As the last week of school began with 6 days worth of work to get through in 3 we were feeling ambitious yet quietly telling ourselves...perhaps we will need the holidays!
My overriding ambition was to attend the C2C forum at Brisbane School of Distance Education and meet the powers that be within the Department of Education. Those making the decisions (or following direction from the Minister), those writing the papers and those having to deliver the papers, that is the teachers and the parents of all 7 Schools of Distance Education.
Leaving my husband with the boys and our trusty contract musterers', I made my journey. It wasn't ideal timing, steers to muster and truck, weaners' to botulism and copper and feed out and of course we didn't get school finished, oh and food!
We are all busy and sometimes we can justify leaving that busy-ness behind and sometimes we can't. Lately I have not been my usual self, declining family party invitations, missing school clusters and not attending worthwhile fundraisers. However attending the forum, immersed around the writers and educators developing this curriculum was worth leaving all of my busy-ness at home for. I now understand why concepts are delivered the way they are and I respect the research and development that has gone into generating the C2C curriculum.
At the end of the day whether we are managing the curriculum in our home schoolrooms well or not, you have to tell yourself that it is only because you are trying to do the best possible job you can do. I am not a trained teacher and I don't profess to be so I have to be prepared to take a leap of faith in the system and trust that what is in the curriculum is backed up by the research and data collected from all of those who have gone before us to educate the adults of the future.
When we have a crappy day (as I did Wednesday) the frustration can be overwhelming, but that is my deal, that is my choice and it is up to me to seek help, take a break, let the kids out of the schoolroom, to do whatever it takes to get back on track.
Our first teacher always used to say "There are a thousand ways to skin a cat"... I believe it!
We left cold and wet Brisbane behind,
to come home to a
glorious, sunny CQ winters' day!
So true Trude, we can only do the best we can and that's a great lesson for the kids too. x
ReplyDeleteWhen we home schooled our kids, my wife and I were both certified teachers. We bought their curriculum and text books from Texas Tech Long Distance Learning, probably similar to what you are doing. We took some flak from the administrators at our schools but one of my children was dyslexic and the school was just pigeon holing him. In the end, once they finished High School with us, we sent them to British Columbia for two years of continuing education. The Canadians have a much more progressive attitude toward the home schooled than my country does. Now both my son and daughter are living in a city up north, doing well and are very happy. I remember how tough it was, but it was worth it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Claire and Harry for your comments.
ReplyDeleteHarry, nice to hear a familiar story. Our reasons for Distance Education is because of our isolation but I would do it if my children had learning difficulties as well. It is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do and I am not a trained teacher but I gradually feel like I have more and more credibility when it comes to teaching my own children. The difficulties for schools is reaching every child and giving them the time they need. In Australia we are still seeing a disappointing level of stigma attached to home schooling for those people who aren't geographically isolated but as you well know it is not like it is an easy option by any means and parents are only trying to give their children the best possible opportunities. Another reason I wanted to respond is my son's current teacher over the air is from Canada and we are loving having someone from abroad as part of his daily schooling. I believe my children are receiving the best education we can provide for them at this point in time and that they will be fine when they have to go away for high school. Thanks again for your comments. Regards, Trudy