"Children are active meaning makers. They are not passive receptacles into which knowledge, skills or dispositions can be poured. To help children acquire responsibility, independence, or any other characteristic requires us to work with them, as opposed to doing things to them. It requires us to attend to what they want, what they need, and how they see things."
Below is a snippet of an email parents received recently from our school's elementary principal ::
Dear Parents,
The elementary school is making an exciting transition from homework to home learning. This change empowers parents to guide how their child's time is spent after leaving school. It is a transition from one-size-fits-all homework to learning tailored to the child's interests and needs. The concept of home learning stems from not only the most current research, but the diversity of parent opinion on the value of daily homework. The key difference in home learning is that it supports student-motivated learning and provides parents with an opportunity to determine what is best for their child ... We concluded that the seven hours your child spends in our school provide a quality and rich learning experience. We also believe that family time is important. Because we value and honor the time that you spend with your children beyond the school day, we want to support you in making choices that fit with your family values and needs, as well as support your child’s learning. We are trying to free up time for children to play and to make home learning more playful.
If your child comes home from school, plays and reads a book of his/her choice, research has shown that your child will not only be happier and more socially well adjusted, but he or she will also have enhanced academic achievement and improved performance in school.
I don't know about you, but this thrills me to my core. I was pleased with our school choice/option/selection from the very get-go, but this just brings it home.
Our elementary kiddos are too young to be bogged down with daily homework, especially after a long day inside of a classroom.
As a homeschooled child myself, this fits in very well with the way I was raised and taught ... in that parents truly are a child's best teacher.
Now if I can only hold up my end of the bargain and provide that happy home play time!
Bring on the playdates and book reading!
Speaking of books ... I was never so thrilled to learn that parents have access to the libraries on school property (so I get double the pleasure in that there is a library in both elementary and highschool!). The one bummer is that the checkout limit is 5 books at any one time. No more library item limits like I"m used to (i.e. 75 items on your card at one time).
In other news ... check out this amazing site, WordBuffs ... if you're in Delhi, join in the fun!
