Monday, December 10, 2007

What is school anyway?

Me in Canada, that is not Texas snow


This post came about because of a question someone made on a yahoo group and my thoughts on the matter. Since this is my blog these are my opinions. You can like them or not just like I do when I read other blogs. So here goes....

Since I've been a homeschooling mom for about 7yrs now, I've thought a lot on this subject. What is the subject you might ask? Well, I've heard newer ones to homeschooling want to know what grade their children should be for a particular subject. What should they be learning for that year? Since my child is in 5th grade what should he be learning for language or math or whatever other subject? These are some of the questions I hear and it gets me thinking.

I think, "what is a grade anyway?" Yes, we have to have goals to meet so that we can educate our children but where did grades come from? There is a thin line here. We all use grades. Like we say my child is in 3rd grade or 7th grade but this is all to make those happy that ask. Grades have to be made by the public school system in general because they have to have a plan and they have so many kids to keep on the same levels.

Homeschooling our children gives us the opportunity to go beyond what the public schools say we should and can teach. Where is it written that we can't teach chemistry in 3rd grade? Why can't we teach about biology to our younger ones? Why do we limit ourselves in what we can teach and during what age levels they should be taught? It is nice to have those records that the public schools have about what to teach at what level but we are open to teach at any time and any age so why box ourselves in to what limits have been set by the public school system? Where is it written that if we don't teach our child about earth science in high school that we are not doing it right?

So our short answer to those that ask what grades our kids are in we say, 1st, 5th and 8th and move on. For those that want to really know we say, we homeschool and we learn at our child's pace. There are not many that want to know the long version so this is my way of saying to those that want to know.

If you plan on putting your child back in public school after homeschooling a year or two then, yes, you would want to follow public schools as far as their schedules but for as long as we have been doing it there is no way I am willing to send my children back to that.

Now this in no way saying we don't get the next level of math or different levels of language books we get but what I mean is that we go by our child's pace and ability. Some kids are ahead of other kids their age on a subject or behind others their age but they are on the right level for them. If your child has a disability or gift as I prefer to call it, you work on their level. We all work and think differently so why get frustrated because they are behind where we are told they should be. No fair! No fair for the child and for us moms that have a ton to worry about as it is.

Relax and enjoy the fun that can be had by going out of the box.

1 comment:

Just: CH said...

Well said Sist'uh! I clap my hands to you! hehe

CH