Sunday, August 27, 2006
Phase 3 of education, finally. Sorry to take so long to get here.
Phase 3 is when formal, regimented studies begin-- math, science, history, writing... Naturally, I don't make anyone repeat something they learned to the nth-degree on their own. My children have each diplayed an intense interest in certain areas, but not in others, which, unfortunately, leads to a lop-sided education. Here is where I depart from child-directed education proponents. I knew a woman whose son planned his final four years of home education around his desire to get a law degree. After a year in college he changed his mind about law and decided to get his degree in English. (At least it matched up a little. Thank the Lord he didn't switch to nuclear physics or something...) He and his mother wished he had pursued a more rounded high school curriculm, and I agree.
So, what do I do differently now than 20 years ago?
1. We begin foreign language earlier. With truly speaking another language-- as apposed to simply having a foreign language study to list on a high school transcript-- the earlier the better. I've left behind the idea of shadowing the traditional curriculm and matured into the far better outlook of actually educating. (Praise God for the older educating parents who taught me this.)
2. For my children, handwriting and spelling need emphasis earlier than I originally gave it. With other families it may be a need to get up and speak in front of others, or eye-hand coordination, or one of a dozen other things that need extra and early attention in order to come out right in the end.
3. Card games and board games are better for the brain than I gave them credit for years ago. We play more games now than then.
Phase 3 is when formal, regimented studies begin-- math, science, history, writing... Naturally, I don't make anyone repeat something they learned to the nth-degree on their own. My children have each diplayed an intense interest in certain areas, but not in others, which, unfortunately, leads to a lop-sided education. Here is where I depart from child-directed education proponents. I knew a woman whose son planned his final four years of home education around his desire to get a law degree. After a year in college he changed his mind about law and decided to get his degree in English. (At least it matched up a little. Thank the Lord he didn't switch to nuclear physics or something...) He and his mother wished he had pursued a more rounded high school curriculm, and I agree.
So, what do I do differently now than 20 years ago?
1. We begin foreign language earlier. With truly speaking another language-- as apposed to simply having a foreign language study to list on a high school transcript-- the earlier the better. I've left behind the idea of shadowing the traditional curriculm and matured into the far better outlook of actually educating. (Praise God for the older educating parents who taught me this.)
2. For my children, handwriting and spelling need emphasis earlier than I originally gave it. With other families it may be a need to get up and speak in front of others, or eye-hand coordination, or one of a dozen other things that need extra and early attention in order to come out right in the end.
3. Card games and board games are better for the brain than I gave them credit for years ago. We play more games now than then.
# posted by JEB @ 6:55 PM 
