15 years ago, I was sat with my parents, in a restaurant in Cork City, Ireland. I was pregnant with my eldest daughter at the time and my mother, suddenly began talking about education and how its important to get a child's name down early, on the local school's list. "I won't be sending my child to school", was my reply. I got quite the look, when I said that. One of shock and a hint of anger.
"You can't do that, education is important", was more or less the reply they gave me.
"I know that education is important and my child will get a good education, it just won't happened in a school".
How? and Why?
That was what they wanted to know.
Because in their eyes, you get very little opportunities in life, if you are not educated in a school. That's how society has been set up, well that's the idea they sell. There's a certain way, we are meant to live our lives, certain protocols to follow. In order to live a certain way.
But I had already, began moving further away from mainstream society. I really didn't agree with a lot of the things
I saw happening.Things within the many different institutions. I really didn't enjoy feeling trapped or controlled.
On top of that, most of my learning, the learning that really mattered, happened outside of school.
School's, can be a good place to get you ready for certain types of work. Get you plugged in early for a Monday to Friday 9-5 week, happy to follow orders, whilst staying quiet and obedient. Which to me, is quite limiting. Cos I wanted my child, to really experience what life has to offer, in the real world. Not in some classroom.
I want them to learn, however they choose. To not be forced to learn, in a way that is not natural to them. Children learn to walk, to talk by themselves. They are already experts at teaching themselves, by the time they turn 5. I didn't want to take that away from them.
Children are geared to learn, they love learning. There is nothing better than watching the joy in a child's face, when they have taught themselves how to do something, to count, to swim, to read. I witnessed my girls do it all. Because they always believed they could. And why won't they, they have never been told otherwise.
For sure, sometimes I've helped them but only when they ask. Only when they need it. I'm not here to teach them, I can guide and aid them. But so far they have been teaching themselves, very well.
Today my youngest who is 6, wrote her name with rocks and randomly asked me addition questions during the day. Only for her to answer them, cos that's how she likes to do it.
"Mum, is 6 plus 6, 12?".
That's generally how it goes. She also taught herself to swim a few days ago and done the prep for dinner a few nights back.
My 10 year old, started reading The Secret Garden today, she's already half way through it, it's officially her new favourite book now.
I was always going to let my kids educate themselves. Because I know they can and they know they can, until they are told otherwise. I also want them to think for themselves and not be scared to explore or ask questions. To always ask questions.
We live in a very culturally rich area, with many different nationalities and very well skilled people. Lots of people living close to the land, playing music, making art, creating. It's a very creative space and we are surrounded by nature, living in nature.
There are so many opportunities for them to learn here, so many people willing to share their skills. My girls learn by doing, by observing, by asking. They learn by exploring and by making mistakes. Because there is no right or wrong way to learn, its all about them finding their own individual way of learning and there is little opportunity for that in schools.
For me, school's box you in. They try to square off your mind, so that you follow a certain way of thinking. I want my girls minds to remain open and free. To go out into the world and not be afraid to explore. To be confident in their own abilities and I see how home/world education does that.
