What I Should Teach In School
I'm in my fourth year of homeschooling and I still feel like I'm flying by the seat of my pants. Granted, those pants have gotten bigger over the past few years, but still. Flying.
I started homeschooling assuming it was impossible to screw up grade school. Grade school! What a cinch!
But eventually the hyperactive teacher side of me stuck her head in the door and started asking questions. Big-picture kinds of questions. Nib-nosy kinds of questions.
"What are you trying to teach those kids, anyway?"
"What kind of people do you want those kids to become?"
"Why must you wear those enormous sissified mom pants?"
You know something? That girl's a real pain in the neck!
I don't do well with big-picture kinds of questions. Fortunately, Seth Godin does, and his book Linchpin has a nice little segment on what they should teach in school.
Two things:
- How to solve interesting problems.
- How to lead.
Most facts can be found on Google in less than 1.2 seconds. But what the internet can't do is tell you what to do next.
Wow.
"What to do next."
The movers and the shakers of this world are the ones who can do just that--look at a problem and figure out what to do next. Relationally, morally, systematically.
For me, that means asking my second grader to not just tell me the color of Robin Hood's tights, but to talk through the whys and the whens and the rightness (or wrongness) of Robin Hood's rebellion. And then to take that one step further and discuss scenarios where rebellion might be the right thing for an eight-year-old boy to do.
I don't have it all figured out. That's just one application from my itty-bitty world. How would the "two things they should teach in school" apply to you?
Full disclosure: No one asked me to promote Seth Godin's book. But like his other works, it's a great read. And because I'm an affiliate, if you click the link to Amazon and make any purchase, I receive a minuscule percentage off the order. And that's a true story.
8 comments:
i think problem solving is a great thing to teach kids!!
AHH, SO many good things to teach huh. I agree those are very important. Though sometimes I wonder if I take it a step too far trying to make "lessons" for what they should do out of everything and thereby not really "just enjoying" anything. But thats really my own balance problems. I am curious what 8 yo scenarios you can up with?
This is a good reminder for me. My son is so curious and I am so NOT! Understanding him has helped me teach him better and this is exactly the way he learns best.
I'm almost too late with the girls for this, but Jacob will be there soon enough and I want to do him right. Thanks for the thought. I would've never come up with it on my own. That's why I have friends like you :)
Amy Thompson
On thing we tried to teach our children (not just a school thing) was accountability. We wanted them to learn to be responsible for their decisions and actions. We knew the time would come when mom and dad would not be there to tell them what to do. We wanted them to know right from wrong and to have the wisdom to choose the right thing. But we were realistic enough to know they would make some mistakes. So, we wanted them to know they would be accountable to God for those choices. I can remember being "good" so I wouldn't disappoint my parents... not a bad thing. But we felt it was more important for them to know that right choices pleased and brought honor to God. I homeschooled two of our kids for two years each, so I know a little bit about the responsibility you feel. I'm confidant God will give you wisdom!
The two things on my list are:
1. Teach them to ask questions
2. Teach them how to find the answers.
Nice! :) I am so impressed that you applied Seth Godin's work to homeschooling. Great point!
Blessings,
Michele
Hey, there! When I started following you on the Twitter a few months back, I thought to myself that I'd come read your blog and say "hi" in 'person'. Well, I finally remembered so here I am!
Hi! :)
I'll Tweet atcha later!
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