Mental Meanderings

This Importance of Education

With everyone around me seeming to delve deeply into serious issues today I did consider writing a general, "Go read these guys!" kind of entry but instead I turn my sights towards education. Not that education isn't one of those big issues we should delve into seriously. It is. But that's not why it's formost on my mind today.

Today, or rather last week, I invested a rather big portion of finance into education for my children (and myself). It was a substantial sum and right now I'm both rejoicing and regretting the purchase. Rejoicing because my kids have already shown how much they LOVE it by voluntarily spending over an hour each with the software and regretting because BOTH had to be forcebly removed. My youngest is indeed, right this minute, throwing the BIGGEST tantrum of his life, "I WANT MORE!!!" Clear as a bell, "I WANT MORE!"

*chuckles* I'm not really complaining. I'm actually very excited. He's TALKING, real talking. Sure, his pronounciation isn't perfectly clear, his diction could use work but those are words, real words that translate in English for anyone who listens to his speach patterns. His vocabulary is growing every day and thanks to this new software I'm actually watching him learn right before my eyes. In a matter of hours he went from knowing none of his colors to 80% accuracy. He want from knowing none of his shapes to 60% accuracy. He's coloring pictures. He's fantastic with his animal sounds. He's able to work out problems and use keyboard commands. He has excellent mouse control.

My daughter is doing maths problems and the only complaint I'm getting is, "It's TOO easy!" *grins* It progressively gets harder as she works through the easy problems so in no time at all she'll find it challenging enough. They're playing games with bright colors that teach them their numbers, mathematics, spelling, increase vocabulary, design sentences.

I actually bought the system more for myself than anything. Some of you may already know that I never graduated high school. In the strict sense of the word anyway. I did go the full ten years however my participation was near to nil in my ninth year (when I was suicidal) and when my mother picked up that something was seriously wrong she switched me to an alternative school where I repeated the year. It was a private school we couldn't afford so when I was legally old enough to leave, I did.

That was a decision I've seriously regretted since. But it taught me the hard way how vital education is and with my own children, and with myself, I've truly valued learning. It's important that learning is fun and challenging. It's important that a child feels they CAN learn and aren't held back by the 'average' levels of their classmates. It's also important that those who fall behind are given the extra attention they need to catch up.

I'm hoping this software and the tutor program that supports it will help give my own children an edge. But that's not why I bought it. I actually bought it for ME! Because as we explored the curriculum and as I've learnt over the past years since I left school I am seriously behind in many areas. There is so much I didn't learn.

I was shocked to discover I have only a Grade 4 mathematical competency. GRADE 4. That's Primary School. I remember grade 4 and I remember hating maths because I just couldn't 'Get It'. Multiplication tables. We rehersed them, on rote, every damn morning for the whole damn year. And I HATED it. I never learnt them. I still don't know them. I couldn't tell you what 8 times 4 is without working it out on my fingers or by writing 8 four times on paper and adding it together. I got through because I was adept with a calculator in high school.

But without multiplication I could never learn so many of the other aspects of mathematics. Find the area? Huh? HOW? If a train going this fast left this point and a train going that fast left that point where would they meet? Huh? You mean they don't crash? Why are we talking trains anyway? I just don't get it.

This software however is designed to take a newborn baby through to year 12. It starts with basics, number recognition. Knowing which number is which. It even has pretty pictures. Count the duckies. How many duckies are there? How many houses are there? Which number is missing in this sequence? It starts with easy addition and subtraction then moves along progressively. Filling in all the missing bricks in your education or ensuring they're all firmly cemented into place as you learn.

I've already watched my own math skill increasing and I started from the basics. I'm still in the easy stages but no longer daunted so much by bigger numbers. Even addition is a struggle for me with larger numbers but I'm learning ways to make it easier to handle.

Maths isn't the only wonder of the education software however. It's also got a Reader program that improves sight reading, structure, speed, comprehension, vocabulary, etc. I'm finally learning what past, present, and past participle actually means and which words are correct. There is so much about language I was simply never taught. I've come across these things as a writer and never understood. I haven't, alas, found anything for punctuation grammar in the program yet but that doesn't mean it isn't there.

The tutor line, however, is open for ALL questions. If there is no way to learn grammar in the software I can call and ask them my grammar query. If I can't figure out how to do a particular maths problem I can call. If the kids need an explaination that I can't give them I can call. If my oldest needs help on her health homework (when she eventually gets some) she can call.

Basically, I'm infatuated and my kids are too. *chuckles* While it's going to hurt making the repayments I believe this program is more than worth every dime. I'm looking forward to filling in a few of the gaps in my education. And who knows, perhaps I'll gain the confidence to go back to school next year like I'd like to. I really would love to get a degree in English but I know with my present education I could not pass the high school equivelency test required to get in let alone manage the coursework.

Kids, stay in school. *grins* You won't understand how important it is until you miss that opportunity. All that crazy stuff they're teaching you really IS needed in life. Wish I'd believed that back in the day rather than thinking I'd do better on my own out in the real world.

Wow! Talk about a ramble. Now I've nattered your ear off it's time to get back to my study. *winks*