When I became pregnant with my first child, I already had certain ideas about how they would be 'educated'. My parents where shocked, when I told them that my daughter would not be attending a school, well not the type that they expected.
What I wanted (and still want) was to be able to provide them with an environment that really enhances their ability to learn.
At first I saw myself as a teacher of sorts, where I would have to direct them in their education. This idea was all new to me, so I began to explore what home education entailed and read about some of the philosophies behind it.
I was really inspired by John Holt and I really enjoyed his theories about how children learn. It made so much sense to me. I had read the Continuum Concept, when I was pregnant and reading John Holt's books seemed like a natural continuation from that.
This meant, a huge lesson in letting go for me, letting go of this desire to direct, to teach. I assumed that my children would need me to be such a person, but instead they needed me to create the perfect environment for them, where they could teach themselves.
So much comes from trust, trusting ourselves and our natural instincts as parents and then trusting our children and their natural instincts. Their natural desire to learn, their curiosity and desire to explore, all of which they are very good at. Being able to provide an environment where they can develop than and maintain it, could only strengthen those desires and in turn enable them to hold on to them.
So that learning is something they continue to love, instead of something they see as a chore, which happens so often when children attend schools and are directed how to learn, instead of discovering it for themselves.
Trust has been one of the most important aspects of my journey with child led education. It is something that I have to continue to remain myself, to trust in my child's capabilities. It's hard not to compare your children to others, to compare the progress that they are making.
I attended school, where we are expected, to achieve certain things by the time we are a certain age. Never taking into consideration, that children learn in different ways and certainly not encouraging it. You are all expected to learn in the same way and if you do not, then you are labelled as a slow learner.
So I continue to unschool myself, because although I know that this is such a harmful mindset to have, I still find myself doing it. Looking at other children and seeing how far they have advanced in their math or English etc.
But then I think of all the wonderful things that my girls can do, the many skills that they have already learnt, ones that came to me later in life. How to use hand tools, how to build a shelter, to build a table or stools. To light a camp fire, to sit with people of all ages and communicate clearly. How they can grow food and identify medicinal plants. How they can use plants to make natural dye.
The list continues.....
Education goes way beyond what we learn in school and one thing that I have realized is that, being open to learn, is quite possibly the most important thing that you can to, when it comes to educating yourself. To never close your mind off to something, just because such and such a person said so. To keep striving for answers and only settle for something when it feels right to you.
The best school for my children, is the one that they get to create themselves, whilst having the opportunity to interact with the outside world.
How can we call ourselves educated, if we are not learning, what it takes to live. To be confident in exploring who we are, to explore our emotions and have the freedom to be responsible for our own well being.
My girls, have the freedom to choose how they wish to learn, they have the freedom to explore what learning actually means to them. The freedom to be who they are. And that takes a lot of trust on my part.
But in turn, they share the same trust with me and through that we are building such beautiful relationships with one another and with the other people that our in our lives. Taking on that responsibility for our relationships with others and with the world.
It's not always easy, life never is,but together we are finding ways to deal with whatever comes our way. Becoming more more confident along the way.
