Let your duckling swim!
Do you know the Animal School Fable by George Reavis? If not, then here it is - I think it says it all without explanation! However, I have a relevant story to tell afterwards, if you are interested...
A Fable by George Reavis in the 1940's
Once upon a time the animals decided they must do something heroic to meet the problems of a “new world” so they organized a school. They had adopted an activity curriculum consisting of running, climbing, swimming, and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.
The duck was excellent in swimming. In fact, he was better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to stay after school and also drop swimming in order to practice running. This was kept up until his webbed feet were badly worn and he was only average in swimming. But average was acceptable in school so nobody worried about that, except the duck.
The rabbit started at the top of the class in running but had a nervous breakdown because he had so much makeup work to do in swimming.
The squirrel was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the flying class where his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of the treetop down. He also developed cramps from overexertion and then got a C in climbing and D in running.
The eagle was a real problem child and was disciplined severely for being a non-conformist. In the climbing class, he beat all the others to the top of the tree but insisted on using his own way to get there!
At the end of the year, an abnormal eel that could swim exceeding well and also run, climb, and fly a little had the highest average and was valedictorian.
The prairie dogs stayed out of school and fought the tax levy because the administration would not add digging and burrowing to the curriculum. They apprenticed their children to a badger and later joined the groundhogs and gophers to start a successful private school.
This week I have had a similar conversation with the school that CC now attends. She was booked into a writer's workshop, which is provided for all the keen writing students her age, from all the different high schools in our town. We were then informed, a week before the event, that she could not attend after all because the school swimming carnival is on the same day and that it takes precedence.
CC came home from school disturbed because she had been placed in a freestyle race. Swimming is not one of her strengths! As I pointed out in my email to the head of middle school:
"Chloe found out yesterday that she is required to compete in the swimming carnival. She thought, because she is not good at swimming, that her participation would be to support her team.
She would much rather go to the writer's workshop than display her lack of swimming ability in front of all her friends as well as displaying her maturing body that she is still getting used to herself! (they enforce school bathers that are very high cut, no board shorts allowed).
I am not sure about the need for enforcing students to undertake such activities at this point in their life. We don’t place less able mathematics students in front of all their peers and force them to compete, enabling everyone to see how bad they are at maths. All students need to learn to swim (for their own safety) but I don’t think that all need to compete in swimming carnivals.
I hope Chloe will be permitted to participate in something she is good at and would like to improve in - writing."
I have not heard back as yet, but mamma bear has kicked in and I plan to protect my daughter from unnecessary humiliation and take her to the writers' workshop anyway - with or without the school's permission - where her confidence can be built as she works on developing her God-given talents.
This is one BIG reason I home-schooled and want to support all those who continue to do so! Keep up the good work - for your children's sake :-)
- Tags: homeschooling | learning
