Friday, January 30, 2015
Today is parenting: thoughts on education and home schooling
So, I was home schooled half of my preK-diploma life. In 7th grade my parents split and dropped me in a city junior high and "sub-par" is being undeservingly nice. I had to take some test that told me my math skill level was a little weak so, if my mom wanted, she could put me ahead in 8th and I'd have to play catch-up. OR I could be put into the MIDDLE of 7th grade. Let it be known if you are contemplating home school, it's a good idea, but give that child some proof that they are right where other children their age are as far as its brains development. I have thought that, for most of my life, I am only pretending to be smart and that really there's a dumbass inside of me (hfh, guys). Anyway, my mom chose the second. I wish she hadn't because all my friends have always been in higher grades, so it would have been much easier to feel equal to them if I knew my brain was pretty much where their's was. Why am I smart? Well I'm part of the statistics. My mother read to me and my siblings often, not just at night but during the day, which made me long to read. Once I could read, I read well. I wrote well, and after I found out I sounded like a Texas hick, I worked on it and I spoke well. I am a firm believer (not in statistics, those are rubbish, and made up 86% of the time) that if you teach your child to love reading, the rest will follow. Reason: if they love reading, they will understand what they read, and understanding is the key to a kids success through, not just pre-12th school, but college and anything else. Comprehension is maybe the only thing I felt sure I was good at in school, so that got me passed the things I was not so great at, like standardized test taking. But make sure you're kid has access to public school kids on a pretty regular basis. This is how children grade themselves. It is always against their peers. Not other home schooled kids cause (what do they know? They are probably as dorky as your kid). I had a public school friend ask me once, when she had friends coming, to just "be normal, you know, cool?" I think it gave me a complex. I'm sure I was a mighty dork, but I blame my parents. TAKE YOUR KIDS AROUND NORMAL KIDS, or they will grow into real weirdoes as adults. A child was not meant to spend most of its time at home (and I meant that "its." Kids aren't a "who" till they hit at least 17. And that's only cause they can join up and serve this wonderful country that might send them into a useless war and get their guts blown out). It takes a village remember? Well don't keep em out of the village, they'll come through to adulthood like Brendan Frazer on Blast from the Past! Funny in a movie, but very uncomfortable to have a conversation with in real life.
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Was it Shannon who told you to be cool?
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