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July 04, 2007
‘Atmosphere’ functioning fine!
I am not against education, but I am against the present ‘system’ of education. I don’t want children - to carry loads of book behind their back, travel by overloaded school buses driven by rash drivers, memorize useless and outdated information, and prepare themselves for 10th and 12th board exams as if there is no life beyond that. I don’t send my children to school instead I home school them. And I am glad my sister has joined me too. She has discontinued her daughter and son from Montessori schools and we both have started to teach our children ourselves.
Many well-wishers, family members, relatives, friends and neighbours advised me a lot about how I could be completely wrong in the long run. How my children could be nowhere when they grow up. How others could be able find a job very easily with their professional degrees and how my children won’t have any takers. I always wanted to give them a fitting answer but then civilization stopped me. I wanted to tell them that – I wanted funds to run my system, and not free advice.
And to be honest I want my children to have no takers. I don’t want them to beg for jobs when they grow up rather they should provide jobs.
Of course there are few drawbacks in home schooling. The first and foremost is – socialization. Children won’t have friends, and they might not meet like-minded people at all. Well that is the only drawback that I know of. But in putting children in regular schools I can point out 100 drawbacks.
There are no portions to be completed and there are no exams to check their memories. Information will be provided only when the query arises. And the target is – by the age of 12 the children will be adept in three important languages. They will be able to read, write and speak English, Tamil and Hindi.
The children travel with us, mostly on weekdays – when there is no weekend crowd. We had these educational picnics to Crocodile Bank, and Pulicat last week. They could see animals, and also watched some migrating birds. And they had an awesome time. Few things they learnt were – how not to disturb wild animals, and how not to litter public places.
Recently they were trained on the computer about how to seek information using Google.com.
At present all the four are learning how to swim, and they are already half way through. Once they start to swim effortlessly, they will be made to learn how to skate.
My future plans for children of Atmosphere are – find a tutor to make them learn English and Hindi, make them learn at least one musical instrument, at least one Indian art, and at least one sport.
Posted by Kenni at July 4, 2007 08:24 AM
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