Mom Learns English
Categories: Léo’s Insights 2024-2025
Many years ago, as we were just getting started with Education Unlimited, Faye and I were asked to visit the sister of one of our home educating moms, as she was experiencing some grief regarding her son’s school experience. We arranged to visit the folks that evening.
We had a very good visit with this mom and dad of three children, the oldest now starting public school in grade one. Not only was the child unhappy with this arrangement, but the parents were also concerned with the hour-long bus ride to school and the equally long bus ride back home. We explained that a home-based education is so much better than a school-based education by pointing out how little time is actually spent learning academically in school. Once we had reduced the actual learning time in school to less than two hours a day, we pointed out that if the child was kept home, the bus time alone would be sufficient to complete more than what was happening in school. On top of this, the child would be spared all the bad things that can be picked up on the bus and in school.
However, there was a problem that the parents felt would prevent them from home educating. The Mennonite mom could barely speak English. We encouraged the parents with the obvious fact that every member of a family learns in a home education setting. Twenty-five years later this family is still home educating their youngest four, the older ones having long ago successfully completed their home education. And mom speaks English flawlessly!
Another similar story involves a Mexican dad who could speak English very well. He insisted we come at a certain time so he could do the “negotiating” during our facilitation visit. They determined to use a DVD school program, as the mom did not speak English at all.
When it was time for our spring visit, the dad once again insisted we come at a particular time, but he himself did not arrive until a half hour later, at which time he quickly asked how his wife had done. It was then that we remembered she did not speak at all during the previous visit, yet had done admirably well during this visit. Dad was ecstatic as he announced that all three boys and his wife had learned to read and speak English.
Moral of this story is: in a home educating environment everybody learns.
Previous Post: Question Period
Next Post: Dear Mr. Gaumont