Again and again blog posts pop up that suggest public schools need to "stick to the basics" of reading, writing and arithmetic and not waste so much time on other things that have little or nothing to do with education. These kinds of posts tend to make it into my Other Posts of Note.
And today I came across a post about students taught to Twitter in school. It sounds like it's part of a "social media 101" course, or something.
My thought is this: Perhaps educators have realized that life makes for a great classroom and there is much to be learned in this great wide world of daily living, and so they must get involved in helping their students grow in all aspects of life.
Which would be great if they could get through the lessons they are supposed to be teaching in four hours a day so they could spend the rest of the time experiencing the joy of life-long learning with their students.
But they can't.
So in trying to help kids succeed in all areas of life, they end up with only 36% of their students proficient in the basics (like my local public school).
In trying to teach kids to tweet, they fail to teach children to write.
Thankfully, as a homeschooler, you have the opportunity to get through your "required" lessons quickly, and if you want to turn your child's blog and Twitter account into "Social Media 101" for credit... you can.
Homeschooling: Making the most of the classroom of life.
Sounds like a nice tagline.
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father
<smile> Glad you like it.
~Luke
I just LOVE that tagline! I may borrow it.
Jenn, I really didn't get into writing until I started working on my own projects "just for fun." I can totally see how blogging would be one of those ways. Great point!
Cat, may homeschooling this year be your family's best educational experience yet! <smile>
Heather, I got my first phone for Christmas and am still learning to text, and I don't use Twitter much. I haven't found a great use for it yet <smile>.
~Luke
Excellent post. Thank goodness for homeschooling. (Though maybe I need a class in Twittering. I don't get it... but then I also don't own a cell phone.)
Well said Luke. If the schools would take the time they spend teaching the kids how to navigate these distractions and instead provide tutoring one on one with a struggling student, then just maybe my daughter wouldn't have to repeat K next school year. And they wonder why I'm withdrawing her................
I started a blog for my son this year so that he could write all his Sonlight Language assignments on it. He has previously dreaded the writing assignments, but this has helped with his interest level. Plus it is speeding up his typing and he is learning computer skills. Just another reason why I love homeschooling. I can tailor make each of my children's school days.
Mrs. C, thx ;-P
Sheila, not sure... since it's more of a generic "homeschool" tagline, but I'll keep it in my back pocket <smile>.
Tammy, they are absolutely a nuisance at times... and very distracting in general <smile>.
Jenny, I'm still learning how to text with a speed greater than two words an hour <smile>.
Ken, that sounds like a great way to keep moving on things. It's so easy to start wasting time on the "social media." Seems like your daughter has figured it out though <smile>.
Angi, I'm with you... even if you did miss an important clause the first time around <laughing>.
~Luke
ETA: I meant to say, 'my 14 year old boy' navigating the school of life . . .
LOL looks like Teach needs a few grammar lessons! LOL
After navigating the 'school of life' these past two weeks, and passing adult-level skills with flying colors, I have a very biased opine that education at home, formal studies and crash courses, and yes . . .that social media . . .
is by FAR the best education to be had.
-end of story-
:D
Your timing on this is great. Our homeschool high school daughter just wrote an article about how she reorganized her day so that she would not be so tempted to waste time using social networking stuff. The way this manifests itself is that she intersperses the reading of her Sonlight literature books, piano practice, and Apologia Science (non-computer) between Rosetta Stone and Thinkwell (computer based) stuff instead of doing her computer stuff all at once.
Luke, you said that all very, very well. The kids seem to be picking up all these extra skills -and without the aid of special classes. I had to ask my kids to teach me how to text on my phone, ha!
thanks for the link!
It's interesting to see how the public schools are dealing with these social devices which serve as distrations because the same devices are becoming rather a nuisance in church settings as well....
What say ye?
*wink*
Blessings,
Tammy ~@~
Hey Luke, I like the tagline! Are you going to suggest it to SL? ~big grin~
U R pst wz GR8.