Episode 46: The Imagination we Lack When it Comes to Education: The Kindergarten Years

We Discuss: Kindergarten in the past in comparison to now (each sharing memories of our own start of school)Sharing stories of our child’s start to the school years The awareness of making a mistake being unacceptable and when/how that beginsThe longing to belong and not be rejected as a subconscious survival mechanism The normalization of separation of young children from their families The discomfort of separation from a parent being labelled “ separation anxiety” How reluctance to go to nursery school or kindergarten can be about more than separation anxiety, but also just the particular environment not being a rightThat, even though we have gained so much information about child development in the last few decades, we have moved farther away from having kindergarten set up in a way that actually fits that development What might be behind the resistance to making a change for our children and opting out of the school system – so many families are struggling but the it’s hard to make the change That the comment “readiness for school”  is often more about a child being able to handle it then being an environment where they would optimally thriveHow uncomfortable it is to make a choice that’s different from the massesHow just knowing one other homeschool family can make the difference and offer some sort of framework for living outside of the systemHow school is not just the specific hours the children are there but all the pieces around it like special events, friends, etcKids who appear to enjoy school or go along with it, but aren’t necessarily thriving in the way they might with a more individualized environmentReally well thought out baby, toddler, and preschool programming, and resources, and the wish that they extended into the school yearsA mix of public and private offerings Inclusive and exclusive homeschool activities – the trickiness of finding belonging yet also a group that is sometimes small or limited enough to work for our kids Flexible, community-friendly schools Flexible, community-based learning The capacity and energy needed to build and maintain community The possibility of parents whose kids are older offering their time, resources and presence to younger families Whether kindergarten is necessary What other community-based ways there might be to curate That early learning and development are much more nuanced than the concrete concepts and skills that are most commonly talked aboutEarly social-emotional intelligence and critical thinking and the everyday, natural interactions that provide a model The importance of kids feeling safe in order to learn and develop to their full potential  Resources:High School Diplomas, College Degrees, and Future Careers: Is There More Than One Way?  Erin from Ever Learning and Missy Willis from Let ‘em Go BarefootPractical Ideas for Building and Contributing to Community, Virtual Kitchen Table, Episode 29Homeschooling Community: Finding, Sustaining and How it Evolves, Episode 15Choice in Education: Living and Learning in Community, Episode 3Are Unschoolers Bringing Back Vintage Kindergarten? – Missy Willis from Let’em Go BarefootI’m just so glad he didn’t sit on the line. – Kara S. Anderson