New science on high school's corrosive, traumatizing effects.
Truth: "High school is the metaphor for shame." Seriously, what prom, or role in the high school play, or "official" transcript, is worth that? Sure, most kids survive. But why should you have to? Is being bullied and shamed and endlessly judged while desperately trying to figure out how you fit in really what high school should be all about?
How about if high school is about preparing for college, or a career, and maybe a spouse and family?
How about if the time is spent learning interesting new things, and developing personal interests that might be the basis for other life choices -- instead of navigating the nasty world of peer pressure, in a milleu where most of the adults in your life are trying to get you to like them as a "friend," rather than trying to support and guide you toward maturity (if they take any notice of you at all, that is)? (Let alone teach you anything.)
And don't even get me started on the genuine abuse that happens in schools ... by both kids and adults. Scary.
I've been worried I can't handle teaching high school subjects. I keep forgetting two things: One, I've been there, done that myself, so how hard can it be? And two, even as a 7th grader, my 13 yo already does most of her learning "independent study" style, with me acting more as guide and facilitator than lecturer. Of course, I'm there to help her find her way through any areas of struggle, but at this point it seems to be more about establishing the parameters of the curriculum, finding interesting, engaging books and resources, assigning and grading written work, having great discussions about the material (and how fun it is to watch her light up when she finds something especially interesting!) and setting the overall pace. Why should high school be any different?
I remember reading an article in Newsweek or Time many years ago on homeschooling, in which some representative of a teacher's union declared that "homeschooling is a form of child abuse." (I wish I could find it! I don't think I'd even started homeschooling yet myself, and it infuriated me.) Funny, that: Seems like the opposite may be true.
Food for thought, anyway.
