A Child's Work

I started homeschooling this week. So far it's going pretty good. The kids are enjoying our "core story" time. We are also doing some regular yoga time. Tomorrow will be our first attempt at a family circle time.

Margo had a rocky first day at preschool and reluctantly went back for her second day today. She did well but was very clingy. Presenting a challenge in my homeschool plan. I will have to find some place for Solomon to go while I remain in the classroom with Margo on school days until she is more comfortable.

Solomon had some questions about homeschool the other day and why he isn't going to school like some of his friends. We had a good talk with him about it and then out of our own curiosity and perhaps because we were feeling a little guilty we looked up the Kindergarten schedule for Washington public schools. While it made me feel better about our decision, it makes me even more depressed about the state of our schools and how I seem to be the only person who cares.
Here's an example of a Kindergarten schedule: First thing they do is table activities, then group time (sitting and listening) This is usually for 15 mins to a half an hour. Next is specialist time. This at least can include some music time, which hopefully means moving around a little... Then there's 15 minute recess followed by snack time. Shared reading (more sitting and listening). Then lunch. There's an hour there, so if they eat fast they can get some actual play time in- of course it's in a gym or outside- not dress-up clothes or other props for imaginative play... Then there's a half an hour of math (this I was a little floored by). Another half an hour of social studies and then science! Geesh. These are five year olds. There is no time at all set aside for free imaginative play. And then to make things even worse, after being in school for 6 hours they send them home with homework!
Honestly I don't understand why I seem to be the only person who finds this absolutely absurd!

I just started reading Vivian Gussin Paley's book, "A Child's Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play". So I guess I'm not the only person on earth who finds the loss of play time for young children extremely distrubing.
Here's a quote from her book, "We continue to call play the work on young children while reducing its appearance to brief interludes. There is barely time to develop a plot or transform a bad guy into a hero. The educational establishment has ceased admiring the stunning originality of it's youngest students, prefering lists of numerical and alphabetical achievement goals".

Last night while Margo was in the bath I read Solomon one of the Enki Nature stories. Right after the story he immediately wanted to write a story, so he got out some paper, pens and requested the stapler. He wrote a little story about a mouse in a field. He goes into the tall grass and then he goes home... simple, yes. But this is exactly the kind of story that Enki is focusing on for his age. Stories of exploring, of independence followed by a safe return home.

It is obvious to me after just one week that story telling and fantasy play is right where he needs to be.