Today I finally got off my very heavy derrier, taking the initiative to take the car out of our driveway to actually take the kids somewhere.
I took them to visit nearby playschool. While J & M played, the principal and I chatted about teaching kids and bringing them up, amongst other things. Other things, being the issue of homeschooling! As a teacher with many years experience, specialing in early childhood development, she firmly believes kids learn best from each other in a school environment. Socialising with the good and bad peers is crucial in the process of learning, she says. Also a great chance for J & M to learn about their Asian culture and language, which is currently, completely foreign to them. I completely and wholeheartedly agree with this. There isn't a flaw in that arguement, what's so ever. Is there?
HOWEVER, the first problem I find with schools in this country in general, is not so much the negative influences of their peers so prevalent now but ironically, with the teachers. Specifically primary school teachers! I truly believe, gone are the days of dedicated teachers teaching our schools. When teachers were respected in society and their influence over their students were unmatched. When teachers became teachers because they felt gifted to be. When teachers became teachers, not for the money, but the nobility of the profession. Now all you hear from other moms are teachers who are horrible at their work and worst yet, to their unsuspecting charges. Moms grieve over why their child was hit by a teacher, pinch and smacked across the head by a teacher, screamed at by a teacher and to this, none of these children understood WHY.
Do they hate their job so much finding it such a chore to be guiding and forming the minds of our little impressionables in their classrooms? They especially resent children who are not of the norm; if the child is a little academically challenged or extremely gifted and too advanced. To have children like this in their charge requires extra effort, patience and a little thinking outside the square to cater to their needs. As result, they are seen and labeled as 'trouble' and I am pretty sure teachers would make it known to that child every schoolday! If Moms don't intervene, these kids grow up thinking they are 'trouble' and some, truly fulfill that prophesy.
Teachers are the problem. I know this first hand.
Yet, from all my growing up years in highschool, the teachers I had were truly amazing; most of them at least. My primary school teachers were as atrocious as the types I come to know about now! My teachers in the US were amazing and I will forever remember them, for they taught me the love of literature and reading. So I know good teachers when I come across them. And I have.
The second problem, with the schools here in general is....our system of education; learning by rote and memory. Kids are primed to be exam-passers. Passing exams are easy if you have the innate ability to retain and recall information you are expected to remember/study. More often than not, being smart had nothing to do with any thinking process or understanding an information but rather the art of regurgitating the required answers at exams. While this can produce excellent academic results (especially to the midnight candle burning kids!) by this country's standard, it falters and lags far behind the developed countries. These kids get to universities overseas and struggle! They realise they HAVE to think beyond what they learn and are allowed to be creative in their thoughts. They are obliged to give differing opinions and its OK to disagree with your lecturers on any issue. It is not construed as disrespectful!
Developed countries encourage the independent thinking process in children, even very young children. They are encouraged to respectfully speak up and express their opinions or feelings, They are taught at a very young age civic consciousness and the importance of respecting others and self, that includes the general law of the land. (Driving around town, I've come to despise with a passion the way asians profess to be a society so respectful and courteous but are s#*t about following simple road rules!). I find asian kids do as they are told but their hearts, rebel! Brings me back to the point of regurgitating required information without it going through the process of understanding.
Why would I allow my children to learn these habits?
Someone said to me once that I should be careful not to overprotect our kids. So I say, to that person, they are kids and so must be protected. Until the time comes for me to let them go, I will protect them. By then, hope to God, that I have taught and equip them well enough to face the real world on their own feet. I hope they make the best choices for themselves. I hope they make the best choices for others. I hope they remain faithful children of God. So I gladly overprotect them now.
Be it wise or unwise, I only know I must do something. Anything. So I homeschool them. And of course, pick and choose traits of the Asian culture I desire for my children.I want them understanding mind and heart why some values are classified as principles, while others are mere priviledge (That's another potential blog entry altogether)
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