Who Really Knows the Child?
Who knows if a child is really learning? Imagine how difficult it can be for a public-school teacher to know if her students are really learning. Each year she faces fifteen, twenty, or more new children. For much of the year, she knows little about them but their names. Does that look on Susan’s face mean she is bored, or really concentrating? Does Jason need extra help in math, or would it be more effective to force him to find the solution on his own? Developing attitudes, outside activities, or personality quirks can all have a tremendous effect on the way a child learns, and teachers may often have little or no access to this information.
For this reason, parents are an important help for teachers. Too many moms and dads sit in on an occasional PTA meeting, or have a few conferences to assess their children’s progress. Usually parents are trying to discover things themselves. Who knows if a child is really learning? How well is Johnny doing? Why did he get a D in English? Most of the time, it would probably be more effective if parents spent their time with a teacher, offering information.
The Limited View of Even the Best Teachers
A teacher can never know a child as well as his parents do. She did not conceive or bear the child, so she does not have the mother’s instinct and love for him. She did not watch his slow progress from helpless infant to personality. Mom can tell if her child is listening or daydreaming. She knows when a child is trying to manipulate her. She knows how he acts when he is hungry, frightened, tired or bored.
If parents could provide teachers with detailed biographical information, it still might not help. Just because a teacher realizes a child is angry, distressed or tired does not mean she accommodate him. She has many other children, each with his own reactions and problems, to deal with. For this reason, there are many times when a teacher must conclude that a lesson has been ineffective for one or several of her students. She cannot teach all of the children all of the time.
A Mother’s Insight Is Incomparable
A godly alternative that thousands of parents have found to be helpful is to teach their own children. You know your child in a way no one else can—and unlike a classroom teacher, you aren’t responsible for managing fifteen or more other students. This allows you to focus fully on your child’s learning, responding to each day and each moment as it comes. Academics can be adjusted not just to your child’s ability, but also to their attitude, personality, and circumstances. In this setting, you become your child’s most effective teacher.
Conclusion:
by Nancy Kramer
This article was originally written by Dr. Paul D. Lindstrom for his radio program, “There’s No Place Like Home”
As Dr. Lindstrom teaches: A teacher may be trained in pedagogy and curriculum. But a parent—especially a mother—knows the heart and habits of the child. And in that knowledge lies the key to truly effective learning.
This is why thousands of parents have discovered a meaningful and godly alternative—teaching their own children.
As a homeschooling parent, you don’t just know your child; you walk beside him daily. You are not burdened by the demands of a classroom full of other students. Instead, you are free to tailor each lesson to your child’s needs—his ability, his attitude, his personality, and even the moment.
To assist you in that responsibility, Christian Liberty Homeschools has the tools you need to be successful. Visit us at: https://www.homeschools.org
🎁 Free Resource for Parents:
Want practical ways to recognize if your child is truly learning?
Download our free guide, 10 Ways to Know Your Child Is Really Learning—a quick, encouraging read for homeschoolers and involved parents alike.