- Home
- About
- Influences
- Meetings
- 30 September 2010
- 6 March 2013
- 26 October 2010
- 3 July 2012
- 25 November 2010
- 26 February 2009
- 12 January 2011
- 4 June 2009
- 21 March 2013
- 24 September 2009
- 3 December 2009
- 29 March 2012
- 27 November 2008
- 28 February 2008
- 29 May 2008
- 29 March 2011
- 25 September 2008
- 28 April 2011
- 22 November 2007
- 28 June 2011
- 24 April 2012
- 7 May 2013
- 12 July 2011
- 31 January 2012
- 20 June 2013
- 28 February 2012
- 29 September 2011
- 25 October 2011
- Work In Progress
- 24 November 2011
- 23 October 2012
- 24 May 2012
- 4 March 2010
- 20 April 2010
- 22 November 2012
- 27 May 2010
- 5 February 2013
- 20 September 2012
- 29 June 2010
- 24 February 2011
- Join
- Contact
Hands up if you know the answer
My kids don’t go to school. They never have done. Probably never will. Their Mum and I decided we wanted them to learn at home with us. When people ask me why, my short answer is that they were learning so well anyway that we really didn’t see the point in school. And yes, it’s legal.
Funnily enough, most people I talk with are pretty impressed, rather than disapproving. I think it’s because they imagine we are ‘dead brainy’ like teachers, when actually we’re just good at finding things out when we need to. Guess what, you probably are too, what with the internet, books, TV, that thing between your ears, and all. But it seems learning is synonymous with school. Nobody looks too closely at it or really questions it.
I’m always coming up with questions.
A while ago I posted some questions in search of answers. So far I didn’t get any, but that doesn’t stop them coming. Like a four year old asking their mother why they keep asking why, I keep on keeping on. This time my questions are about learning. Most, almost inevitably, have a school theme. I make no apology for that. But I’m not asking you to turn against schools, teachers, and all the rest of it. I’m just shining a light into the corners. I’d love to hear any answers or thoughts provoked. Feel free to add a comment.
Here are my questions:
- If one of your parents hadn’t run along behind you holding on to the saddle when you were learning to ride a bike, would you never have been able to do it?
- If the goal was to come up with the best possible means to nurture the natural learning capability of children would you definitely say schools?
- Which is the better measure of taught reading, a child’s ‘reading age’ at age 9, 10, 11, etc., or the number of books, magazines, websites, and the like read for pleasure at age 30, 31, 32…?
- If you set out now, as an adult, to learn absolutely everything you knew about history (or geography, or physics, or sociology) when you left school, how long do you think it would take you?
- In your adult life have you ever found yourself thinking how much you’d love to be able to speak a second language? Did you ever used to think that when you were in a French, Spanish, or German class at school?
- If retailers blamed their customers for not coming to their stores any more, rather than taking steps to learn what they’d done to drive them away, do you think they’d deserve to stay in business? So what exactly is the problem with truancy?
Receive Our Posts By Email
Now There’s a Thought
Today’s Random Read
More Posts
- March 2013 (1)
- September 2012 (2)
- June 2012 (2)
- May 2012 (1)
- April 2012 (1)
- March 2012 (2)
- February 2012 (3)
- December 2011 (1)
- September 2011 (3)
- August 2011 (1)
- July 2011 (1)