The ocean of learning

 

In an earlier post, I mentioned how when I was a kid my dad, as a hobby, designed his own open-ocean sailboat.  He used naval architect formulae to design the hull and sail form, decide what horsepower auxiliary engine would be needed, etc.  As I wrote, I used to hang around him, asking, "Whatcha doin'?  Why?  What's this for?  What's that a picture of?"  and so on, basically pestering the life out of him when he was trying to concentrate.  So he put me to work deriving the results of various equations he was using -- he put my curiosity and desire to hang out with him to good use.  Further, he didn't allow me to use a calculator but showed me how to work the equations using pencil and paper, then gave me the numbers to input and set me to work.  That quieted me down as I concentrated on solving these puzzles to please my dad.

Well, noodling around in a bunch of old boxes, I actually found the various equations the mighty popster  had me solve.  Man, what a blast from the past!  I was in first grade when he had me handle these for him. My mom had taught me to read and do math before I started kindergarten so I was well-prepared to deal with these.  Well, I was once my dad explained what the formulae meant and showed me how to solve them.  To me they were just fun puzzles that if I figured them out my dad would praise me and my heart would swell with joy.

Thinking back to those days, I remember now how my mother got chastised by the kindergarten teacher for teaching me to read, write and cipher in unapproved fashion and my mom basically said, ah, tell it to the Marines.  Heh.  Being as it was a DoDEA school, that response had some resonance. I don't mean to rag on my teacher, though.  She was just doing her job the way she was directed to.  I can't remember having a bad teacher until I matriculated to a civilian high school.

Am I teaching the fruit of my loins to read, write and cipher?   Yes, I am, as are my mother and father.  And, of course, el jefe, when he is not off explaining the lay of the land and their position in it to bad guys. We also teach the little rascals how to cook, operate, use, mend, build, make, repair, care for animals and each other and do countless other things.  Most of that teaching is hands-on observe-and-emulate instruction.  They also learn history, geography, geology, climatology, meteorology, astronomy, biology, ecology, ethology, chemistry, physics and on and on, usually as the subject comes up naturally during the day or as the need to know it becomes apparent.  Each child travels his or her own development path and I don't force them to learn anything.  That's not necessary at this stage of their life. That will come as they mature and the world shoulders in on our little bit of Eden.