EliseMcKenna Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 by Amanda Ripley, did it influence your curriculum choices or educational practices? If so, how? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 No, it didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Nope. It was an interesting read but hasn't changed my approach. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliseMcKenna Posted March 1, 2017 Author Share Posted March 1, 2017 Huh. I was expecting different answers! Did you not feel the need to implement any changes because you were already following much of what Ripley describes as best practices in your own homes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fralala Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 No. It seemed more useful for thinking about improving public education not as a manual for individual homeschoolers, unless I'm remembering incorrectly. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Much of what was discussed/compared was WRT to group teaching methods and education systems, not curriculum. It wasn't especially relevant to what we do at home. I read it to gain insight for work purposes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliseMcKenna Posted March 1, 2017 Author Share Posted March 1, 2017 No. It seemed more useful for thinking about improving public education not as a manual for individual homeschoolers, unless I'm remembering incorrectly. You're right. I was just discussing this with my husband this morning. I told him I wasn't sure how to (or if to) apply her findings to a home where I am teacher AND parent. It was interesting, but I was a little shocked at the sweeping conclusions she made about a very complex issue based on some pretty limited data and no prior experience in that field. I kept thinking, how does she explain my kids? They are doing quite well despite the fact that I have no teacher training or experience, and frankly, I would make a terrible classroom teacher. So, nope. :) I did bristle a bit thinking about my lack of teaching qualifications and how she might say that disqualifies me from teaching. However, I will say that reading about the importance of teacher training and expertise has made me look at my own role more critically. I do think I have the tendency to want to find "independent" programs for my kids, whereas it sounds like my input is more important than I realized before. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 You're right. I was just discussing this with my husband this morning. I told him I wasn't sure how to (or if to) apply her findings to a home where I am teacher AND parent. I did bristle a bit thinking about my lack of teaching qualifications and how she might say that disqualifies me from teaching. However, I will say that reading about the importance of teacher training and expertise has made me look at my own role more critically. I do think I have the tendency to want to find "independent" programs for my kids, whereas it sounds like my input is more important than I realized before. There were certain things that I liked, particularly the socratic discussion and group problem solving in math but that's not easily replicated at home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 No, I didn't change a thing that I do. I don't homeschool like school at home, have homeschool grads already. I can't imagine doing anything resembling S. Korea. I am the antithesis of a Tiger Mom and still have kids graduating with amazing accomplishments. ;) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 I did bristle a bit thinking about my lack of teaching qualifications and how she might say that disqualifies me from teaching. However, I will say that reading about the importance of teacher training and expertise has made me look at my own role more critically. I do think I have the tendency to want to find "independent" programs for my kids, whereas it sounds like my input is more important than I realized before. Just grow rhino hide. That's my approach. Fwiw, discussion is way more important than you think. I am not an expert in anything, but I discuss things with my kids all the time. Thinking about things, varied perspectives, proving their points, etc.....vital! (I am not a fan of most independent curriculum and definitely not before late middle school at all.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEK Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Nope, not at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliseMcKenna Posted March 1, 2017 Author Share Posted March 1, 2017 Just grow rhino hide. That's my approach. Fwiw, discussion is way more important than you think. I am not an expert in anything, but I discuss things with my kids all the time. Thinking about things, varied perspectives, proving their points, etc.....vital! (I am not a fan of most independent curriculum and definitely not before late middle school at all.) I'm a huge fan of discussion, too. I think that's why lit-based curricula always appeal to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 (edited) I really liked that book a lot but for things we can do to improve public school not for stuff I can do with my kids at home whether homeschooling or after schooling. I guesse the advice to not give up when things are hard or when there is some sort of challenge is good. I do think having higher standards to get into a teaching program is a good thing but I do not think that really applies to homeschooling. Edited March 2, 2017 by MistyMountain 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freelylearned Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 The Smartest Kids in the World and The Knowledge Gap by ED Hirsch gave me the confidence at the beginning of my homeschooling years to trust my gut and strike out on a path that was very different from the American norm. Am I fascinated by Finland's school system? Yes, yes I am. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_Bear Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 (edited) Well, it didn't influence me into changing my course, BUT it confirmed and reaffirmed my reasons for why I choose to pursue homeschooling and opt out Edited March 2, 2017 by calbear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 Huh. I was expecting different answers! Did you not feel the need to implement any changes because you were already following much of what Ripley describes as best practices in your own homes? Ugh, I typed a response and then lost it. Anyway, not much was new to me - I've long been interested in education, and I was born and raised in NL, then did a year as an exchange student in Thailand, and finally moved to the US as an adult, so I have some familiarity with different educational systems. For some reason this discussion reminded me of a book I read in 2004 - The Geography of Thought by Richard Nisbett. I don't remember much from it other than that Asian parents focus relatively more on verbs when talking to their babies whereas American parents focus more on nouns, but it was an interesting book and I should re-read it (there was a lot more to it than how parents talk to babies). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visitor Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 (edited) No , but the book, Beyond the tiger mom did. Edited March 2, 2017 by visitor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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