"I would keep my children home and teach them myself before I'd enroll them in a public school." I made that statement in 1975, not at a Christian school conference nor to an early group of home educators, but to about a dozen public school teachers and administrators.
Months before, I greeted each of them in Spanish as they entered my classroom. I answered their queries with, "En esta clase, no hablamos ingles." I listened to them mutter to each other in disapproval that they would have to learn Spanish from a teacher who did not speak English.
Then class began, I went into action to win them over. I held up a pen in front of one of them and said, "Una pluma. Repita." as I gestured to him to repeat. For twenty minutes, I jumped back and forth from individuals to the class as a whole.
With a pen, a pencil and a sheet of paper I taught them to say, "It is a pen," "It is a pencil," and "It is a paper," in Spanish. Within 20 minutes, they learned to respond in a full sentence when I held up, for example a piece of paper and asked if it was a pencil: "No, no es un lapiz." Then to respond to the question, "Que es?" with "Es un papel."
By the end of the 20 minutes, I knew they were actually getting into the game Berlitz had made of learning a new language. Then I dropped the bomb. For the first time, I addressed them in English: "Okay, let's take a five-minute break."
The cat was out of the bag, but by now, even the naysayers had to admit that they could now speak a few simple sentences in Spanish without English. From then on, class time took place 100% in Spanish with 100% participation.
During breaks, we got to know each other. We talked discussed trivia (old songs, the Little Rascals and just about any other topic provided fodder.) They learned a bit about who I was, my training for the ministry, and so on. Somewhere along the way, we bonded.
So, by the time I made the outrageous statement that I would not ever consider putting children of mine in public school, and that I would teach them at home first, I got an interesting reaction. The school psychologist in my class immediately criticized me for wanting to isolate my children from reality.
Then, a public school principal perhaps 15 years my senior came to my defense. "Now, Eleanor," she said, "Mr. Mutton has made this class so interesting and brings so much to our discussions . . . don't you think he would expose his children a wide range of knowledge and experiences?"
Heads nodded. The highest ranking member of the class had spoken, and that pretty much shut down any more criticism. In retrospect, what lessons do I see, here?
Months before, I greeted each of them in Spanish as they entered my classroom. I answered their queries with, "En esta clase, no hablamos ingles." I listened to them mutter to each other in disapproval that they would have to learn Spanish from a teacher who did not speak English.
Then class began, I went into action to win them over. I held up a pen in front of one of them and said, "Una pluma. Repita." as I gestured to him to repeat. For twenty minutes, I jumped back and forth from individuals to the class as a whole.
With a pen, a pencil and a sheet of paper I taught them to say, "It is a pen," "It is a pencil," and "It is a paper," in Spanish. Within 20 minutes, they learned to respond in a full sentence when I held up, for example a piece of paper and asked if it was a pencil: "No, no es un lapiz." Then to respond to the question, "Que es?" with "Es un papel."
By the end of the 20 minutes, I knew they were actually getting into the game Berlitz had made of learning a new language. Then I dropped the bomb. For the first time, I addressed them in English: "Okay, let's take a five-minute break."
The cat was out of the bag, but by now, even the naysayers had to admit that they could now speak a few simple sentences in Spanish without English. From then on, class time took place 100% in Spanish with 100% participation.
During breaks, we got to know each other. We talked discussed trivia (old songs, the Little Rascals and just about any other topic provided fodder.) They learned a bit about who I was, my training for the ministry, and so on. Somewhere along the way, we bonded.
So, by the time I made the outrageous statement that I would not ever consider putting children of mine in public school, and that I would teach them at home first, I got an interesting reaction. The school psychologist in my class immediately criticized me for wanting to isolate my children from reality.
Then, a public school principal perhaps 15 years my senior came to my defense. "Now, Eleanor," she said, "Mr. Mutton has made this class so interesting and brings so much to our discussions . . . don't you think he would expose his children a wide range of knowledge and experiences?"
Heads nodded. The highest ranking member of the class had spoken, and that pretty much shut down any more criticism. In retrospect, what lessons do I see, here?
- Skills and ability occupy an essential place in getting a class on your side;
- It helps immeasurably to win the group leader over.
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. (
Proverbs 22:29)
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