Friday, September 21, 2012

FMF "Wide"

It isn't spiritual. It isn't about moms or maintaining sanity in a messy house (both of which are topics I love to read about, btw, even if I'm not a mom and don't own my own house). But it's me. And if one tries to copy everyone else, well, that's already been done.

So the Five Minute Friday topic is "wide."

What would YOU write about?

I thought of "deep and wide, deep and wide." Never really thought much of that song, besides it being fun to sing. What does it even mean??

Then I thought of something along the lines of semi-trucks. Semi-wide?

And then, after reading the Gypsy Mama's post (where this all gets started), I decided to write about a wide range of knowledge.

You see, I tutor a 2nd grade boy three days a week. I simply love it! But something I've started to notice is that he does not have a wide range of knowledge. "No 2nd grader does," you might tell me. Yes, well, that's probably true. :) But it's still surprising me.

I read him a story about a boy whose family moves to a dairy farm and he disobeys and almost drowns in a manure pit. I think a whole new world opened up to him.

I read to him about Johnny Appleseed since it is his day this Sunday.

I read to him about insects, and you'd think he'd just tasted icecream for the first time!

The classical method of teaching says that children should be memorizing a lot during their early years. That their brains are able to absorb tons of information.

So why do we sit them in front of the TV (not that they can't watch TV, but as an exclusive form of childcare) when this is the time in their lives when they could be memorizing the Westminster Shorter Catechism or how to skip count up to 9 or all sorts of other things that would give them a wider range of knowledge?

I went 2 minutes over. Forgive me.

:) ~Michelle

3 comments:

Tresta said...

Great, Michelle! Amen to all your thoughts on education - make it wide and varied, and turn off the tube. I think I recognize the first story about the boy and the manure - is it from The Millers series?
Sounds like you are getting great prep for your someday family, Lord willing : )
So glad you 'found me' at Five Minute Friday - small world, huh?! See you in Camas again someday?

LadyM said...

Yes, Storytime with the Millers! :) Yes, I will definitely be through Camas again. Unless Naomi decided to move somewhere else permanently :)

Paula Barnett said...

I love the "wide" impact that you are choosing to make in this little boy's life! A blessing indeed!