Jan 05 2009
Homeschooling Fears
The biggest questions I think parents fear, are:
- Am I capable of teaching my children?
- How am I going to teach them how to read, do algebra, physics, etc?
- What about socialization?
Do not worry! Almost anyone can educate their children at home and their children will excel! We can all sit in a classroom for 4-5 years and learn educational theories and methods, then come out with a piece of paper stating we’re certified, but that does not mean we are qualified.
There are five main things you should consider and remember for your family and you will have the ability to teach your children: meaningful learning, family changes, socialization, your family doesn’t have to be perfect and remember to have fun!
You must be willing to let the child lead you in what they want to learn. Meaningful learning can occur only if the learner actively wants to learn, gives his consent to learn from a particular teacher, unless he wants to be self-taught, and initiates the learning process. In other words, the desire to learn comes from within and not from being forced on the outside. As we can see with our failing education system, one can even do great harm to a learner by trying to make her learn against her will.
Yes the points you mention are legitimate fears. I agree when you say, just because someone is Certified doesn’t mean they are Qualified.
The resources available today are tremendous, and readily available. Keep up the great work in encouraging people that THEY CAN DO IT!
Stop by my blog as I talk about the link between technology and education.
-Loren
http://theteachingbox.today.com
You are definitely right, homeschooling is not for every parent or every child. But in most cases a child will receive a better education in a small classroom/home with a very small teacher:student ratio.
Our classrooms are WAY overcrowded, our teachers have to teach to specifications of tests so that the children can pass to the next grade, they are busy herding students trying to get them to all do the same thing at the same time - to stand in lines, to keep quiet, to maintain control of their classrooms.
Teachers do not have the ability or time to teach to children’s different learning styles - all children DO NOT learn the same and therefore CAN NOT be taught the same!!
As I stated before, there are great public/private school teachers and I do not have anything against them individually.
My problem is with the governmental educational system as a whole. Our children are not learning, they’re being fed what others feel they should learn. Our children are also having their love of learning squashed at such young ages because they do not get the opportunity to learn and explore at their own pace, everything is on a schedule that someone else has decided, every child learns at their own pace and SHOULD NOT be forced into a specific mold.
Humans are not candy, they should not be forced into a mold - that mold needs to be broken!!!!!!!!!!