So great you're writing this stuff. I'm not a parent myself but as a teacher I feel that school should be a much more open space for those who (just like your daughter) simply want to get to know it, to play with other kids, to find projects to work in, to have some staff of people that know a lot of some special subject.
A healthy kid always wants to know something. Otherwise he's just lost (and most of them become lost after a while, in today's schools). If a student is in my class and makes no questions... He or she is free to leave, if they want to. I don't want to torture kids into memorising whatever I think they "need" to know!
That is exactly what the sudbury schools are like. It is a very rich environment. I often feel bad for teachers that they are trapped by an unhealthy system. You are so right that healthy kids want to learn. Its absolutely natural. It is wonderful you let them go. Different people need to know different things, but many teachers let ego get in the way.
Ohhh you touched the point! Teacher's ego and frustration getting in the middle! That is something everyone fears talking about, because it also leads to the "vocational" side of teachers. Why are they teachers in the first place? Because they knew they'd be good at it? Or because society pushed them into that?
Too many questions, and too little answers...
Yes! I know it's a touchy subject, and I have many teachers in my life who I love dearly, and I had teachers in my own very traditional school years who were wonderful humans and mentors, but there's a difference between teaching and facilitating learning that is important yet hard to navigate. I believe letting children lead the way is key. They learn best on their own terms. I very highly recommend checking out www.sudval.org. It's radical, but incredibly valuable. Thanks so much for engaging here and being open!
I agree 100% with you. I'm sure kids only learn if they want to learn, so our best chance is to poke them to want to learn stuff, while sustaining their interests...
Thank YOU for this amazing post!
Precisely. In fact my experience as a mom indicates they also only eat when they want to and clean their room when they want to and come in from the rain when they want to. Most days I feel like a figure head.