities of this age range.
He's in a class of 20 and I know most of the children. The teachers aren't
fantastic but they're not terrible either. He's very popular and bright but
he also says he misses me and still obviously needs the hugs and kisses and
quiet time of home.
As you can see, I flux between "letting it lie" and "we should all be
together". A year ago I wouldn't be agonising over this, he would be part
of the crowd and fitting in fine - is ignorance bliss?
Also - how much of our own life experience injuries do we inflict on our
children?
Any guidance welcomed.
Jan
Ps we live in Scotland where the home-schooling concept has yet to blossom.
_______________
Jan Clark
jan@...
Dunallan
Kippen FK8 3JB
01786 870 210
[email protected]
In a message dated 6/20/2005 6:42:59 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
jan@... writes:
Also - how much of our own life experience injuries do we inflict on our
children?
As little as you can. When I had children, I re-examined all my childhood
memories in their great light.
I wrote this about my sister years back and it might help you:
_http://sandradodd.com/schoolchoice_ (http://sandradodd.com/schoolchoice)
If you let your son choose whether to return, or let him know he doesn't
have to go if he doesn't want to, he will be the most powerful boy in his school
at that very instant. And after that if he goes to school, he will be the
only one there (probably) who is there by his very own choice. That will make
things different for him, inside and out.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
jan@... writes:
Also - how much of our own life experience injuries do we inflict on our
children?
As little as you can. When I had children, I re-examined all my childhood
memories in their great light.
I wrote this about my sister years back and it might help you:
_http://sandradodd.com/schoolchoice_ (http://sandradodd.com/schoolchoice)
If you let your son choose whether to return, or let him know he doesn't
have to go if he doesn't want to, he will be the most powerful boy in his school
at that very instant. And after that if he goes to school, he will be the
only one there (probably) who is there by his very own choice. That will make
things different for him, inside and out.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]