Comments on: Want a happy, healthy child? Then sign this petition http://littlegreenblog.com/family-and-food/green-parenting/test/ natural health, wellness and caring for the environment Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:34:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Mrs Green http://littlegreenblog.com/family-and-food/green-parenting/test/comment-page-1/#comment-283 Mrs Green Sat, 13 Sep 2008 14:07:53 +0000 http://littlegreenblog.com/2008/09/07/test/#comment-283 Hi Peter, Your thoughts echo those of Jenn - the one size fits all concern that parents, and I'm sure a lot of educators, have. Your son is an excellent example of how a chrysalis will become a beautiful butterfly if, and when, it is allowed to develop in its own time. Unfurling those wings early results in early death and nothing more. A celebration of difference and unique abilities would be wonderful and of course this exists in many of the Steiner and Forest schools...... great to see you, I always love reading your comments. Hi Peter,
Your thoughts echo those of Jenn - the one size fits all concern that parents, and I’m sure a lot of educators, have.

Your son is an excellent example of how a chrysalis will become a beautiful butterfly if, and when, it is allowed to develop in its own time. Unfurling those wings early results in early death and nothing more.

A celebration of difference and unique abilities would be wonderful and of course this exists in many of the Steiner and Forest schools……

great to see you, I always love reading your comments.

]]> By: Fr. Peter http://littlegreenblog.com/family-and-food/green-parenting/test/comment-page-1/#comment-282 Fr. Peter Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:42:14 +0000 http://littlegreenblog.com/2008/09/07/test/#comment-282 Often I despair at the so called 'experts' who make the rules regarding child education. They assume that all are equal and that one size will fit all, what an aweful error! Our son was a slow reader, in fact hardly did any when he was small and I often wonder how he would have shown up in SATS tests, would he have been considered as failing? When he did start later he went from one extreme to another and ended up with an MA from St. Andrews University. I would have hated strting school at such an early age, I still remember my first day at school when I was five! We are all different and government regulations for schools should celebrate that difference, not seek to reduce all the individuality and creativity of our little ones to the same level. Often I despair at the so called ‘experts’ who make the rules regarding child education. They assume that all are equal and that one size will fit all, what an aweful error!

Our son was a slow reader, in fact hardly did any when he was small and I often wonder how he would have shown up in SATS tests, would he have been considered as failing? When he did start later he went from one extreme to another and ended up with an MA from St. Andrews University.

I would have hated strting school at such an early age, I still remember my first day at school when I was five!

We are all different and government regulations for schools should celebrate that difference, not seek to reduce all the individuality and creativity of our little ones to the same level.

]]> By: Mrs Green http://littlegreenblog.com/family-and-food/green-parenting/test/comment-page-1/#comment-281 Mrs Green Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:03:24 +0000 http://littlegreenblog.com/2008/09/07/test/#comment-281 Laura, it's great that you have time to decide; don't rush a decision. Did you see the post I wrote about you this week, btw? Melissa, you make some points that I completely agree with - it's a love of learning that needs to come naturally from our children and then they can achieve anything. I'm reading a wonderful book at the moment called "Last Child in the woods" by Richard Louv and it ties in with what you say about young children being in a classroom without freedom for the day. Jennconspiracy - welcome to the blog! It's good to see you here. It absolutely does need to be a case-by-case basis; but who is going to fund that?!?! Some children are desperate to read and write from an early age, but many are not and it is these children that I worry about. They simply get lost in the system and labelled; often those labels last for life and kill the spirit of learning. Laura, it’s great that you have time to decide; don’t rush a decision. Did you see the post I wrote about you this week, btw?

Melissa, you make some points that I completely agree with - it’s a love of learning that needs to come naturally from our children and then they can achieve anything. I’m reading a wonderful book at the moment called “Last Child in the woods” by Richard Louv and it ties in with what you say about young children being in a classroom without freedom for the day.

Jennconspiracy - welcome to the blog! It’s good to see you here. It absolutely does need to be a case-by-case basis; but who is going to fund that?!?!

Some children are desperate to read and write from an early age, but many are not and it is these children that I worry about. They simply get lost in the system and labelled; often those labels last for life and kill the spirit of learning.

]]> By: jennconspiracy http://littlegreenblog.com/family-and-food/green-parenting/test/comment-page-1/#comment-277 jennconspiracy Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:36:27 +0000 http://littlegreenblog.com/2008/09/07/test/#comment-277 It seems like it really does have to be considered on a case by case basis -- I started reading just before my 3rd birthday and was reading and writing (and trying to figure out why my sister and brother couldn't pick it up) but I was held back until 3 months before my 6th birthday because my birthday fell just a few days after the cut off. Ironically, when my mom signed me up the following year for kindergarten, she was threatened with a report to child welfare if she didn't also sign up my sister (11 months younger) at the same time (she didn't). I was always a year older than anyone in my class, but about 3 years ahead learning skills-wise. Most of my friends' kids have all been able to read and write by 1st grade -- it's just part of the curriculum in the US. I think that the education system is really not set up to take into account how kids learn differently from each other or an established curriculum -- while parents may be able to highlight particular strengths, a really good teacher can often uncover hidden talents, but it all requires more communication, flexibility and attention than a "one size fits all" program. It seems like it really does have to be considered on a case by case basis — I started reading just before my 3rd birthday and was reading and writing (and trying to figure out why my sister and brother couldn’t pick it up) but I was held back until 3 months before my 6th birthday because my birthday fell just a few days after the cut off.

Ironically, when my mom signed me up the following year for kindergarten, she was threatened with a report to child welfare if she didn’t also sign up my sister (11 months younger) at the same time (she didn’t). I was always a year older than anyone in my class, but about 3 years ahead learning skills-wise.

Most of my friends’ kids have all been able to read and write by 1st grade — it’s just part of the curriculum in the US. I think that the education system is really not set up to take into account how kids learn differently from each other or an established curriculum — while parents may be able to highlight particular strengths, a really good teacher can often uncover hidden talents, but it all requires more communication, flexibility and attention than a “one size fits all” program.

]]> By: Melissa http://littlegreenblog.com/family-and-food/green-parenting/test/comment-page-1/#comment-276 Melissa Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:41:54 +0000 http://littlegreenblog.com/2008/09/07/test/#comment-276 Mrs. Green: This is exactly the conversation I had this morning with a few moms and more specifically regarding "all day" kindergarten in the US. Thankfully it's not mandated until after J. will go - but most families seem to be for sending their children at the age of 5 into a classroom for an entire day. An entire day without absolute freedom? I don't think that's age appropriate. Kids are far too stressed out these days. I feel as though at these young ages, children should be shown a love for learning rather than having to meet milestones they just aren't built to meet. It makes me sad to see how much we push our children and end up with kids that hate learning. I wish I could sign your petition. There has to be a better way. Mrs. Green:
This is exactly the conversation I had this morning with a few moms and more specifically regarding “all day” kindergarten in the US. Thankfully it’s not mandated until after J. will go - but most families seem to be for sending their children at the age of 5 into a classroom for an entire day. An entire day without absolute freedom? I don’t think that’s age appropriate.
Kids are far too stressed out these days. I feel as though at these young ages, children should be shown a love for learning rather than having to meet milestones they just aren’t built to meet. It makes me sad to see how much we push our children and end up with kids that hate learning.

I wish I could sign your petition. There has to be a better way.

]]> By: Laura http://littlegreenblog.com/family-and-food/green-parenting/test/comment-page-1/#comment-275 Laura Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:24:04 +0000 http://littlegreenblog.com/2008/09/07/test/#comment-275 Thats a really nice way of thinking- sometimes I have to remind myself to follow my heart and not be driven by peer pressure! At least I still have a while to decide anyways! By all means write a post about FYP :D That would be great, thanks! Thats a really nice way of thinking- sometimes I have to remind myself to follow my heart and not be driven by peer pressure! At least I still have a while to decide anyways!

By all means write a post about FYP :D That would be great, thanks!

]]> By: Mrs Green http://littlegreenblog.com/family-and-food/green-parenting/test/comment-page-1/#comment-280 Mrs Green Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:24:48 +0000 http://littlegreenblog.com/2008/09/07/test/#comment-280 Hi Maureen, Thank you for the links; I had problems getting this post to keep the links and photos in, so thank you for bringing to light these important pieces of information that were missing. Now I've put them in for other readers - phew! Hi Laura, It is a tough decision for many. But follow your heart and take each day at a time. We're not saying never to school again, but at the moment it works for all of us, and that's all that matters. It's dd's choice and life and we respect her chosen path :) Love your website, btw; I'd like to write a post about you sometime, if you don't mind. The name is great LOL! Hi Maureen,
Thank you for the links; I had problems getting this post to keep the links and photos in, so thank you for bringing to light these important pieces of information that were missing. Now I’ve put them in for other readers - phew!

Hi Laura, It is a tough decision for many. But follow your heart and take each day at a time. We’re not saying never to school again, but at the moment it works for all of us, and that’s all that matters. It’s dd’s choice and life and we respect her chosen path :) Love your website, btw; I’d like to write a post about you sometime, if you don’t mind. The name is great LOL!

]]> By: Laura http://littlegreenblog.com/family-and-food/green-parenting/test/comment-page-1/#comment-279 Laura Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:17:04 +0000 http://littlegreenblog.com/2008/09/07/test/#comment-279 Really interesting piece, thanks! My daughter is still young, but Im already struggling daily with the decision to 'school' or not to school- Im sorry your daughter showed such signs of distress in school- I think under those circumstances I would have done the exact same thing that you did. Really interesting piece, thanks! My daughter is still young, but Im already struggling daily with the decision to ’school’ or not to school- Im sorry your daughter showed such signs of distress in school- I think under those circumstances I would have done the exact same thing that you did.

]]> By: Maureen http://littlegreenblog.com/family-and-food/green-parenting/test/comment-page-1/#comment-278 Maureen Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:58:03 +0000 http://littlegreenblog.com/2008/09/07/test/#comment-278 I agree that a set of Learning and Development Requirements is outrageous! I did a google search for the campaign link and a link to the petition. Here are the links: http://openeyecampaign.wordpress.com/open-eye-petition/ http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/OpenEYE/ (I signed the petition) And I have to say that I admire you for stepping in and taking your daughter out of school. I agree that a set of Learning and Development Requirements is outrageous! I did a google search for the campaign link and a link to the petition. Here are the links:

http://openeyecampaign.wordpress.com/open-eye-petition/
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/OpenEYE/

(I signed the petition)
And I have to say that I admire you for stepping in and taking your daughter out of school.

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