Last night, Michael and Sean asked me to sign a sheet of paper allowing them to participate in their school’s accelerated learning (TAG) program. Overall, I didn’t have a problem with it, because I like the way that the kids’ school runs their program. Instead of separating the kids all day long, the kids are just pulled out for a period. The rest of the time they are with their other classmates. Michael has enjoyed being a part of it and I think that Sean will also.
The problem arose when I asked the kids which class they would be missing in order to attend the special class. Michael was fine, because it was just during his regular homeroom class. However, Sean will be missing gym. I was not too pleased with that. I prefer that he attend gym class than go to an enrichment class. (I know…I am not your stereotypical NYC mom!) He pleaded with me though because he really wants to go, so I relented. The basketball/ soccer combo class that he takes at our local Y along with additional unstructured play will just have to do until the end of the school year.
As I discussed my concerns with Sean’s great-aunt earlier today, she reassured me that I had made the right choice. Sean is incredibly bright academically and it will be good for him to be more challenged in the school setting. (For the record, I don’t think that it’s a public school teacher’s responsibility to provide everything that my kids needs academically. On average, they have 30 kids in their class with varying educational needs, so it is understandable to me that they “teach to the middle”. If I want my kids to get a more personalized education, then I would homeschool them, hire a tutor and/or place them in certain private schools…but that’s another rant. 🙂 ) However, since active play is equally important to me, I will just need to be a bit more deliberate about fitting that into Sean’s schedule. His great-aunt also reminded me that Sean is pretty active outside of school gym anyway. We walk to and from school each day; he plays at the park after school; he takes a class at the Y; and the like.
We’ll see how it goes. Academic “book” education is great but it’s not everything. The interpersonal skills and self-discovery that kids get through active group play is just as important. I want my kids to know that their parents value both sets of skills. I think that they “get” that so far…
{Writing this post reminds me of why I enjoy being a “Play Ambassador” for Let’s Play. Led by Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Let’s Play aims to helps families be active. If you’re interested in learning more about this initiative, you can visit Let’s Play on their social media pages – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.}