As I've been mulling over different styles of homeschooling and considering what might work best for us, I've also been trying to decide when to start. Tonight it occurred to me that we would not be "starting" anything. Rather, we'd be returning to the way of learning we embraced in the beginning: following our bliss.
Doran and I had a great conversation today after I revealed to him (with his "permission") who his teacher would have been for first grade. We talked about his experience in kindergarten, what events were good for him and which ones were bad. One instance in particular stuck out for both of us, an occasion when he expressed feelings of frustration regarding his pairing of reading partner (she was still struggling with letter recognition at the time and he was reading fluently and independently). He shared with me for the first time today that he feels it was at that moment that he became less interested in reading.
My heart broke hearing his honest confession, and I remembered my own reaction to the phone call I received about the incident. I automatically took the teacher's side and made my son feel guilty for having needs that weren't being met in the situation. I apologized to him today and thanked him for sharing with me. It was eye-opening to say the least.
So as I think about when we'll start this new adventure, I realize that we're not really starting anything. We'll just be returning to the philosophy that worked well for us in the beginning: play has worth and learning is more meaningful when done in an environment of joy and pleasure. What a timely reminder for both of us!
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