I've had the pleasure of homeschooling 3 kids all the way up to college. The first 2 were relatively close in time, while the 3rd was ten years after the 2nd. As an educator, it has been a fascinating experience. The newest generation, you see, is so very different from the other two. While part of it is personality, some of it is her generation's time. Tech savvy beyond belief to me. Multitasking. Doesn't learn like I did or like the others did. Not worse. Not better. Just different.
This means I'm having to learn a whole new way. What I've done in the past often doesn't quite work the same way. I'm having to rewrite curricula and lesson plans. And all this means I'm also growing. I'm hoping this is God's way of allowing me to know how to help this 2nd generation of homeschooled children and their parents.
Now, I've done some checking. I've talked with an expert, and this brain change has been noted in all sorts of research. It means we have to find a different way to educate the kids. What we used in public schools didn't work with the first generation of homeschoolers, and what we did with the first generation of homeschoolers probably isn't going to work with the 2nd generation. Are they better than us? No, just different. We need them, and they need us. I used to say, "Live and learn." I think now I'll say, "Learn and live." There IS a difference.
2 comments:
Our youngest has lived a different life as well. The first two lived in the same house for their early life. He was moving around before he was one. Plus, he's just such a different kid. No way to do the lab testing here. There's just too many variables !
Wow, how true! My oldest is 9years older than my second, and 10 years older than my third (the last two came quickly!). My younger two are totally different learners than my oldest. I have had to really change gears this go around. I am still in learning mode, and it is true, what we did with our oldest is not working with the other two. God has really been taking me through some unchartered territory, but He has promised that He will be with us and not fail or forsake us. That is so encouraging to me. He loves our children so much more than we could ever love them!
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