|
|
|
| Home | Legal | About Us | Link To Us | Bookmark Us | Recommend Us | Suggest a Link | Search | Feedback | Contact | |
| |
|
|
|
Memorizing the Phone Book or What Do We Really Need to Know? by Stephanie Micke |
|
I have been doing a lot of thinking about the whole philosophy of "unschooling" (or relaxed schooling, or delight directed learning, etc.) I have been trying to get down to the very basics of the idea.
I just wonder, what do we really need to know? I mean, how much of what we are teaching our children is going to be used in any practical way when they grow up, and how much will simply be forgotten? I am coming to some pretty interesting conclusions on this thought. What would happen if we taught children to read and write when they showed signs of being ready to learn, and fundamental math concepts when they were old enough to really grasp them, (say about 10-13 years old)? Along the way, we could introduce basic science principles such as physics and an awareness of the natural world. Drawing from current events, we could teach our children the way our government works, discussing such things as elections, the judicial system, and local laws. By making family reading a regular part of everyday life, you could explore many periods in history in a fun and exciting way, while giving your children a taste of many different cultures and writing styles. All this time, they would be exposed to the real-life experiences of a household, including the responsibilities of running a house, learning such life skills as doing laundry, dishes, and other maintenance activities. :-) Also, they would be experiencing the constant loving supervision of a "mentor" to mold their characters and provide spiritual guidance and direction. They would observe and be involved in the interaction of different family members which would teach them the art of negotiation, problem solving skills, and how to build good interpersonal relationships. Children with younger siblings could learn parenting and childcare skills as they help with their younger siblings, as well as what it means to be part of a unit, sharing and cooperating. This kind of lifestyle would also give them plenty of opportunity to find and pursue personal interests, which could ultimately lead to a career in something they enjoy. (This is a major goal for me as a parent, to help my child find a vocation that will bring them satisfaction and not just an income in later life.) What more do they really need to know? I am reminded of a quote about the public school's curriculum being "a mile wide and an inch deep." Also, a comment by Einstein, who said he never memorized what he could look up, not even his own phone number! I believe it may be detrimental to try to teach children too much too soon. It makes me think of trying to memorize the phone book, just in case you need to use one of the phone numbers. Perhaps it would be better to teach children the things they WILL use (reading and math skills), and then teach them how to learn whatever it is they need or want to know? As an adult, isn't that what I do? When I need to know something, I don't go back to school to learn it, I go find out for myself, by either asking someone who knows, or looking up the information in books or on the computer. When I bought this computer, I knew absolutely nothing about how it worked or how to run it. I read (ok, I skimmed) the manual, and I did a lot of experimenting. I talked to people who knew a lot about computers and learned from them. (I called technical support a lot!) I did not have to take an 8 week course on "My Computer." I did not have to learn the parts of the computer or be able to label them on a worksheet or test. No one is going to grade me on how well I use my computer, or even if I use it correctly. I learned because I wanted to know. If someone had tried to forcibly teach me "computer" before I owned one, or if I had no interest in computers, if they taught me "just in case I ever had to use a computer sometime in my future life," not only would I have forgotten the information shortly after the class was over, but it may even have made me avoid computers completely in the future. ("I hate computers, they are too confusing.") I guess my point is that I am trying to evaluate not only WHAT I am teaching my kids, buy WHY. After all, life is just too short to spend memorizing the phone book. © 2001 Stephanie Micke. All rights reserved. Re-printed with permission. |
||
About Stephanie Micke: I am mom to 4 boys and a princess! We have been homeschooling for about 5 years now, and "unschooling" most of that time. I started homeschooling because my oldest son had ADHD and did not respond well to conventional teaching methods at school. Homeschooling was the best solution for our family, and has been an extremely rewarding experience. | ||
Would you like to contribute an article on a homeschooling topic? Contact us.
| Site Terms of Use | Advertise | FAQ | Privacy |
