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Musings of a relaxed, identity-directed homeschooling mum in New Zealand.
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Educated? Schooled?
Theres a difference. A big difference.
My eldest son is 15. And if he was at school he would be starting to collect the wonderful certificates that say he is "educated".
Several homeschoolers I know put their children in school at this age, so their children can get these certificates, we almost did ourselves, but after prayer and other circumstances realised it wasn't right for our family. Others turn to the correspondence school so their child can remain home and gain these certificates.
I have lately had a bit of a crisis of confidence about all this. My son really wants to pursue building as a career, and would like this year to be his last of homeschooling so he can do this. My main reaction has been fear. Yep, fear, I admit it. Fear that he won't have the certificate he needs, fear that he will have gaps. What about the chemistry I never got round to teaching him? What about the literature he hasn't studied yet?
I was talking it over with him this morning, and it occurred to me that I had once more turned to a 'schooling' attitude. I want all the i's dotted and the t's crossed. I had a list of 'stuff' I wanted him to learn and had this urge to put it all before him and demand it be done by years end.
So I am taking a step back, looking at the big picture. I am feeling challenged to put the emphasis on being educated, not merely being 'schooled'.
Schooling involves getting through the curriculum, taking the test and promptly forgetting what is learned. Education is knowing how to search our information for yourself as you need it, actually having researched, and owning the result yourself.
Schooling is measurable, graded by tests and marks, education is less tangible.
Schooling comes to an end. Education has no end, it is lifelong, there will always be more to learn.
Schooling is comfortable, it would be nice to say my son has a certificate in academics. Education puts more of an emphasis on being able to get along with others in life, of working hard, being a good citizen.
Schooling is about filling in notebooks, answering someone elses questions, being able to interpret what someone else expects of you. Education is knowing how to ask the questions, and dig out the answers yourself. It is also knowing how to apply the knowledge you have gained.
School has an agenda, and it's someone elses. Education gives room for learning what is important to you.
Schooling is about head knowledge. Education is about relating to others in meaningful relationships.
Could he get educated at school? Possibly, in spite of the system. I don't think I was well educated for life, though I had no problems fitting the system.
I need always to be aware of the danger though, of having him at home, and merely aiming to have him "schooled."
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Posted: 7:23 PM, Mar. 18, 2008 |
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