bnsaijim on fri 5 apr 02
Alleluiah Kathy and Nancy
This has been a long interesting thread. I think I have one
of those ADD kids. Probably would end up with an IQ of 200
in the shade. Smart bugger but he simply has to cartwheel
around the room 3 times between each page of work.
All 4 of my kids are homeschooled. You know, that thing
that the nutcase religious types and hippies do. Except I
don't think we're either. I agree with the comment
regarding some parent's abilities to pull this off. There
are some people with serious problems trying this and their
kids are suffering. But there is help out there- support
groups, and pre-developed curriculum to guide you.
We've tried the public school thing. Ended up with an 11
y.o. daughter with no math or language skills past the 1st
grade (which we were unsuccessfully hararassed about putting
on Ritalin). Not a teacher's falt, per.se. just fell
through the cracks, over and over. Incredible dancer-
really all she wants to do. But she knows there are other
seemingly unrelated skills she'll need. This is not just
fatherly pride at his kid's performance at Assembly. She
has the seeds to be a prima some day.
Perhaps we're moving the art vs. craft discussion to our
kids.
While I feel for the schools, the administrators and
teachers, they are mainly trapped in or sustaining a system
of their own creation. The job that has been thrust upon
them is to churn out kids who can pass some standardized
measure of the 3R's. I bet noone really sat these future
teachers down and gave them the dirt. Else they'd be doing
something else. We can only hope that they become or
acheive what first inspired them to head down that road.
I am not a professional artist. Regardless, what percentage
of us would have gone down our respecive paths, art or
industrial hygiene, if someone had shown us all the BS
inherent in everyone's adult lives; the number of morons
we'd have to face just to get to sundown.
Sure, my wife and I could be in there fighting for change
and being involved. I have my own to look after for now,
I'd rather focus there. She's put a lot of things on hold
for now to tackle these current "works". She says she
hasn't an artistic bone in her body.
They get to work at their own pace, play sports, are forced
to perform ridiculous songs and skits with other
homeschoolers at the seasonal assemblies; we can have
endless field trips. The art and music department budgets
never seem to get cut or are lacking... Sometimes we just
have to have "playing in the sand class". Can't wait till
we all play in the clay together...
I can't picture my middle boy (or any of the 4) in any
other environment. He'd be doped so fast. Assuming the
teacher survived the first day.. ;^)
The other two boys have their gifts.
So, like my bonsai, each receives his own "training" to
develop into a thing of beauty... Rather than end up with
slammed pegs...
I'm a product of blue collar upbringing (mom is a closet
artist)- be an engineer- that's success- "what the heck is
an IH? Environmental engineer, dad. Oh...OK I guess." My
family doesn't understand half of what I do anymore.
Homeschooling, and letting my daughter do that foolish
ballet- letting her do it for a living no less... "You
messing with all that art crap and little trees- now you
want to buy a kiln..."
Just some personal thoughts.
Jim Stone
TX
| |
|
