So, as some of you know, I am kind of contemplating the whole homeschooling angle with the kids.  To be perfectly honest, the school system these days scares me.  Most of my immediate family have been teachers and support staff within the school systems for more years than I can count and I have seen and heard a LOT over these years, some good, some bad, some downright frightening!

I also have a growing community of friends and colleagues that are homeschooling and I am starting to see that there are many, many benefits to this way of learning.  Now, all you teachers out there, just hold on and keep reading (and watching).  And please don't hit me with the whole socialization argument either, because there are plenty of ways to socialize your kids that have nothing to do with being crammed in a room with 30 other 6 year olds and one stressed out adult.

I did not enjoy school.  Well, that is not true.  I loved it until Grade 3.  And then we moved from our tiny town (and tiny schoolhouse) to the big city.  AND my mom decided that I should be enrolled in a french immersion program, even though we had not spoken a word of french at home up until then.

Grade 3. Me-fourth from the left.

So picture me, a sensitive kid whose parents had just split up, entering Grade 3 half way through the year and not being able to speak the language that most subjects are being taught in.  I cried almost every day and because of that and my newness and God knows what else, I was easy pickin' for the bullies, cool kids and in-crowd (and yes, these do exist, even in Grade 3).  That kind of stigma unfortunately does not leave you and I never quite felt like I fit in in Elementary or Junior High.  (And then there was that whole inappropriate touching and kissing incident with my Grade 6 teacher-who claims he was just consoling me after another boy punched me in the gut.  BTW-no one knows about that!!)

Now before you think this is just another post about someones bullying experience, let me assure you it is not.  I just wanted you to know that school was not fun for me.  I did have two amazing teachers who inspired me throughout high school and perhaps it is because they saw my passion and potential (thank you Mrs. Lees and M. Lizaire), but otherwise, it was not really that great of an experience for me.

And so now I am in a position in the next year and half to make a decision for my child and his formal entry into the education system.  But what kind of system am I sending him into?  Did you know that the Edmonton school boards have two rules:  NO fail (ever) and NO late (as long as you hand in your assignments by June you are good and don't worry, cause it's not like you can FAIL or anything!!).  What kind of life skills (um, hello?? responsibility, personal accountability-just to name a few) are being taught to our kids people??  Really??

Today I stumbled upon two TED Talks by Sir Ken Robinson.  PLEASE watch both of them (if you have not seen them already-they get posted and shared A LOT). Yes, it will be 40 minutes of your day, but trust me it will be worth it!  They are amazingly compelling and full of insight that I lack the eloquence to communicate when people ask me why I hesitate about putting my kids into our current education system.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this and for those of you with kids in the school system already - is it what it should be?  Or should we as parents be asking, lobbying, and/or creating something better for our kids!

Thank you for reading and watching. Natasha~