For the most part, we have a one size fits all school system that is more convenient for adults than for its students. Teachers are asked to ensure that all the children meet a specific benchmark of learning in a specified timeframe. How can they possibly succeed in ensuring that the child who learns the fastest gets as much out of their school day as the child who learns the slowest? Some children excel at math and science, while others excel at language and reading. Some kids are great at everything, and others struggle with all school subjects. No schoolteacher can address the specific needs of each child in this scenario. Kids are bound to either become complacent or get left behind by the current system in place.
Did you know that according to an article published by the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2017 (https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/17/07/when-kids-are-held-back-gains-can-follow) approximately 10% of children are required to repeat a grade between kindergarten and 8th grade? Currently, 25 States and the District of Columbia have laws or guidelines referred to as 3rd-grade retention policies. These policies require children who do not test high enough on reading proficiency to repeat 3rd grade. Although the article indicates children test better in high school, it does not factor in the damage to their self-esteem or other psychological issues they’ll certainly encounter when told at 8 years old that they are not smart enough to move into 4th grade with their classmates and friends. The article also indicated that studies show students were no more likely to partake in college prep classes, it simply indicated they were more likely to graduate. More proof that the standard is simply to get children to adulthood and out of high school, with no emphasis on how prepared they might be to engage in the rest of their lives. These same students may also excel in other areas of school and life, like mathematics, science, and art or maybe they are excellent piano players. Simply because they have not met some across-the-board standards for children their age, they are considered inadequate.
We currently don’t do a lot of traditional schoolwork in our house. We consistently engage in reading lessons, as well as writing. Otherwise, our days are planned around activities and opportunities for our boys to learn through doing. Activities that might include a trip to the local library to get some new books, read to their dog friend Dublin, or even rent a video game (that’s a separate future post!), a trip to a local museum or animal sanctuary to play, learn and move at the same time. On other days of the week, the activity might be doing a puzzle, visiting Grandma and Papa, going to hit some baseballs, or just playing with chalk in the driveway.
When we do engage in more traditional learning, we allow our children to set the pace on their journey to enlightenment. Too many children are forced to learn at a pace solely associated with their age, and in this scenario, many kids either fall behind and struggle or begin to believe that perhaps they are not smart enough to keep up. The structure of the current school system cannot be flexible enough to teach children at their own pace of learning, so all children are simply grouped by age and required to meet a standardized learning expectation.
Children, similar to adults, are more likely to absorb knowledge when they are learning about an area in which they have a genuine interest. As adults we are motivated to invest a great deal of time and energy into becoming a better golfer, learning to play the piano or cooking like a professional chef. When we are emotionally drawn to learning, we are more likely to stick with the process and absorb the information easier. The same applies to children. Why are we forcing them to simply absorb knowledge for the sake of memorization and test-taking? Why are we not presenting them with all of the options and allowing them to decide where their interests and heart lead them? They are too curious not to learn.
Homeschooling children can naturally engage at a pace that suits them, allowing them to take the time necessary to develop their skill sets. This methodology provides for a less stressful and more impactful childhood, with less emphasis on meeting meaningless benchmarks. It takes time to emphasize the most important benchmarks of politeness, treating others with respect, and building self-esteem, while allowing them to focus more study time on subjects that truly call to them. A well-rounded education, tailored to each child’s abilities and interests, creates a positive environment to grow and learn.
So true. Well written.