What do I recommend for elementary education?  Nothing, well, nothing in particular.  I have a less is more theory for the little ones.  It is not necessarily an unschooling or better late than early theory.  I like to break education up into the two areas of learning, the skill areas (math, language arts) and content areas (everything else, history, science, etc.).  So basically your skill areas are your three R’s.  To me in the early years this is all your “school” needs to include.  I think content areas are best left up to the child to fill in and I trust that they will.  What are they interested in?  Are they fascinated with bugs? frogs? The Oregon Trail?  WWII? volcanoes?  Those are the jumping off places do a unit study on WWII, get books from the library about frogs, watch a science video about volcanoes, etc., etc.  The great thing about elementary age children is they can take in all these facts, even in a random order and when they are older (junior high) they will start to make the connections and fill in the gaps.  In my experience anything I “taught” that I thought they should learn but weren’t interested in just sort of went in one ear and out the other and I just have to teach it again.  Wonder why most textbooks repeat themselves year after year?  Sure, it gets a little deeper each time but I say hey, why not just teach it once at the Junior and Senior High level? Why repeat myself year after year while they stare at me blankly and try to remember it long enough to take a test?  What my children remember are the things they read and researched about because of what they were interested in and it was my job to provide the opportunity(aka library trips ) for them to dive into those areas of interest and one thing always led to another.  I just don’t think that telling them they could learn about tornados and weather next year when it will be covered in the scope and sequence would have the same effect.  You got to start the fire when you see a spark!  And read to them you can cover all sorts of topics in an interesting way during read aloud time.  I still read to my older children, it is our favorite part of the day.  So, that’s my theory, now go and teach your own.

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Posted by Michelle32

This HS mom could've written your blog entry! :)

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Posted by Michelle32

I'm right with you on this! :)
The 3Rs are the most important thing for
any child.
Michelle

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