Wednesday 7 March 2012

Reasons to home educate No. 2

Here's reason Number 2: 

Institutions and systems!

I simply don't want my child going through the conveyor belt system.  I don't want teachers to push their own views and beliefs on to my children; I am a christian and I feel it so important that my children are brought up with christian values.  I don't want to leave others to discipline my children in ways I may not necessarily agree with; at least with mine and my husbands discipline I can reinforce how important they are and how loved they are, something a teacher could never do.  
 
I don't want to leave my children in a place that does not have enough time to nurture them properly - even if they have the best teacher in the world with all the best intentions in such big classes they simply don't have the time to do that and educate them. 

In short the school system is one giant baby sitting service that I don't want or need!  I don't want my children brought up by others I want to bring them up myself, with my husband.  I want to see them reach every milestone, congratulating with them.  I want to help them through the difficult periods and sit with them so they don't feel alone when they need that extra one on one time.

I also find that a lot (not all) of the children who attend schools are so competitive!  I believe this is the influence of the school system.  From the day a child is born there are all these boxes they have to tick, milestones that have to be reached at certain times. 
 
We are all so different, so how exactly is it possible that we are all going to read at 5?  
 
We all do things at different times and some of us don't want to learn certain things; woodwork might not float their boat or art or learning an instrument.  Also a school can not let a child spend time on where their hearts desire and skills are best used.  What school would let a child paint all day simply because the inspiration is there and they can't stop?  Or a story idea has popped in their head and they feel the need to write up a story all morning for 3 and a half hours?  Quashing skill and imagination by not allowing the children's flow of creativity just happen! 

I also think that, certainly round the early years of primary school, the stress that school can put on a child is unnecessary.  I'm not saying that all children would feel this stress but to get my children up and ready for school on time would mean I have to wake them up every morning, even if they go down at a reasonable hour! 
 
Can a break like this in a child's sleep like this be good for them?  I don't believe so. 
 
Even if my children were early risers how can they say their best learning time will be 9am - 3:30pm?  I have to often give up any formal learning by 1 - 2pm in the afternoon.  It just doesn't go in, it becomes too much like hard work and the fun is gone; so what would be the point of those last few hours of school?

I also hatereally, really hatethe way the school systems work towards statistical goals!  This leaves all the children wanting to be challenged, needing more from their teachers, with less in my opinion. 
 
I suppose it comes down to no matter how good the school, no matter how good the teacher - teaching one on one is an great advantage compared to a class of 25 plus to teach!  
 
Someone said to me a few years ago, all kids end up catching up with each other in the end, the ones ahead academically soon meet the ones who were falling behind.  Isn't this because of this point I have just mentioned?  schools are pushing out robots these days, state schools creating: office juniors, shop workers etc.  Public schools creating: army generals, managing directors and such.  I know some children manage to fight against the mould but isn't that the school systems real goal?  Isn't it sad?

Sometimes it's that fight to fit a 'square peg into a round hole' that completely destroys a child's development though I think.

These are my views anyway...

7 comments:

  1. I think you got most of it - these were all the reasons we home educated too! Although perhaps I would add an important point; a school's main priority is on the survival and growth of the school - rather than the individuals within it! Home educating allows you to truly focus on the needs of the individual. x

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    1. Oh yes, that is a very good point. I think I touched on that point but I think you're very right to have pointed it out! It is a huge factor! Thank you :) x

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  2. We continue to Home-ed for many reasons and some you mention above and I think you're right when you say schools are like conveyor belts pushing out robots to fill the various roles you mention and going to school doesn't always allow everyone to discover themselves, their passions or indeed reach their full potential but the thing is our society needs all of those "jobs" to be filled including the jobs that might be considered less successful than others. I feel in many ways it is a child mind service and actually a waste of time but despite having a choice some families would have to completely change their lifestyles to make home-ed possible even if they believed that it was the right thing to do - these choices are very scary for some. It just reinforces how grateful I am personally that we as a family can exercise our choice to home-educate.

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    1. Hi Angela, you said:

      "but the thing is our society needs all of those "jobs" to be filled including the jobs that might be considered less successful than others"

      I didn't mean it to sound like I considered other jobs less successful than others. I was trying to point out that a child shouldn't have to be forced into a box stamped with a label that doesn't fit. I think all jobs are important, some that seem the lesser jobs are often the more important. Where would we be without our bin men, the cleaning lady in the hospital, the lady at the till in our shop? I completely agree, 100% that they are all important.

      I have no labels for my children of what I want them to grow up to be, I just want them to have all options available. If they are happy, I am happy! I am so pleased you pointed this out though; I hadn't realised how it could be read. x

      I'm glad you liked my post :)

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    2. Hi, Crossed wires. I never read it to suggest that you personally considered some jobs less than others. I was saying I don't think the schooling system is there in the interests of individuals either and agreeing it is more about filling all the gaps that are necessary for our society because it has to be that way right now. It seems to me that it's designed to give a general basic education whilst ticking boxes and training people to pass exams and providing childcare. It doesn't lend much time for a natural path of discovery nor pursuit of one's own interests and that is why so many young people (including myself) leave school without a clue about what they want to do in the adult world thus having wasted a whole lot of time in school!

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    3. That's cool then! :) I feel the same as you do about school being a waste of time; I left feeling like I had no real direction too. x

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  3. I LOVE this post, and agree entirely :) My children even went to a small, Christian school where the teachers were friends of mine, but at the end of the day, any school is system-based and some do OK in it, some don't. For the ones who don't fit the system, that's a tragedy leadng them to identify with failure all their lives :( School removes individuality; Home Ed celebrates it :)

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