UNSCHOOLING

"I am beginning to suspect all elaborate and special systems of education. They seem to me to be built upon the supposition that every child is a kind of idiot who must be taught to think. Whereas, if the child is left to himself, he will think more and better, if less showily. Let him go and come freely, let him touch real things and combine his impressions for himself, instead of sitting indoors at a little round table, while a sweet-voiced teacher suggests that he build a stone wall with his wooden blocks, or make a rainbow out of strips of coloured paper, or plant straw trees in bead flower-pots. Such teaching fills the mind with artificial associations that must be got rid of, before the child can develop independent ideas out of actual experience." -- Anne Sullivan


I'm so glad I clicked over to her site and found this. It's so encouraging to know that there are others questioning this whole notion of "right education." Like Jackie, I'm searching for other ways, definately not sure about the homeschooling option since there are so many things I want to do for myself and homeschooling is a major committment. But Kid 1 and I had a delightful time learning this summer and I found myself incredibly patient with her in ways I wasn't during the past school year. Was I crazier then because I was balancing my writing life with a full time job, a first grader, a spouse and a part time preschooler? Or is that I'm improving and learning that learning has more to do with stretching the mind than conforming to the rules? There's so much pressure around this whole American education system, it's just pathetic and downright tiring. There was a co-op school near me a while ago but they're now defunct. I know one thing, there's got to be a better way. There's got to be a third option somewhere, something better than public and nowhere near the cost of private.

*** Deep Sigh ***

ANGEL