Article Educational Alternatives, 2022, volumen 20

 Pedagogical contributions of Homeschooling

Tesi doctoral

 Contribucions pedagògiques del Homeschooling

Christmas Performance

 

Ara ve Nadal

Desembre ha arribat i el fred ha començat! El final d’any és temps d’avaluació. És precís fer una mirada enrere a tots aquests mesos perquè segur que en podem aprendre alguna cosa. El 2020 ha estat un any molt complicat, no dic res de nou. L’escola va haver de tancar des de mitjans de març fins a principis de juny sense avís previ. L’equip docent va reaccionar molt ràpid i, sense dilació, van començar les classes per zoom al dia següent. I els alumnes, quin progrés tan espectacular van fer!  Alguns no havien utilitzat mai el google classroom, però de seguida en van aprendre i, amb l’ajuda dels pares, van ser capaços de continuar el seu aprenentatge.

Un altre repte d’aquest any ha estat l’adequació de la nova escola a Can Ribó. Rehabilitar l’edifici, fer la teulada nova, canviar la instal·lació elèctrica, clavegueram nou... Es diu ràpid, però l’estiu va ser un compte enrere per a tots els operaris per tal de guanyar temps al temps. Al setembre havíem de començar i havia d’estar tot enllestit.

Aquest nou curs ha començat amb molta il·lusió. Hem donat la benvinguda a alguns nens i professors nous que de seguida s’han adaptat al tarannà de l’escola. L’avaluació del primer trimestre ha estat molt positiva, tots han fet un gran esforç. Alguns nens que no entenien l’anglès ara ja comencen a seguir les classes.

El Nadal és un temps de vacances en el qual la implicació familiar pot ajudar  a aprendre d’una altra manera: activitats artístiques i lúdiques amb els nens, visualització de pel·lícules en anglès, documentals, xerrades didàctiques pares i fills... No sabem si podrem sortir massa a visitar museus o firetes de pessebres, però segur que aquestes setmanes serviran per gaudir d’un temps en família i d’un descans ben merescut.

Bon Nadal i Bon Any 2021!

Nou curs escolar

Quina alegria poder començar l’escola; després d'aquests mesos tant rocambolescs. Nou curs, nou emplaçament, nous companys i nous mestres!

Els llibres fan olor d’impremta i fa goig repassar-los ensumant-los per descobrir els nous temaris i les aventures apassionants que ens duran aquest any.

Can Ribó ens dona l’oportunitat d’aprendre en l’entorn del bosc, aprofitant els recursos naturals per experimentar els continguts de ciències naturals i per gaudir de les classes a l’aire lliure amb unes vistes espectaculars del Montseny i respirant oxigen en una atmosfera neta.

Hi ha novetats aquest any: els clubs, l’assignatura de Global Perspectives i els projectes empresarials dels alumnes de secundària.

Els clubs són activitats en grup que es realitzen voluntàriament durant el pati del migdia. Els alumnes poden escollir entre aprendre i perfeccionar el joc d’escacs, fer música amb conjunt d’instruments interpretant bandes sonores de pel·lícules, cant coral o bé convertir-se en els reporters de l’escola liderant aquesta magazine, un projecte interessant per tots aquells que vulguin endinsar-se en el món del periodisme.

L’assignatura de Global Perspectives es treballa a partir de la secundària. És una assignatura de la branca d’humanitats. Es treballen de manera global aspectes actuals de geografia, història, política, sociologia i psicologia, tractant temes tant interessants com la globalització, l’educació i els

mètodes tradicionals de recerca.

Per últim, ja estem preparant l’obra de teatre de Nadal i, si tot va bé, us esperem el 17 de desembre al Teatre Auditori de Llinars. Aquest any, degut als grups estables establerts per la COVID-19, es realitzaran dues obres de teatre: Little Mermaid i Stick Man. D'un gran mal, en surt un gran bé!  

 

Merry Christmas

Christmas Show

Show must go on

Quin mes més intens! Escalada, palau de la música, banderoles de nadal, visita a la granja, fins i tot alguns pares han participat els divendres en els tallers de l’escola per fabricar les decoracions que vendran els nens a la fira del torró. Tot plegat un novembre ben complert. Desembre és un mes d’exàmens, d’avaluacions, informes i actes, però també és el mes on el teatre pren un protagonisme especial perquè estem preparant un espectacle que no us podeu perdre, una adaptació del Christmas Carol del famós escriptor Charles Dickens.

A partir de la segona setmana de desembre anirem molt sovint a assajar al teatre de Llinars, a la sala gran. És un privilegi que tinguem disponible aquest teatre, no totes les escoles poden dir el mateix. Penso que per manca de recursos a les escoles, el teatre encara ara no és una assignatura curricular i hauria de ser-ho. És una de les activitats més complertes i formatives que podem oferir als nens. El teatre requereix una altra forma de fer les coses, de gestionar els espais i de tractar els continguts de manera molt diferent de com els tractem a l’aula. La dramatització és un dels millors mitjans per introduir als nens en el món de la literatura i de la llengua, es basa en la comprensió escrita i sobretot en l’expressió oral i corporal. És una estratègia activa i lúdica que enamora als nens. Podríem dir que engloba el perfeccionament del llenguatge i l’expressió, fomenta hàbits socials, és inclusiu amb tots i cadascun dels nens, desenvolupa la creativitat, la improvisació, la resolució de problemes, el diàleg, la comunicació, el treball cooperatiu, reforça la motivació i l’entusiasme cap a l’escola perquè crea nous estímuls i prepara als estudiants per la vida real. Tots aquests aprenentatges no serien possibles sense un escenari, sense un públic que pogués gaudir del treball que porten fent durant mesos i mesos d’assajos. El moment de l’espectacle és el moment real, en què s’enfronten al món, és el moment artístic culminant on vosaltres sou el públic i espectadors del seu procés.

En un món tan ple de reptes i tan canviant, el teatre els facilita unes eines que els permetrà adaptar-se amb facilitat i actuar amb la màxima naturalitat, siguin quins siguin els escenaris que es vagin trobant en el seu futur.

Programa Salut i escola

Els nous reptes que afronta la societat a causa de la transformació de les estructures, els valors i les funcions familiars, comunitàries i socials tenen en el medi escolar una manifestació especial. Al centre educatiu, com a espai natural per a l’aprenentatge, l’educació i la formació integral de la persona, és també el lloc on es manifesten més aviat els signes d’alerta sobre problemes de salut, en els quals una detecció precoç pot ser la primera acció per iniciar un procés d’ajuda a les necessitats, sovint no expressades, però si manifestades per mitjà de conductes.

És per aquest motiu que des de l’agència de salut pública de Catalunya se’ns ha assignat una infermera escolar que durà a terme el programa Salut i Escola. L’objectiu d’aquest programa és millorar la salut dels adolescents mitjançant accions de promoció de la salut, de prevenció de les situacions de risc i d’atenció precoç per als problemes relacionats amb la salut mental, la salut afectiva i sexual, el consum de drogues, alcohol i tabac, en col·laboració amb el centre i els serveis de salut comunitària presents a Llinars del Vallès.

Els eixos fonamentals d'actuació d’aquest programa són:

-La salut mental;

-La salut afectiva i sexual;

-La violència i els maltractaments segons gènere,

-Els hàbits de salut (consum de tabac i altres drogues, altres addiccions, exercici físic,

dieta, etc)

-I els trastorns de la conducta alimentària.

Una de les principals línies d’actuació d’aquest programa és el servei de Consulta Oberta, que implica el desplaçament periòdic de professionals de la infermeria als centres docents per afavorir l’accessibilitat dels adolescents a l’atenció sanitària amb garanties de privacitat, confidencialitat i proximitat. La nostra infermera és l’Elodia Santos que visitarà als alumnes de secundària per primera vegada el 21 de novembre i de manera periòdica cada quinze dies per tal que els alumnes que ho vulguin puguin accedir al servei de Consulta Oberta. L'Elodia a més a més serà l'encarregada d'administrar les vacunes als alumnes sempre i quan els pares donin el vist-i-plau: Mente sana in corpore sano.

Un nou curs escolar

Benvinguts de nou a l’escola. Un nou curs sempre és una oportunitat per plantejar-se nous reptes i continuar millorant la pràctica educativa. És interessant mantenir sempre una mirada crítica i constructiva a la nostra manera de fer i pensar. La recerca que duc a terme a la universitat de Girona sobre les Contribucions Pedagògiques del Homeschooling ajuda a reflexionar. Les famílies que opten per no escolaritzar són molt crítiques amb les institucions escolars i els processos d’aprenentatge, a l’extrem que prescindeixen de l’escola i eduquen ells mateixos els seus fills amb tota la responsabilitat i els riscos que comporta, doncs al nostre país l’educació a casa no és legal encara. Quan els pregunto cóm podríem millorar l’escola em donen moltes idees que podria resumir en aquests set punts:

-Ràtios més petites, falten recursos humans per tal de personalitzar l’educació

-Millorar el disseny de l’aula i l’arquitectura de l’escola, classes més obertes

-Millorar el currículum i la metodologia, suprimir alguns continguts memorístics per d’altres més pràctics com empresarials, art, música, pensament crític, més valors així com millorar la metodologia per tal que sigui més activa i respectuosa amb els ritmes dels nens

-Millorar la socialització. Sobta aquest suggeriment, perquè una de les majors crítiques que rep el homeschooling és la manca de socialització dels nens. Segons el seu criteri a l’escola no es socialitza correctament. Ells critiquen l’excessiva competitivitat, la manca de cooperació, cal fomentar l’assertivitat, l’empatia i eradicar la violència... Vist així és cert que l’escola pot en molts casos pot dificultar la convivència

-Cal fomentar més autonomia, l’auto-suficiència, no dirigir tant les classes i permetre que l’alumne sigui més lliure en el seu procés d’aprenentatge, malgrat això impliqui més esforç per l’alumne

-Sortir més, més excursions, museus, biblioteques, consulta als experts, interacció amb el barri, etc

-Per últim incideixen en millorar la preparació dels mestres. Penso que els mestres han d’estar en formació constant, reciclant els seus coneixements i apuntant-se a cursos. Un mestre quan és alumne coneix de primera mà el procés d’aprenentatge des de la vessant de l’alumne, i això millora els seus coneixements conceptuals però també els seus coneixements metodològics i empatitza amb l’alumne.

Resumint, no és feina fàcil seguir les recomanacions de les famílies. Però és un tot un repte i és l’objectiu principal de la nostra escola, la prioritat és la Personalització Educativa, amb majúscules. Penso que la paraula Personalització sintetitza molt bé el que busquen els pares pels seus fills. És l’escola la que s’ha d’adaptar a tots i cadascuna de les persones que la conformen.

Teach babies to read?

One of the most influential pedagogues of school renovation is Maria Montessori, the first woman who graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Italy. She was interested in children with learning difficulties, those who were then called ‘retarded’. When working with them she realized that there were so many things that could be done to improve their learning. From an early age she taught them through the senses, sight, touch, hearing. Her results were impressive to such an extent that some of the ‘retarded’ children began to perform like normal children. As a result, Dr. Montessori came to the conclusion that healthy children were not even given a small percentage of what their potential could develop. Montessori’s schools were implemented throughout Europe quickly. With her methodology, children normally learn to read words at four years of age.

Sixty years later, another doctor, Glenn Doman, treated children with brain injuries. In the 60s he founded an institute for the Achievement of Human Potential which produced magnificent results of improvement and recovery through a treatment program. For Glenn Doman children had an extraordinary curiosity and ability to learn. The soon as they begin walking they touch everything they have around them, they put everything in their mouths, they break or they push objects, they fall over, put their fingers in the socket ... Their curiosity is hard because we have to watch them all the time to prevent them from getting hurt… However if we value this great curiosity and naturally encourage it at the right times, they will benefit from it.

So, what is the Doman method? It is a method of learning to read designed to be used by parents who apply it naturally, fun, as a game. The methodology involves the use of cards that are shown to the child several times a day, in short periods of time and in series of 10 stimuli. This is how to boost learning by stimulating and optimising the curiosity and desire to learn from babies. It is based on the idea of intelligence bits, which are units of information that the child can understand and assimilate. Based on this idea, the baby can learn to relate the letters without needing to know the alphabet, because he understands the concept itself and associates it with the word. It is essential that the activity be lived as a fun and communicative game. In his book, How to teach your baby to read, Glenn Doman explains all the steps and how the parents themselves can develop and create the material. We can agree more or less with Glenn Doman, but it is definitely a book we must read.

Bibliographic references

Doman, G. (2013). How to teach your baby to read. Santiago Chile: Edaf.

Writing is learned by writing

In our western society, the family is the main transmitter of the oral language and the school is the transmitter of the written language. Since the children are born they are immersed in a world of writing. Parents read stories to children, go often to the library, parents keep reading at home and it is usual in all households to find a shelf space full of books, stories and magazines. This atmosphere encourages reading and writing and when the school begins, the child already has a great background in the fascinating world of lyrics (Marina, 2008). Inspired by Celestin Freinet, at school we encourage writing through the Magazine that is published every month. Boys and girls write their articles and all of them are printed on the monthly Magazine. Also at the Sant Jordi festivity we publish each and every one of the stories that children have written, as you have seen in this edition of 2019 the book 29 Little Stories. Imagine how important that is for the children, even Freinet in 1924 acquired a printing press at his school in the Alps because he wanted to publish the written works of his students, broadcast, publish a newspaper for children and the entire educational community to understand how important the simple works of children were (Freinet, 1974 ). It is important for children to express through writing all their feelings and can thus channel their way of understanding the world; problems, difficulties, challenges expressed through imaginary characters and situations. There is a mandatory book in all homes written by the fantastic Gianni Rodari; the Grammar of Fantasy. This Italian writer has written such famous books as Telephone Tales that surely all of you will remember from your childhood. In this book of fantasy Rodari gives guidelines, an orientation to create and write fantastic stories through various techniques: the fantastic pair, the confusion of stories, the construction of the absurd and so on. According to Rodari at the school, there is a lack of laugh and enjoyment  and it is important for children to laugh and have fun writing, experiencing fantasy and creativity to enrich the child's environment (Rodari, 2012). Writing has the capacity to order the mind, the thoughts, expand the understanding, adjust the expression, it is essential for the child's complete development. And as Confuccio says, writing is learned by writing, reflecting, observing, changing, correcting time and time again. Only by writing a lot and much, do you learn to write:

Tell me and I will forget,
Show me and I will remember,
Let me do it and I will learn it.

Bibliography
Freinet, C. (1974). Consejos a los maestros jóvenes. Hospitalet: Editorial Laia.
Marina, J. A. (2008). La magia de escribir. Barcelona: De Bolsillo.
Rodari, G. (2012). Gramática de la fantasia. Barcelona: Planeta.

Neural networks

Neural networks
Over the past month, I have been so impressed with how the children have advanced in their learning processes in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Children who did not have English knowledge and/or had never played a musical instrument or applied curricular concepts (such as multiplication tables, the periodic table etc.), after just a few months they were able to memorise multiple curricular data, acquire greater english language fluency and discover their inner musical talent. It is true, the brain is a dynamic organ that is in constant development; this is especially true for children, as children have twice as many synapses as adolescents or adults. However, the latest data from neuroscience also confirms that the brain is always capable of developing, even in old age (Pagan, 2019). What is presently clear, is that new experiences create new neural circuits. The greater number of stimuli in our environment, the more brain connections will be formed; thus increasing our capabilities (Jauset, 2009). I disagree with some “unschooler” families, who choose to allow the child to "naturally" develop educationally, without guidance. Additionally, studies have not reflected impoverished regions in the world that do not have egalitarian access to education. Perhaps, these children will be very prepared to survive in natural environments, but they may be cognitively malnourished and ill equipped to live in our present world.
I am impressed to read about the myriad of studies that suggest music stimulates and improves results in the areas of language and mathematics (Jauset, 2009) (Rosenkranz, 2007). Musical learning involves many parts of the cerebral cortex, which is why musicians, according to certain researchers, have greater synaptic plasticity than non-musicians (Spychiger, 1994). This same principle can be applied to other disciplines absent from many traditional schools: sports, art, and theater in example. Learning to perform any new activity regardless of age, generates new neuron connections brain function as a whole. It is essential to set new challenges and goals by overcoming oneself day by day, open to learning and new experiences but to ensure successful development in all areas. This ultimately prepares us for life and learning for the present and future.

Bibliography
Jauset, J. (2009). Música y neurociencia: la musicoterapia. Barcelona: UOC.
Pagan. (2019). La jornada de Oriente. Obtenido de http://www.lajornadadeoriente.com.mx/2006/09/28/puebla/c3pag11.php
Rosenkranz. (2007). Motocortical excitability and synaptic plasticity is enhanced in profesional musicians. Journal of Neuroscience, 5200-5206.
Spychiger. (1994). Music and cognitive achievement in children. Music Research Notes.

How to face the education of the future today

I have had the pleasure of attending the second World Education Congress held in Santiago de Compostela, during this vacation. I had the privilege of presenting the research I am carrying out on the Pedagogical Contributions of Homeschooling when applied to a traditional school environment. In addition to exchanging experiences in education with other teachers, I enjoyed participating in the many seminars on various current issues in the world of education. Topics addressed included: How to face the education of the future today, the challenges and difficulties of working with young people and how to be a good teacher. I can summarize the general topics in three points:

Firstly, school helps to discover the individual talents of each student. Each child is gifted in a particular area. We must help children in developing their skills and encourage those who enjoy succeeding. It is been said that success is dedicating your life to pursuing your talents as well as what you like through your work and profession.

Concerning topics that have been discussed in different seminars are the dangers that of misusing of social networks, cyberbulling, sexual harassment on the Internet, online gambling, misusing of video games, (spending too many hours playing, as the great majority of the videogames show excessive violence), consuming pornography every day in younger ages, promiscuity, adolescents using Viagra, unwanted pregnancies, rape, consuming toxic substances such as tobacco, drugs, alcohol, stress pills... These are complicated issues that surprise experts considering that statistics are increasing year after year as ages of exposure decrease. Parents must educate and discipline their children no matter how well behaved they are because all of these dangers exist.

Finally, I would emphasize that most of the speakers required teachers to love their pupils and have passion for their work. Being a teacher implies a total dedication to students; More than a job this is a lifestyle. Children value good teachers. They are very influential for students and when a child feels treated with love and respect, their learning improves. It is easier to learn and develop our abilities in an environment where we feel loved, capable and respected.

Be aware parents and teachers, times are not easy for our children.

Center of Interest

Center of Interest
Ovide Decroly was born at the end of 19th century. He is well a know pedagogue. Decroly has influenced the pedagogy around “Escola nova”. He believes that the purpose of the school is to help students be ready for the world, whatever the future holds. Education it is about allowing children to gain experiences, to learn to live in new and better ways, to take charge of their future, to shape it and deal with its challenges. Decroly refused traditional education, he proposed an education connected with the primary needs of the child and their natural interests. He promoted Center of Interest, promoting activities based on observation, small research, exploration of the environment, using the associations within the space, time, phenomena, objects, facts and people.
He give us some examples to implement in the school:
-We have to take the students to the forest, farms and fields around the school. Immersion in real nature as often as possible through the crops, breeding animals, botanic trips, zoological trips and so on.
-We have to show to the children the workshops around our area, letting them practise whenever it is possible different profession and crafts such as a carpentry, shoemaking, dressmaking, baking…
-We have to show the social rules of society, municipal organisation and practise them, visit the Mayor or the city council, we can also implement some of the rules in the class, given the students duties and responsibilities.
Decroly thinks that schools should work as a restaurant. The teacher should offer different meals to the students, having different quantities and a wide range of different ingredients to nurture the inquisitive desire to learn from the children. This is a good way to personalise education and follow the children’s interests. 

Born to Learn

We all agree that we are born with a limitless capacity to learn. Children are insatiably curious, we can see that in their inquisitive eyes. They observe the world and, as soon as they acquire and master language when they turn three or four years old, they question everything. Humans are so much more inquisitive than other creatures, we are born to learn. Why does school sometimes go so badly wrong with some students? Are schools built on the assumption that children were born to learn or that children were born to be taught? The tension between teaching and learning has filled thousands and thousands of pedagogical books. For so many children the wonder of learning has been replaced by the tedium of trying to memorize what they were taught about things which really didn’t interest them very much in the first place. To follow the children’s interests and to respect the rhythm of each child in a class of 25 is impossible. It seems obvious that reducing class sizes it is the first step. Confucius famously said: ‘Tell me, and I forget; Show me, and I remember; Let me do, and I understand.’ Learning is a consequence of having to work things out by yourself. In school we have to promote independent and creative thinking to solve problems. Learning to do is one of the four pillars of education, to enable students to acquire competence and skills. Promoting work experience, becoming apprentices for a day or a week, transforming the class into a workshop, visiting museums and expositions often, these are good ideas for fostering learning. Children are born to learn, let’s make it possible in school!

Let's talk methodology

Rosa Sensat (1914), one my favourite Catalan educationalist from Escola Nova movement, says that in life knowing how to use knowledge in daily life is more important than the acquisition of knowledge.  Her methodology has an important role in our pedagogy. Lessons normally begin with a conversation following a specific order: first we use our senses, children touch and observe things; second we find out what previous knowledge they have through appropriate questioning; third, through indirect suggestions we discover together what should we know more about the topic. A lesson is often a project, in the class we design a plan, a syllabus to be executed in a short period of time. There is a question, there is dialogue and there is discussion about the selection of resources and different courses of action. The class can then take place beyond the school if necessary, in a museum, in the forest or under a tree thereby promoting context and meaning in the topic environment.  'The lessons that students learn in the playground are more useful than the lessons we teach them in the class,' (Rousseau, 1762).

Guerrilla Learning

Guerrilla Learning: How to give your kids a real education with or without school

is the provocative title of an amazing book written by Grace Llewellyn nearly 20 years ago. Llewellyn is both a teacher and a researcher. She considers that school is a waste of time and that students learn better when they are self-motivated and not locked inside the school walls. Llewellyn is well known in the homeschooling world. However, she prefers to use the term ‘unschooling’ as she considers that homeschooling denotes moving the school to the home. She defines unschooling as a learning method that has no formal structure or curriculum vitae.

What can we learn from her Guerrilla Learning as a school? Llewellyn challenges students to turn off the television, go abroad, visit libraries, museums, use internet and other resources to research and learn. She mentions five keys essentials for the learning process. These are: opportunity, time, interest, freedom and support. 

Opportunity

Having access to reading, writing, dialogue, arts, mathematics and logic, science and nature, the community and the future. Immersion in knowledge and culture.

Timing

This refers to cognitive age and to respect of each child’s developmental rhythm. Vygotsky would define this as working within the zone of proximal development.

Interest

We don't have to motivate children to learn different concepts and skills and expect them to show interest. We need to wait, as motivation should arise from the children, not from the teacher. When a child is motivated by something then it is the right time to learn.

Freedom

Giving children freedom so they can choose when, how and what to learn, following their own rhythms and interests, allowing themselves to self-regulate without imposing our schedules, timetables and demands.

Support

When it is needed and requested, providing materials, resources, explanations, celebrating their mistakes, successes and especially - the most important - witnessing their success.

We can observe these five keys in our life and in the life of our children.

Summer Performance

We have enjoyed so much the last performance. The children have been doing very well. Enjoy the show and see you next september.

Synonyms flowers

This week in English, the children have been writing their non-fiction reports about electricity. They have been writing them in neat with pictures, captions and labels and will be thinking about the layout of their reports before it goes up on display. 

We have begun learning about Van Gogh this week. Did you know that he painted around 2000 paintings but only sold one whilst he was alive? We looked at and discussed his most popular pictures and talked about which one we liked the most. Vincent Van Gogh used to paint pictures of things he saw in his dreams so we had a go at doing some pictures of our dreams too! Next week we will continue with this theme and eventually paint our own ‘Starry Night’ pictures!

The older children consolidated their knowledge of decimals and column subtraction through mathematical problems involving money. We studied word problems and learned the invaluable lesson of looking closely at what the question asks us. 

This proved useful for our Cambridge exams which all the older children took part in this week. Well done to everyone for completing all six tests, it's not an easy thing to do! 

In English, we learnt about synonyms, these are groups of words that all have the same meanings as each other. We made synonym flowers for one of our classroom displays and played synonym card games with Markus. 

Finally, we were introduced to our new topic: The Romans. All the children are really excited to begin several new and interactive projects to work on for this exciting theme.