Classroom management

I've gone back to casual teaching, and I have to say, I'm really enjoying it.

The kids, the spontaneous lessons, and yes, even the occasional chaos – it's all part of the fun.

I've received compliments for my effective classroom management, and I'm a bit unsure about how to take that. Is it possible that what they see as "effective" might not be the best approach after all?

When you're a casual teacher, keeping a watchful eye on the kids is essential to getting any meaningful work done in the classroom. My goal is to teach the syllabus in a captivating and distinctive manner, boosting the students' confidence and celebrating their accomplishments. 

But, in the confines of a single room with 30 energetic preteens and just one adult, maintaining control over the noise is a necessity. I do it not just as a rule, but because I find it impossible to concentrate in the midst of chaotic sound.

I also believe it's important for children to understand that silence is where the true magic happens. We humans have a tendency to be easily distracted, and the benefits of silence is a valuable lesson in itself.

While it's not fair for kids to be screaming and distracting each other, it's also not fair for me as an educator to completely stifle their ability to communicate. This balancing act can be challenging.

This is partly why I have reservations about the modern education system. It seems to be designed in a way that often forces teachers to expend significant effort just to maintain basic control of the classroom.

This is why I believe that the ideal educational setting for many is in the home and community.

I want to encourage people to imagine an alternative way. We all went to school, and when we did, it was the only normal thing to do. We are somewhat programmed to think school is necessary simply because it is what was normal for us.

But you see, this doesn’t automatically mean that it should be the ideal. For the ideal is not always normal - especially now! We are living in strange dystopian times of great change.

I want to empower parents to think about how we education our children. They should be thinking deeply about what's really best for their kids. Because the truth is, the ideal place for their children may not be in the classroom.

It may not be in someone else’s normal…

The ideal school for your child may be in your home, and it might look different from what is considered normal by your friends and family.

You may need to be the mother  who stands up and proudly declares that you’re going to do it differently. You’re going to be the one to pave a new path forward and raise your child in a way that fosters sovereignty and freedom!

I want you to imagine building a small community school with the children from your world. I want you to start thinking deeply about what environments inspire children to grow. How can you work to propels your children forward successfully into the future?

How do we build learning environments that are multifaceted? Ones that encourage children to explore and confidently grow at their own pace.

We need to create environments where children can speak freely without disrupting 30 others. Places where there is a more harmonious balance between expression and silence.

You see, I don't want to compel children to work. I don't want to impose poetry writing or reading on them. I want them to be passionate about learning about our world, and contributing to its improvement. I want to empower them to share their viewpoints proudly.

I don't want the government to hold exclusive control over what and how our children learn. Instead I want all of us to collectively take the responsibility for how we educate our children.

I want us to talk about what works and what doesn't. We don't have time to ignore the issue anymore. Our children will only get one chance at childhood.

The time for change is now. We need to give our children the gift of freedom and redefine education for ourselves.

ORGANIC EDU