Girlfriends unite. Remind me of this post if I ever ever doubt our family's decision to homeschool.
Yesterday, I ran into M down the street. He is a very cool neighbor. His daughter L is one year younger than JM and they are good friends. It's a bummer if we start getting busy because the kids suddenly don't see each other.
Anyway, ran into him yesterday and L has started first grade at our local public school. Here is the scoop:
*It is a class of 30 students with no assistant for the teacher.
*It is a combined kingergarten/first grade class. So the teacher is teaching both kindergarten and first grade. Remember, kindergarten is where kids learn to read, first grade builds on that. She is teaching readers and non-readers, all by herself.
*Five of the kindergartners have never been to school before. They are freaking out, crying, not sure how to behave, etc.
*L many times is handed a worksheet and left on her own for long stretches of time. She gets very little help or instruction from the teacher.
I told M what we are doing and he said, "Well, lots of us parents are volunteering to help, and we are teaching L to be really self motivated."
Wow.......If I ever doubt our desire to do this, our desire to give our kids a good education within our means, please remind me of this post. In the words of Child of God, on our worst day, in my darkest moment of self doubt, JM is getting far superior of an education on that bad day than the best day of L's teacher. Why? Because on a bad day, we get at least four topics covered. Not one worksheet. We manage to get some instruction going, some interaction and discussion, not just a completed worksheet.
3 comments:
I could not agree more! Plus, I have a vested interest in the future of my children and I love them, even at their very worst! Few teachers will feel vested in them...many will not even remember them and they don't love them. Now, I know there are some amazing public school teachers...many amazing ps teachers, but given the circumstances they are expected to teach under my heart hurts for them and many of their students! They can't possibly give each child what they need to learn. They are forced to teach to the test and teach to the middle (I have one child academically above and one academically below and both would be left out). I may not be the best teacher in the world (I certainly have my bad days) but I LOVE my children and only want the best for them. So, when I am pulling my hair out...my mantra is "I love my children. I love my children. I love my children." :)
I don't understand why the school would choose to combine K and 1st grade. Doesn't make sense.
Yes, this will be a good mental file for you - for those "hard" days!
see, I told you. =)
Glad to know I possess some degree of wisdom. I'll remind myself tomorrow when I'm juggling both of them in separate rooms to keep them from fighting, while trying to teach at the same time.
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