Skip to main content

listening or rather not listening to directions...

This week has been very eye opening. I am observing and noticing what I need to learn in order to be a better homeschooling mom and teacher and what my daughter needs to learn to be a good homeschooling student.

My weakness when I was a teacher in a first grade classroom was not understanding how small concepts had to be broken down--and I lost my patience very quickly. This week, in particular today, I am seeing how detailed my directions need to be. I am going to be working very consciously and deliberately on this.

On the other hand, I realized that my daughter does not listen! Wowsers! In a classroom, Autumn listens very well. She is a compliant child and very influenced by peer pressure and conformity. So, she listens along with everyone else and follows directions. But, at home, it's just Autumn and maybe Sami and Mommy. Very, very different!

I had forgotten that most of kindergarten in the public schools is not focused on teaching students academic and learning concepts, but rather teaching them how to be students! This is what Autumn needs to learn, too, and so do I! So, our learning shall begin (actually it already has!) !

Please forgive my grammar/punctuation errors in this posting--I am tired today! =)

Comments

becky.onelittle said…
I agree, and I just had a`similiar discussion with someone about my kids. I've been told Nathaniel is not doing enough- but really, the most important thing is that he learns to sit and focus and also enjoy school. Reading will come, but I'd hate for it to come at the expense of his desire for learning. I was also told Micaela is doing to much- that she didn't understand everything that she was learning. That's true too. She doesn't really understand the whole concept of an adjective or a 'hypocotyl,' but she enjoys parroting definitions and using big words. Won't it just make her later years that much more interesting/rewarding if she doesn't have to learn a whole new vocabulary?
September 5, 2008 at 8:43 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Missing Pieces

The other day I was discussing a book with my mom and explaining to her my concern about how "blame" is cast upon the child in the story.  My mom commented about how deeply I read and consider what is written. Sometimes I wonder if I go overboard.  Am I questioning too much?  Am I overreacting? Why am I reacting this way? I come back to knowing that God wired me this way.  But, I also reflect on how God has guided my path through the maze of books I've read over the past few years and what I've learned from the books themselves and from reading them.   Recently, I read a book that troubled me.  The book I finished reading was  Guiltless Living  by Ginger Hubbard.  When I began reading it, I found myself puzzled and then disconcerted. And in the end, I cried. But, I cried for a different reason than one might suspect. I'd like to explain. I did not read Ms. Hubbard's previous book “ Don't Make Me Count to Three ”, but I knew from f...
Post a Comment
Read more

Writing A Homeschool Teacher Resume

I'm helping a friend who's switching jobs write a resume.  She hasn't written one in years, so this is something new.  I began working on her resume, but then stopped to write my own because I thought it might be helpful.   Being a homeschool teacher may not seem to many like an occupation or career, but it is.  I used the combined form of resume for myself.  I began with the basic information, then moved on to strengths (the combined skills/experience part), education, Occupational Experience, then Related Experience, Certifications, Computer Skills, and mentioned at the end... References Available Upon Request.   Sometimes homeschooling parents have to reenter the workplace because of family changes and needs.  How could you express what you've been doing in a way that's acceptable for a resume? Well, here's my take on it... Teacher, Homeschool                  ...
1 comment
Read more