One of my deepest hopes is that my children will be learners, that they will discover, and sometimes embrace, new ideas.
I want my kids to love learning. I want my kids to be thinking, questioning, analyzing, and solving all day, everywhere.
I don't want my kids to think that learning is in any way confined by time or place.
I want them to learn during car rides and at the beach, at our kitchen table and in the library.
I want them to be learning in their pajamas and in their snowsuits, while they swim and when we go for walks. I don't want school or weekdays or daylight to have the monopoly on thought.
I want them to be thoughtful in the truest, deepest sense of that word.
Because really, what would Tom and I do with kids who didn't have a touch of nerdy in them.
Well said. :) Thank you for stopping by my blog!
ReplyDeleteRachel, I came across your blog during one of my frequent and frantic midnight googling sessions about homeschooling (reasons other people do it, the pros, the cons, how to do it, how not to do it, etc...). I'm driving myself nuts. Our daughter started kindergarten this year and though we handled the transition slowly and gently (she skipped junior kindergarten and we opted to send her only every other day instead of Ontario's new all-day, everyday schedule), it doesn't feel right. We haven't had any huge problems, but something doesn't feel right. We now feel like passive - and uninformed and unwelcome - players in our daughter's education. She hasn't complained about anything specifically at school except to say she doesn't like it (though she enjoys telling us about the projects she did and all the movies - Oh the movies! - she watched). But she certainly seems less childish and less giggly and that saddens me. I so enjoy your writing, especially about your children. It's beautiful and invokes feeling, but it's honest too. You strike me as a very thoughtful, very balanced woman. I don't know anyone who has successfully homeschooled and so I was hoping I could ask you a few quesitons by email. I know you're busy mothering, teaching and blogging, but if you could spare a few minutes, I would be so grateful. If not, I understand. I'll just look forward to your next post. : )
ReplyDeleteI would love to offer you any help/ thoughts I can, if I can. My email is rlarsen.weaver@gmail.com. I love talking about this stuff.
DeleteAnd thank you for all the super kind words. Those made my day.
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