Reflections on Motivation
Much of what I learned about educating my children at home came slowly, almost painfully at times, as I learned to let go of what I thought I should do and began to listen to what my children needed, and reflected on how they were naturally learning despite my clumsy attempts at teaching them.
Nowadays I tell people to allow plenty of time to 'let go'. Change needs to be slow and considered, and achieved with mindfulness, to be lasting. Change also happens without any effort at all at this speed. All you really need to do is challenge your motivation to achieve educational goals with your children. Ask yourself 'why do I want them to learn or do this?' often - and don't restrict this to the obvious educational lessons in life. I questioned things like cleaning teeth three times and day and why children should wear shoes... I continually test my assumptions by imagining if I'd do and think the same thing if I lived in a different era, place, culture or as a different person. My beliefs and attitudes are forever being adjusted in the light of my new understandings.
Homeschooling life became a lot easier for all of us when I learned to recognise those imperatives that came from MY head and heart. Most of my earlier educational goals were based on what I thought people wanted me to do, what I thought was expected of me, as well as my fears that people would think I wasn't good enough as a mother or educator if I didn't live up to these expectations (which were guided by the parenting I had as a child, as well as the onslaught of messages from a hyperactive consumeristic media!) My homeschooling learning programs weren't centred, they weren't grounded in what each of my children needed to learn next in their lives, based on who they were, but on what society said they should be, and what I should be... and what I needed to own to get there...
Once I slowed down and stopped rushing in to satisfy those unknown others, or the nagging critic in my head, I had time to watch and listen to my children - as they played, as they talked to each other and to me, as they worked. I was surprised by how much 'work' my children did each day. I used to think that they played all day, but when I stopped trying to organise their time so much I saw that much of their play taught them the very lessons I'd spend hours preparing! Learning, play and work soon became inseparable. For children, learning is invisible. It's a pity we make it visible - that only leads to confusion.
cheers
Beverley
www.alwayslearningbooks.com.au
http://homeschoolaustralia.beverleypaine.com
Nowadays I tell people to allow plenty of time to 'let go'. Change needs to be slow and considered, and achieved with mindfulness, to be lasting. Change also happens without any effort at all at this speed. All you really need to do is challenge your motivation to achieve educational goals with your children. Ask yourself 'why do I want them to learn or do this?' often - and don't restrict this to the obvious educational lessons in life. I questioned things like cleaning teeth three times and day and why children should wear shoes... I continually test my assumptions by imagining if I'd do and think the same thing if I lived in a different era, place, culture or as a different person. My beliefs and attitudes are forever being adjusted in the light of my new understandings.
Homeschooling life became a lot easier for all of us when I learned to recognise those imperatives that came from MY head and heart. Most of my earlier educational goals were based on what I thought people wanted me to do, what I thought was expected of me, as well as my fears that people would think I wasn't good enough as a mother or educator if I didn't live up to these expectations (which were guided by the parenting I had as a child, as well as the onslaught of messages from a hyperactive consumeristic media!) My homeschooling learning programs weren't centred, they weren't grounded in what each of my children needed to learn next in their lives, based on who they were, but on what society said they should be, and what I should be... and what I needed to own to get there...
Once I slowed down and stopped rushing in to satisfy those unknown others, or the nagging critic in my head, I had time to watch and listen to my children - as they played, as they talked to each other and to me, as they worked. I was surprised by how much 'work' my children did each day. I used to think that they played all day, but when I stopped trying to organise their time so much I saw that much of their play taught them the very lessons I'd spend hours preparing! Learning, play and work soon became inseparable. For children, learning is invisible. It's a pity we make it visible - that only leads to confusion.
cheers
Beverley
www.alwayslearningbooks.com.au
http://homeschoolaustralia.beverleypaine.com
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