Heading to a "Free School" Tomorrow to Check Things Out.
As I mentioned in a previous post, my wife and I are pursuing an unconventional (not to be read as "weird" or irrational) path regarding my son's education here in Japan.
That of--gasp--fully integrated learning (i.e. "unschooling," i.e. REAL LIFE).
I mentioned in the previous post that here in Japan taking the unschooling route is a bit of a trick due to vague laws, highly revered cultural/social "norms," and the general country-wide lack of truly robust and functional unschooling/homeschooling communities and groups.
All that said, it is doable here, and folks are making it happen.
Headed to the free school for "rejects."
In Japanese, the word futouko means "truancy" or "school non-attendance" and is a title that can be used to gain an exemption from compulsory public schooling mandates. As I understand it, the reasons for parents accepting this label for their children are myriad. Some have apparent learning disabilities, some have emotional problems, and still others just aren't "cut out for" the public schooling indoctrination system. This comes as no surprise to me, knowing from my personal and professional experience that in children genius is common as dirt, and in the public education system, genius is truly despised.
These days, futouko is ALSO a title used by homeschoolers/unschoolers to get around the heavy hand of compulsory schooling laws present in the legal system. Personally, I do not wish to have such a title applied to my son (being socially stigmatized in Japan can often come with severe ostracization by peers) but, nevertheless, my wife and I will head to a local free, and volunteer-based school for these "school refusers" tomorrow, to check it out.
I'm looking forward to seeing just how "free" these "free schools," called jiyuu gakkou, are, and how "unfit" these "school refusers" are. I am seriously wondering what we will find. Hopefully, though I am trying not to have too many expectations, a possibility for community and networking will be found. And a population of children and adults not so judgemental about the life choices of others!
A brief update on my son's Montessori education and thanks for your continued support.
As many of you who follow this blog know, thanks to Steemit and your readership/votes/support, I have been able to enroll my son in a rather elite English-speaking international Montessori school here in the city where I live. Sadly, though he loved it there, and his English was exploding, there are not any kids in his age range enrolled. We have been waiting for more children from his peer group to come to the school since he started, but, as it the school is a new endeavor here in town, and is still gaining popularity, this has yet to happen.
Just yesterday I received a message from Isaiah's teacher mentioning that he was concerned about the lack of peer learning and interaction for my boy. My wife and I have been having similar concerns. As such, after completing his makeup days, Isaiah will likely be quitting the Montessori school in search of greener pastures. I just want to thank all of the people here who have contributed to my blog from the bottom of my heart for helping my son gain an experience of inestimable value, and one he will never forget!
I am going to do all I can to forge an unschooling community right here, as I believe from the bottom of my heart that we owe our children the absolute best when it comes to showing them that this world is a fair (as "fair" as fair can be absent coercion and synthetic manipulation of natural law by government bodies), beautiful, and sensible place.
Thanks for reading, and UNSCHOOL ON! LIFE IS LEARNING AND LEARNING IS PLAYING!
I'll let you know about the school investigation soon! ;)
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as Facebook and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)
Great job dude.
Your son will thank you when he's older for doing the right thing with his education. Why would you want to raise another brick in the wall?
In years to come I'm sure other kids will benefit from the unschooling community you seek to forge. Good luck mate.
Thanks man. I really appreciate that.
It's shocking how I had been mistreated by some schools in my country and as a child even physically abused by the teachers (not to mention bullying and fighting). There are really some fucked up schools and teachers out there, but also had the pleasure on being on an awesome school. Where I enjoyed every moment of my time there. I'll be putting my children on that school. I'll also fase the challenge of learning them three languages, Dutch, Thai and English. You should be careful on what kind of shithole you just might put your kids on. It can leave scars their whole life. The teachers in Asia and Japan are known to strike students, beware.
I suggest you change one of your tags to homeschooling so you get that community - some who are more on your page with the unschooling. If you are on fb there are good groups for these topics over there. I know quite a few people overseas who cobble together education based on all kinds of rules. It takes work, but you can get what you want for your child.
I wish I would have done this for my son. Formal education really messed with him and it's not over with him being 25 now. Protect your kid - you've got that right.
Ah, good idea on the tag. Thanks.
Especially thanks for this.
You're welcome - it's a minefield and i wish I had understood it better at the time.
I agree that in some cases You have to 'cobble together' bits & pieces for yr Child's education -- but it's so-o-o WORTH IT, in the end.
Do a number of #homeschooling #field #trips early on, I'd suggest ♦♦ exposure to #Music & the Theatre Arts can be so important... the Classics will help your child receive a great foundation (I know it did 4 me, and so I am grateful to my dad )
GOOD LUCK to You kafkanarchy84 ♥
We've been unschooling our five kids for almost 6 years now, we wouldn't have it any other way. I've heard horror stories about Japan's government being stricter in many senses than the US and State gov'ts. I'm glad to see you having some success over there, not just with unschooling, but with anarchism in general.
That is great to hear and glad to be connected on here. Cheers! I
We unschool so comfortably here in Staffordshire, England ... and the situation of finding peers on the same kind of page is still difficult.
Something I've found is really hard, over the years, if that we live in a very different way to those around us and my children have reached an age where they have entirely rejected the way we live because they question whether it can be ok if the other people around us do it so differently, en masse. Teen years are hard as it is. This seems to be the case whether you unschool or not. I understand that my kids are nervous because they see so much apparent 'social proof' we are getting it wrong. My eldest [rising 30] now has come full circle, but she became very pro authoritative parenting, conventional medicine and schooling as a teen.
Not sure what I'm saying. I wish you well and that you can create that community you need around you that can give your children confidence in what you do as a family.
Thanks so much, @sallylloyd. It's great to hear your story, and your support is much appreciated. Glad to be connected on here.
Interesting read. Am seriously starting to consider homeschooling. I myself am not very well and teaching is making me weaker. But also the pace of the school curriculum is tediously slow - I suspect designed that way so that once I get the kids in upper secondary many seem uninspired.
One thing that must surely be feasible now is to have some online mentors. I'd love to do that, as can teach pretty much any subject. Sometimes, for homeschoolers, it isn't so much the idea of having an online "lesson" but of a guide to help inquiring minds.
There's a huge amount of time in a school day/week/year to be filled! They fill it with transition after transition until only about 15% of time is spent in learning tasks. Then they repeat everything every few years at a slightly different depth [some of this is necessary because they are teaching children who were not learning the thing because they were interested, they didn't form connections that enabled the task to be significant, etc].
We get crammed full of pretty useless information in schools because there is a LOT of time to fill!
"Oh no! Not Anglo Saxons again, we did that last year!" syndrome. Quote from my daughter, quoting the whole class in unison. "That's OK, you'll be doing them again next year too!" smirks deflated primary teacher.
I never liked my primary years, but school was easy and I went to a decent university. Sadly, I now teach, and faced with a granulated desiccated syllabus and confronted with students suffering from addictive-destructive-distractions-syndrome (ADDS) - yes, there are lots of syndromes to explain away errant behaviour as it becomes normalised.
Sport! Now, that can fill up hours without end too. At least they can't carry a dumbphone as they play football.
When the public schools deny how children learn, and deny them their basic human dignity, destructive behaviors begin to pop up for sure. I think you'd really enjoy a couple of books by the great educator John Holt:
How Children Learn and How Children Fail.
I relate to what u said as to 'dumb phones'. In a way, I don't think these shd ever have come to market. I'll bet it'll be shown that HOLDING cells to yr head for a Lot of the day causes #Brain cancer
Anyway, good luck to u.
One can also quote Steve Jobs himself as not allowing his kids to use those same gadgets his company creates. Become a smart kid first, then a smart phone might be useful.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/steve-jobs-apple-ipad-children-technology-birthday-a6893216.html
Indeed. Good notion.
Keep thinking outside of the box and keep us posted!
Great decision taken up by both of you.. Hope you find something positive there. Wants to know more about these free and volunteered based school and why these children are called 'school refusers'!!
I am resteeming it..
Didn't realise age range was such a big deal. Would have thought being able to interact with different age groups would have been more valued. Or am I missing something?
No, you're absolutely right. One of the drawbacks of public schooling is the segregated age groups. Isaiah is getting bored and restless, though, because basically there are no kids his age or older. Kind of surrounded by babies every day.
In Montessori they generally have a 3 year age range to start with. Then they often foster interaction with age groups below and above. I found it the nicest system for segregating by age as little as possible. Depends if it is done as Montessori intended. In my experience, it isn't always the case.
school life was very best when playing with toys,no one mind thinking only playing and watching cartoon,,,