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| The Goal of Elementary School
As I was answering an email this morning, I really got to thinking about the purpose of elementary education. I'm fully convinced that the goal in elementary science, as well as many other subjects in elementary school, is to provide a joyous experience in learning. It's not to attempt to fill their heads with a bunch of information that we expect them to retain through high school and college. Frankly, how much do you remember from elementary school? Probably very little. And that which you do remember was probably taught in an environment where you enjoyed learning, your teacher enjoyed and cared about you and the subject, and you most likely got your hands on it - built or created something.
The problem with American high school students is they don't care about learning. It's not that the information is too hard, or the teachers aren't adequate to teach. It's a problem that can't be fixed with better curriculum or more money. The kids have "learned" to detest learning by high school; so they cram for tests, retain nothing, and leave for college with very little knowledge or understanding of any subject.
Homeschoolers are succeeding NOT because their parents are forcing science terminology down their throats earlier. Homeschoolers are succeeding because they enjoy learning.
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I worry a bit about the new homeschooling generation. Some of us are trying to produce geniuses by enforcing long arduous school days filled with tedious activities designed to give a strong academic foundation in the hopes of showing the world and our families how brilliant our children are (and what great teachers we are). My fear is that these children will turn out just like American high schoolers, detesting knowledge, detesting school and burning out.
The strength of homeschooling lies in providing a warm, rich learning environment for our children. Make science and every other subject a wonderful learning experience. Use materials that create a thirst for more, and an excitement to get to the "fun" subjects (the same subjects that American high schoolers hate because they were forced to memorize dull facts from boring books). Make learning fun. Create in your children a love for learning. This will go a lot further in providing a strong foundation than quizzes, worksheets and extensive assignments will.
Besides learning to read, the goal of elementary education is to experience a joyous learning environment. When these same children enter high school, where the material is much more intense and they are getting grades that go on their transcript, they will have the benefit of a great attitude and confidence in the subject because of their positive experiences with school.
Nevertheless, there are some subject areas that are of particular importance for students in this age range. Let's take a look.
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| Reading
At this age, your child should be reading a lot. They should be required to read books that are progressively more challenging because in junior high and high school, the reading and vocabulary are more difficult. If my children had their way, they would only read silly, easy books. So, more difficult books should be assigned each semester. Begin with a book that is slightly above your child's reading level and move on to more challenging books as their reading skills develop.
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| Math
I have heard several philosophies surrounding formal math. However, I believe whether you wait until your child is ten to begin formal math (simply teaching them basic operations on a sheet of paper) or you teach formal math beginning in Kindergarten, your child should be focusing on math FACTS during this time. If the addition and multiplication facts are not memorized, then math will be particularly arduous from 6th grade and beyond. We delay formal math in our homeschool, focusing instead on math facts every single day.
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| History and Science
These subjects are not really designed to arm our children with facts that will enable them to pass any college exam on the subject. We teach these subjects in the early years to give our children a foundation of understanding. I remember once hearing it put this way: All that we teach in the early years is designed to hang little pegs onto the wall of our children's minds. Then, when they repeat the information and learning in junior high and high school, the new information (which will often be repetitious of what they have already learned) will be hung upon the pegs which were placed there earlier. Thus, it's not vital that your children remember every detail of history or science, or even most details. Teach them, lay a foundation, hang the pegs upon which they will hang more information in the later years. Don't test them or force long essays from their learning at this stage. Make it fun and interesting and as memorable as you can without forcing your children to regurgitate knowledge and facts on a level that will later be required in high school. |
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