Two words: home schooling!

Big theme of items jumping out at me in the madness of the world we need to leave behind before we get to the other side in this big fat muck we call Great Emergence here. And that theme falls into two words: Home Schooling. Charter schools, private schooling, home schooling of some kind, any and every kind of innovation in education to change the system from where'st is seems to be headed friends! Less respect for teachers (see following story about cursing being allowed) and Less "Cram all you can into their heads in less hours" and a wee bit more outdoor play- which is now scientifically proven to advance intelligence and development, and artistic creativity and INDIVIDUALITY!!!!! Where are the innovators? The Pioneers? I know you are out there! My children attend private school, parochial school, and I've been very much blessed so far and really, stunned at how blessed we are by the teachers and the education they are receiving. And the respect they are required to give- without being overly disciplined like the catholic schools of old, our out of touch socially - nuns no longer teaching as much (I have aunts that are nuns- no offense to them, just don't feel they are as in touch with kids today) and this discipline and manners carry home to the home believe you me. Respect. Where has it gone these days? From employees to students. Line moves a little more each day. Still feel my childrens school day is far to long and jam packed. Pre algebra in 2nd grade? 8:10 am to 3:15 with 10 minutes of recess in 4th grade? I mean, must we REALLY keep up with the Chinese? They lead the world in suicide. Life is the classroom. Being happy, observing, loving, laughing, creating is Life's classroom as much as memorizing and cramming the history of World War I and statistical math. Are their benefits? Certainly! Kids today are bright than ever! I'm not underestimating their genius and potential! My favorite song my kids sing at school is "I'm a great big bundle of po-ten-tial-ity!!!!" I just see that more and more the world cries out for those of us in the chasm who know it needs to be much different on the other side, it needs to be retooled and it cannot keep heading the way it currently is going, as an aging dinosaur of keeping up with the Jones' (i.e. other countries- other educational leaders ideas of whats acceptable) and requiring more and more work and less and less enjoyment along the way or less and less respect or both. Besides the story of cursing being allowed 5 times per class now in EUROPE---I also read Sunday about the prevalance of ALL DAY Kindergarten. Half day was hard enough for my children to adjust to. They were wiped out! Not only is it more common these days, soon it will be the norm. And already, the day is being "structured" with course work because they can't just "babysit" the kids. Why is their no happy medium? WHy not outdoor field trips, music, creativity and art? Why all or nothing? By all I literally mean kindergartens that now schedule history, math, reading, even ECONOMICS. No joke.
I'll post the corresponding articles so you can see if it stirs something in you also. And if it does- you know the G.E. rules. Speak up! Take action! Communicate! Write your legislators! Innovate and Create Something NEW and OUT OF THE BOX and get started now so when we get out of this big muck of the chasm it will be all ready for us on the other side.