Helping Kids

[shanlea]

Well,I meant any viable alternatives whether killing or replacing the beast. But again, in the eighteen hundreds, people were much more self sufficient at an earlier age; even my grandfather's generation. I don't know if this generation is as capable on a broad scale. (Yes, I anticipate a good ass kicking.)

My husband wants us all to go live in the woods, light candles, hunt, grow a garden, throw out the TV and homeschool. Seriously! He was born in the wrong time.

[Antigen]

Well, that's the reality we have to deal with. Whether your kids go to school or not, you and they are still responsible for making sure they learn something useful and don't get squashed in the process.

Whether anyone likes it or not, the current organization of our society is due for a good upset. It's inevitable. Like a 100 year storm. I certainly hope enough of us are up to the challenge so that we don't wind up ruled (chumped!) by some foreign power.

I think you're husband's right, to a degree. Whenever Europe has had a major shakeup, the cities suffer the most. The peasants out in the sticks get to pretty much go on tending their gardens and carrying on old traditions. You don't get to remain totally untouched, but you don't get taken over, either.

Maybe it is time we all took Moe's advice and S P R E A D    O U T!
 

If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.

--Thomas Jefferson

_________________
Ginger Warbis ~ Antigen
Seed sibling `71 - `80
Straight South (Sarasota, FL)
   10/80 - 10/82
Anonymity Anonymous
Some days, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps.

[Deborah]

***My husband wants us all to go live in the woods, light candles, hunt, grow a garden, throw out the TV and homeschool. Seriously! He was born in the wrong time.

Ironically, that's exactly what my ex and I did. We ditched 'good' jobs and moved to the country. My kids were homeschooled for a while- and for some of that time with another family- before they started Montessori. Each of the adults took a day with the kids. They loved it. My sons still have good memories of that time, even though they've been through hell and back since then.

If you want to work in the public system, which is flawed by design, as we all know from going through it; then be prepared for a challenge. Not much has changed. Kids are still just as bored. Teachers have no time to be real with the students and have to teach to the test. I have a couple of friends who teach and they do the best they can to make it as enjoyable as possible for kids who happen to land in their class, but are very limited and often frustrated.

Montessori is the only evironment I'd teach in. Is that of any interest or an option for you? One mom I was chatting with took the training and was homeschooling her two kids. She took in a few others to earn some money. There are lots of moms who have to work and would love such an environment for their younguns.

[Anonymous]

Deb, Antigen, thanks for input. It's tough. I do like Montessori but I had my heart set on middle school kids and it seems Montessori stops at younger ages.  I know some kids who are homeschooled and it worked very well for them.  Unfortunately, I think public ed has gotten more rote and standardized due to the No Child Left Behind Act. Even though my kids are young, I am looking into some sort of alternative ed that doesn't kill the spirit and will cultivate their interests.

[Deborah]

Yes, Montessori in most areas goes only through elementary. The school my boys attended went through 12th grade, but they certainly didn't start with all 12.
Good luck to you. I hope you find an environment, public or private, which will allow you some freedom to really guide and will not 'force you by design' to stifle and suppress the kids natural inclination toward learning.