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Reaching Higher Newsletter from |
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Many homeschoolers follow a philosophy of “Better Late Than Early” where children are encouraged to grow and develop at their own rates and not by a standard set by a system, where everyone is an average.
Footprints On Our Land holds firmly to some of these principles and while we have our delightful package Little Footprints for 4 – 8year olds, any parent who has done this programme will tell you it's so much about life, ideas and experience and very little to do with rushing tender ones into academics early.
Raymond and Dorothy Moore were very popular authors back in the early pioneer days of homeschooling and their book Better Late Than Early, refers to studies that show that not rushing a child into academic pursuits at the expense of real life, relationships, entrepreneurial skills and godly character has a myriad of benefits. It is still a good read 27 years later, and perhaps particularly so in this current climate, where children are growing up way to fast and their very lives are flashing past them.
As homeschooling families in South Africa are growing up, we want to encourage you to make sure that you are not rushing your children to ‘finish’ school, without challenging them to do hard things, that help them to grow in character:
Here are some reasons not to rush into a school-leaving certificate.
[A note on gender: what follows applies equally to boys and girls, regardless of the pronouns, he and she, that we have used alternately.]
1. At 16, while they will think they are ready for life, many children aren’t. Most homeschoolers develop maturity faster than their school-going peers when they have been diligently trained, but what if your teen is still more interested in his gaming console, sleeping late, seeing friends and chatting on Whatsapp?
a. The GED might be just the thing to make him ‘wake up’ and make him realise that he needs to make some choices and start deciding what he wants to do in life. A child like this needs to find something more worthwhile on which to spend his time.
OR, on the other hand,
b. It might be a good idea to delay letting him ‘finish school’ and rather continue to work on character training and developing the self-discipline he needs in order to take responsibility for not only his academic education but all the responsibilities that adult life require.
2. Children who are wanting to apply to study further in highly competitive fields like science, maths, engineering and medical fields will need to work hard to get good results. Although the GED + SAT combination may earn candidates a foreign conditional matric with university exemption, for those pursuing these academically challenging degrees, it may be preferable to spend the time doing the Cambridge AS Levels instead.
3. It might be tempting to get homeschooling ‘over and done with’ if you are struggling with a child who seems ‘lazy’, but a quick-fix matric option might not be the right choice in this situation.
a. Possibly a teen like this hasn’t yet found something she really wants to put her mind to and you need to encourage her to explore a wide(r) range of options and then choose the appropriate route to a matric or equivalent.
OR
b. She might be bored and unmotivated by the course of study she is currently required to do. It might be time for a good heart-to-heart chat and possibly a re-evaluation of the course currently being used.
Whatever the reason for the apparent ‘laziness’, as parents we should be providing situations for our children’s growth and character development rather than facilitating an easy way out of challenges and responsibilities.
If your child has no idea what he or she wants to do “after matric” then there seems little point in rushing to get that certificate. There is no ‘deadline’ by which a child must finish homeschooling or leave home. You are free to continue to help her to pursue a customized education and enjoy a wide range of both topics of study and life experiences, until she finds her niche or makes a decision about what to do or what to study next.
As parents you need to consider carefully the opportunity cost of any school-leaving choice that you make.
Will a young person who completes a school-leaving certificate like the GED at age 16 miss out on other opportunities once he believes he is “done” with school, or will being “free” of the restrictions of formal schooling enable him to take advantage of other experiences and opportunities that life may offer?
Perhaps a young person will gain much in character and self-discipline, by having to persevere through the rigours of an academically challenging matric course for a few years, such as the NSC or Cambridge. Maybe she needs the sense of accomplishment that completing and passing these exams will bring.
May we encourage you to not rush your teens through life, but to carefully consider the wisest choice for each unique child, all the while challenging them to "grow up" and do hard things. “Today we live in a culture that promotes comfort, not challenges. Everything is about finding ways to escape hardship, avoid pain and dodge duty. In the past, young people were expected to make significant contributions to society. Today our culture expects very little from teens - not much more than staying in school and doing a few chores. A sad consequence of such low expectations is that life-changing lessons go unlearned." ~ Chuck Norris (Taken from the foreword of the Footprints Into the 21st Century program reader: Do Hard Things)
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| Winter Workshop in Cape Town
Mark your calendars and diaries.
Wendy and Shirley will be among a panel of veteran homeschooling moms invited to share the lessons learned from their experience at the Cape Home Educator's Winter Workshop.
Date: Saturday, 7 May 2016 Venue: NG Kerk Uitsig Belville Time: 9:00-12:30 For more information, contact Chirani Meyer - chirani.meyer@gmail.com
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| | | Most parents feel a bit panic-stricken about the prospect of homeschooling through the high school years.
Whether you have been homeschooling your children at primary school level or whether you are just starting homeschooling with a teen at high school level, you need answers!
You need to know the options to get a recognised matric or alternative and you might also want to explore options for children who do not wish to pursue one of those options.
Join veteran homeschooling mom of 6 and consultant, Shirley Erwee, for a series of 6 webinars with questions and answers. Download them and watch them at your convenience. More info at Homeschooling High School Webinar Series
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