Honesty: I was super hesitant to send Audrey to more "traditional" school. For a long time after she was born, I researched and looked up all different kinds of alternative schooling. Homeschooling, unschooling, Montessori, Waldorf, Forest. You name it, I have probably seen it and read about it. I am a huge fan of Sir Ken Robinson and a lot of his work. And believe me, I still see and recognize all of the merits of each of the options listed above. Truly. And there may come a day when we decide still to take that route. I do not love the ideas of standardization, nor do I love the Common Core.
That being said, we decided to go ahead this year and take the option of New York City’s UPK program. In NYC you have to list the school’s you prefer in order of preference because there are so many options. This is both awesome and overwhelming. I naturally went on a hunt for the most progressive programs and put them at the top of my list. However we also listed a couple of schools close by, because we do have some great options, though they are deemed as “more traditional”. One of them being right across the street from us. Wouldn’t you know, that’s where she got in. I was admittedly hesitant, however I was excited for the very brief commute and the time it would save us each day. Because the reality is, every morning her school begins at 8:15 and we leave at 8:10. And every day we waste no time getting back home so we can head right to the park on nice days, or have play dates immediately afterwards. Looking back now in these past 4 months here are some major realizations I have had:
This post simply started as a fond reflection of how much I have loved this first half of Audrey’s “traditional” Pre-K experience. Her teachers are incredible, her friends and their parents...we are lucky and oh so grateful. But also the education and wisdom it has offered me as her mom and a citizen of this world, has been so strong. And this is simply, my personal experience. I know many others have very different thoughts, opinions and experiences. Please know, I am in no way shaming or condemning the other options. I mean it when I say, there may come a time they are more right for us as well and I truly see and understand the merits. I remain open. But as of late I feel immensely grounded in the understanding that life doesn’t have to be an OR, it can be an AND. AND our experience of doing the exact opposite of what I ever thought we would do, has given me so much. So I thought I would share.
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Sara Packardis a Mama, Wife, Yoga and Meditation Teacher, Coach, Writer and Activist. You can read more about her here. Archives
September 2021
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