Everyone wants the best for their children and many chose to home educate because they feel that the education system is not offering the kind of holistic education you want for your child. Many chose alternative educational settings or private schools as they feel they offer something extra. Despite this the I am constantly hearing parents comparing their children to others and panicking they are not on the same level or are 'behind'.
The current school system in the UK is still producing the same type of learner that it was 40+ years ago. A obedient learner, a passive receiver of knowledge who is expected to be able to reel off the knowledge learnt in high stake exams. The individual is not celebrated for their unique skills and talents, they are judged on a grade received. Are we really under pressure to work to a outdated system created by people that are out of touch?
The idea of always catching up and expecting your child to be at the same level as others will leave you and your children stressed and not enjoying learning. Child centred learning is an idea that many educationalists and governments strive to achieve but without major changes to all aspects of the system it will not be accomplished. The fact is, is that many governments don't want to lose the level of control that the current system brings.
Each child learns in their own way, has their own interests, skills they excel in and enjoy. To expect all children at a certain age to be all exactly at one level and enjoy the same things is ludicrous. I believe when each child is celebrated and learning is focused on the child rather than the system, we will start really excelling as a society and create individuals who enjoy learning and achieve great things.
It is really worth thinking when choosing workbooks and curriculums what is the benefits to my child of this work. Can it be taught in a way that involves them and links to their world and current understandings? Is a page of maths drills really the only way to teach percentages or would a project be more relevant and enjoyable?
It is time to really start trusting our children and allowing them to be a partners in their education. Being able to say my child are at a certain level like everyone else is not my goal. I want so much more than that and when I realised this, societal pressure and expectations started to worry me a little less.
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