Kitura Taylor - Page 1
Education
I never thought much about the educational system. I’ve always home-schooled my children because I thought I could do better, I could give my children one on one attention, and lastly, as well as most importantly because of my religious beliefs. I didn’t want my children going to public school, getting singled out by some well meaning individuals who didn’t understand that all people are not the same. However, After reading John Taylor Gatto’s essay for at least the third time, my thoughts on schooling - education has changed quite a bit. I’ve gone from not concerned, just leave it alone to feeling quite upset and manipulated.
What gives people the right to make such decisions? Is it money, power? Nobody has the right to make decisions that will classify and restrict intellectual growth for centuries. This information is down right serious. I guess if we try to do something about it on a broad scale, something that would change the system we’d probably show up somewhere accidentally dead. The people who wrote books and essays on this system are not threat, as we all know there are not a lot of people who read things that are stimulating and educating.
I am actually angry. While reading his essay, I kept thinking, how do we fix this? I appreciate the solutions he provided in the end. The examples where he says, “teach your own to be leaders and adventures” and to help my children develop an inner life so that they’ll never be bored. I felt as though he was talking to me.
I’ve decide to make some changes because of the information in his essay. Although, my children don’t go to public school, it’s very easy to get caught up with classifying and grouping our children into groups of remedial because they take a little longer or learn in a different manner. So I realize, I have to be flexible as well as make them responsible for learning, encourage them to think, accept challenges, and hold them accountable....