This post is my entry for the Education Debate Challenge #4.
I am choosing to answer the following question:
Do you believe the way in which your child is being educated is preparing them for the future?
My wife and I were discussing and developing our educational philosophy long before our first child entered kindergarten. Honestly, there were lots of meaningful conversations about education even before our first child was born.
We have always had the heart to be involved in our children's "education," whether that be family talks, exploratory exercises, mentoring, modeling, traditional curriculum, etc.
We believe that our children's education prepares them for the future because we are active in their education journey. We firmly believe that parents are the best equipped to prepare their children for their future lives.
I realize that we can all think of a couple of examples of parents who don't have their act together or are down-right hateful to their children. I like to think of these people as "exceptions," not the "rule." I firmly believe that well-equipped parents are the keys to growing well-equipped "future adults."
And I know that many people are terrified of the idea of being responsible for their children's' "formal" education. We were scared too, but once we stepped into that role, we realized it was just an extension of our parenting from the first day we held our kiddos in our arms. And FYI, we did not feel fully prepared that first day either.
So to answer your question, we say YES!
And here are some of the reasons why:
1. We believe that a strong foundation is crucial.
A strong foundation is planned and built long before a child reaches school age and extends far past the traditional core curriculum.
The strong foundation we are trying to build is based on, but not limited to the following:
- life skills: how to cook, clean, plan, organize, etc.
- traditional school subjects: math, grammar, reading, writing, science, etc
- financial skills: the importance of saving, investing, budgeting, etc
- social skills: how to love, show kindness, be patient, value others, stand up for what is right, etc.
- I am sure I have missed something: After a foundation is built, it must be cared for and sometimes reinforced. There may be things that needed to be added to this important foundation. We reserve the right to add and change moving forward. Education is not stagnant.
2. People are different. We have different interests.
While we believe that there are core concepts and ideas that all people need to learn, we also believe that all people have unique gifts, talents, and interests.
Education does not need to be formal, and it definitely does not need to be boring. Helping our children learn should include giving our children the freedom to choose what they learn.
Some of our kiddos are interested in painting, but not all. One child is especially gifted in music. I think we might have a future engineer on our hands. Since everyone is different, the educational methods and topics will be equally diverse.
3. We are not bound by time or curriculum, but instead focus on mastery.
The education process is not a series of boxes that need to be checked. Learning should lead to change, not be solely measured by marks or grades. If the ultimate goal is "grades," the learner is falsely lead to believe that failure is bad. Failure is inevitable. We should not be measured by how we fall, but rather how we stand after we have fallen.
Since we are not bound by time, we spend extra time evaluating and improving our weaknesses (when necessary). And we enjoy extra time improving what we are already great at.
4. We realize that learning is not bound to a specific time frame or place
Education can take place anywhere at any time. Some of our family's greatest learning moments take place around the dining room table in the evenings.
A lot of great teaching and learning moments have been in our car or outside. Learning can take place anywhere.
5. My wife and I believe that we are the primary educators, but not the only educators.
We want other people to invest in our kiddos. Although we strongly believe in our right and responsibility to teach our children, we want our kiddos to see other examples and hear other opinions.
It is in those differences that we help our children process the values that are most important to our family. In the end, our children must choose what they believe. They need conviction about what truths that they hold to be true.
As a parent, I am a filter to keep their childhood safe and innocent, but my goal is to prepare them for their future lives.
6. Our goal is to equip our children to be the best versions of their future selves.
The time my wife and I invest today is so that our kiddos will thrive in the future. The time and effort we put into education, modeling, and mentoring is so that our children feel equipped to live the best version of their future lives.
Now is the time to keep our kiddos safe and close, but all we do is so that someday, we can launch our children into the big, wide world.
If they can fly on their own, then the way we have educated them will truly be validated. I guess only time will tell. I may make mistakes, but the biggest mistake is if I choose not to act.
That would be the greatest disservice to my children - if I choose to not be an active part of their education.
A big thanks to the 
