Saturday, May 12, 2007
Family Values Conference
Here's a link to a good story about the World Congress of Families conference in Poland. I've had really good and thorough discussions before with friends about what they plan to do with their children once they are old enough to start school (there's a very small blurb in that article about legislation they're trying to push for schools). I'm afraid. I'm afraid to send my kids to public schools. I'm afraid of everything out there. Kids are bringing weapons, kids are raised by homosexual parents, kids are into pornography, kids are coming from broken homes, kids are doing drugs, kids are being taught to accept any kind of behavior in the name of being "tolerant" of others. I know that my kids need a strong connection with their home-base, where gospel principles are taught with love and patience, but is that enough? Should we be thinking about home-schooling our kids? Dan doesn't want to. I'm not sure I do, either. I like the idea of having my kids close to me where I can keep an eye on them, but I also want to be sure they are socially integrated. Jarem might have some good thoughts in this respect. Maybe private or charter schools are a better way to go? Maybe we should just throw our kids out there in the "real world" with home and gospel being the life-preserver? I'd rather just keep them on dry land. The ocean scares me.
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Good article. I have followed that particular organization since its inception.
ReplyDeleteHome schooling has some drawbacks. As a mother you get pretty weary of being both the mother and the teacher.
Children finish their school work much faster at home with the individual attention. It leaves them too much free time.
Attending schools helps them manage boredom, understand how to play the game of going to school (working the teachers), and how to socialize.
If you have the money, private religious schools are the best. You have to remember that Joseph's troubles started in a private school in Chile.
Talk to Marianne; she has home schooled for years. She signs them up for afternoon activities available through the local schools. She does the hard work of reading, math, and English in the mornings. She feels that young children should be at home. She'll allow them to choose to go to high school or not.
Maybe by then they will need to pack heat to protect themselves. Liz Pace does home schooling with other families in the neighborhood. The mothers take turns teaching.
I remember Liz Jensen talking about her Jefferson method of schooling. I like the idea of having children of all ages learning together. However, I don't like that it's just kids learning whatever they express an interest in. "Oh an ant! Let's learn more about ants. Let's get a book about ants, etc...." There's just not enough structure there, and kids thrive in structured environments. I want our kids to be challenged, but also have a kid-friendly environment to learn in. I think you're right that it would be best to find a religious private school. I wish the Church would start doing schools. Maybe my San Diego legacy will be to start an LDS oriented charter school where kids can feel safe in their educational environment.
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