"I believe that, as such simplified social life, the school life should grow gradually out of the home life; that it should take up and continue the activities with which the child is already familiar in the home." (Dewey)
I really liked this quote. I think it's important that we're connecting their home life to their school life. It makes the things they're learning more relevant and memorable. If a kid can connect something unfamiliar they're learning in school to something familiar and comfortable from their home life, they'll be able to create a deeper understanding.
This approach also acknowledges and values what they already know; we should remember that kids don't come to us not knowing anything. They've already learned so many things before they ever set foot in the school, and we need to appreciate that.
What do we do if a student who has a less than ideal home life never learned necessary skills that other students learned in their home lives?
I like this quote too. I like the fact that we make school a learning area but that we include skills learned from home. I think the best way to deal with kids who have had less than ideal home lives is to just keep them upbeat about learning so they feel like they can succeed. If they are not getting the support and knowledge from home we as teachers need to love them regardless and keep trying so they can be at the level they need to be.
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