So a crisis has come. Not unlike PanKwake’s meltdowns. And like those too…it has passed. The calm after the storm. A bright and sunny new day. And I am left with the ultimate question…
SO WHAT NOW?
Perhaps that single question is the greatest and most profound that we shall ever face in life?
At the core this time is one lesson…
The difference between TEACHING and LEARNING.
When I googled it, I was astounded at my discovery.
Teaching was defined as ideas or principles taught by an authority.
Learning on the other hand was…the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught.
And in those definitions is the very ethos of my viewpoint as both a home educator and a parent.
I NEVER want to be a teacher.
I do not want to be an ‘authority’. I am a Transcendentalist and as such I believe that authority is not a good thing. Other than the small voice inside of us…our spark of goodness and godness.
No, my role is to be a RESOURCE.
a source of supply, support, or aid, especially one that can be readily drawn upon when needed. (www.dictionary.com)
I choose this definition because most of the others were about money and things. While this one focused upon those intangibles…support and aid.
That is the role I have adopted with PanKwake. Through UNSCHOOLING…she has taught herself those things that matter to her…when she needed them…and in ways that she could learn. My role has been to….
- Supply her with the things that she needed to do so. Computers, paper, pens, paints, and opportunities to do things and interact with others in a safe and supportive environment.
- Support her…by praising her (where I can…remembering her aversion to it because of the PDA), by offering her alternative views…and by challenging her when and where I could.
- Aid her…when she ASKS for it.
So why then would I think that what I have to offer to other parents would be any different?
So amid the chaos of a new and greatest love of my life, a move that is taxing my own reserves and the ever present and joyful challenge of mentoring PanKwake, life and Fate has thrown me the challenge of examining my purpose…my calling…my message.
I have many thoughts and possibilities. But I still am not certain the exact path…or the timing of it all. So for now I shall leave you with one of my favorite quotes…
And tomorrow return fully to that thing we call home education. Although in fact these blogs have been perfect examples of it…
Because LIFE is the greater teacher of all.
Self-Directed Learning & Neurodiversity 