An epiphany

I had an epiphany the other day.


It is coming up to a year now since we registered with THEAC as home educators.  In the next couple of months, I will need to collate & assess our first year, as well as make plans for the next couple of years.  Because Jasmine tends to resist written work, we don't have a lot of physical evidence of her learning.  That fuels my fear that maybe we'll be judged negatively at the next visit from THEAC; that people will think she hasn't been doing 'enough' to keep up with the State curriculum.  


But then it struck me.  If Jasmine's education is about meeting the expectations of other people, I might as well send her to school.  I realised at that moment that it really doesn't matter and I felt a deeper trust in the 'process' of unschooling.  It does rattle me a little when her friends are starting to read quite advanced books while she still freaks at the mere suggestion of learning to read.  However, I then think of all the stories I've read of children who don't learn to read &/or write until 7, 8, 10 or even older, but have then caught up within just a matter of weeks.  I think Jasmine's one of those kids who just needs to do things to her schedule - no one else's.  When she wants to do something, NOTHING can deter her.  Head-strong is an understatement & I know that drive will carry her through.  


I think I've been doing some deschooling in the past year.  Even though I understand the philosophy of unschooling, I'm still working through some of the ingrained expectations from my own school years - and it is still a work in progress.  Reflecting on my own experiences also helps me to understand how Jasmine feels when coerced  to do something she's not comfortable with.  I hope that other people (hello family) can give Jasmine the space and time she needs to learn when she's most ready rather than commenting on what she "should" be doing at a certain age.  We are not trying to speed up or slow down any areas of her learning based on a curriculum.  We are not doing "school at home" so there will never be a direct comparison between Jasmine and those who undertake institutionalised learning.  She has the freedom to learn what she wants, when she's ready and at the end of the day, she'll have all the skills & knowledge she needs to be a fully-functioning adult.  It's all good :)

The Six-Lesson Schoolteacher

One of the people most influential to me when I was researching home education was/is John Taylor Gatto.

As a former school teacher, he became acutely aware of the problems of institutionalised learning & has subsequently made a career out of sharing this knowledge.  He does not bag teachers, but criticises the system they work in.  If you haven't read any of his work, I implore you to do so.  I promise he will change the way you think about education & learning.

I have just read another article of his that was shared by the lovely Meg @ 'Unlearnt At Last' and it concretes a lot of what I've said or alluded to in my previous blog posts.  Please consider.....

http://www.cantrip.org/gatto.html