Talking with Teachers

I think that you all must know by now, that for several years now, I have been teaching my son and daughter or I should properly say they have taught me. What I have learned so much from my children is to search for the secret in which they can communicate and learn and that you can always learn even though the lessons might be more than just math, it might be accompanied by persistance which is the more important lesson. Never mind that we had to work much harder to find the love and compassion in all sorts of ways it make the family work. What I have also learned is that school teachers are amazing or they are terrible just like any other human being, and they are not gods they are only human but, they are expected by many parents to raise their children as well as teach them. In fact when the teachers in BC went on strike, I was an avid supporter of the teachers. Alot of people were shocked that I would do this, being a homeschooler, but because I have had to teach my own, I have huge respect for those who teach sooooo many, with different personalities or learning issues, etc and then expected by the parents to teach and encourage good morals and to be a good citizen. Yikes. This is an unrealistic demand to ask of any one person when the responsibility primarily should come from the parents and then supported by the community. During this time in BC, I talked with parents of the students about school teachers and their ideas of school and parenting were conflicting. They demanded the teachers to go back to work and do their jobs, but when I said to them if they didn't like the teachers or their work, I suggested homeschooling and the response was always the same: "I could never do it, it would be too hard, I can't control my kids now how could I do it then, I don't want to", so my response was always the same:"Then support your teachers!" It was very difficult to not get into a full battle with some people about their contradictory ideas.
Here in Ecuador I have the great pleasure of actually having the director of the school teaching us spanish. Mario Amung. He is not only a great spanish teacher, but he is also well educated and genuinely concerned about the kids here. He is also a dedicated educator, he could easily get a different job and certainly paid alot better, but as he says,"I am a teacher, it is what I am and what I was meant to do, I love it." We have often talked about the differences in school systems, and approaches. The first kind of differences is now the teachers still have alot of control of the kids, where that is virtually gone in Canada. The sexual preditor stuff that is such a huge concern in Canada, is virtually not known here, or it is either never talked about. Bullying which and unfortunately has affected my son, without a satifactory conclussion is absolutlely not tolerated. However, the main approach to learning is rote, and in Canada some of the approaches of learning can be very creative, or the help available for special needs is abundant in Canada and not here. The gym classes are very active and everyday the kids are to hike up the mountain, go to the virgin monument, to the cross monument and back. about an hour of excerise before classes. Then the kids are ready for schooling. But they don't have services like special needs or certainly funding for it and well medication is just out of the question. They also don't have the money for books or money to buy books for reading for pleasure. So the reading is not always great because to don't see the pleasure in reading. Unfortunately, often the kids only go to school till grade 5 and go to work instead. That is tough but it is a different world here. It is a privilege to go to school, and if the kids are fortunate they can carry on to higher education, and they do work for it, because they know that the family has sacrificed to do it. Of course, there are some families here that are better off than others and those kids may or may not have the same appreciation but overall it is there.
We, Mario and I have had alot of fun comparing notes, and also coming up with plans of action for more intense learning. He and I have challenged each other with good effects, not only can I have discussions with professionals, I can also debate them. The whole experience of learning down here has been more than just interesting, it has been life changing. I am learning more about myself than I thought was there. I have certainly learned more about self assertion and standing up for myself, it is soo much easier to stand up for others, than myself.
Life is good here even when I am learning about myself, "looking the the mirror, can be difficult but ever so enlightening."
Talk with you all soon.
Robin