I was at a children's event with the kids two weeks back and it hit me...the whole thing was about control.
The kids were playing ball games in the hall, and everytime they changed the rules or were spontaneous or inventive they were subtly and not so subtly brought back into the "game". Then they had to sit in age groups and were praised for sitting so quietly and still, and then they had to walk in lines to another room for another activity. Once again, praise was given for being "so quiet and good". Prizes were given to the kids who sat up nicely and answered the questions with succint and desirable answers. Then it was craft time, which was well planned and lovingly organised...but everything was precut and pre painted and the kids just had to stick on the odd bit of fluff or googly eyes.
Afterwards I got chatting with another mum who began with, "You are the lady that homeschools eh". Turns out she is thinking of pulling her 5 year old out of school...and the reason?
"ECE is about the child, school is all about the system".
Touche.
Books I have read this week and recommend:
All This and a Bookshop Too - autobiography by Dorothy Butler
Adventures of the little Wooden Horse - Ursula Moray Williams
Tashi (beginning chapter books) - Anna Feinberg
Green Knowe books
The Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brian Selznik
Beatrix Potter - A Life in Nature - Linda Lear
Food INC - companion guide to the movie - series of essays - some better than others
Where do 17 year old boys who work at McDonalds part time get enough $$ to buy noisy turbo cars and then waste all their petrol revving them outside my bedroom window???
What is up with the weather???? Last week I was seriously thinking of putting the fire on and this week there is a freakin' heatwave.
A- final grade for History of the World. Learnt heaps...shouldn't care about the grade but I do...
Almost got the 2010 ch-ch-ch-ch-changes sorted...watch this space...nothing startling really.
3 comments:
ah, the system.
i was greatly heartened last week. i spent a morning with an ex-principal who is now just joe bloggs teacher, and he is GORGEOUS!
loud and boisterous and teddy bearish and gorgeous. and the classroom was loud and respectful and happy and busy and not busy and totally NOT conveyor belty and the kids were so loved and loved each other and, yes, he said that they're a good group, but hey - i think he totally osmosis'd his mojo to them.
so fabulous.
i think i can do this thing.
i am the little engine pffft.
and oh, i know exactly what you mean about the grade. i actually have a high A average when ya add up this year's results and divide my six. but the two under-As leap out at me like a boil on a toad's bum.
(i just made that up, i think i'll add it to the family sayings).
big loves and we are actually rocking the entire universe, minuses or plusses (egads, one S or two??)... X
Watching to see what youse fullas are going to get up to. Inspirational.
*nodding* certainly not limited to school tho, 90% of parenting seems to be about getting kids to do the "right" thing, and when they are told to, without question... too bad that most parents don't want their kids to grow up to be adults who do what they are told, without question.. ;)
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