Home Schooling Writing

Schools are an add-on. Home is the foundation or well for knowledge, because once upon a time, there were no schools where kids learned German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch etc. Home was school. That’s why it’s disconcerting when parents in movies tell teachers: “It’s your job to teach him. Do it.”

Writing the grocery list equips kids with spelling, organizational and budgeting skills. They will write it on the little notebooks you gave them, where they write school reminders or feelings, like the school bully that harasses them or that girl who doesn’t speak French.

They must always write the title: grocery list and the date. Why? Because that’s how the world works: song titles, weather forecast, school assignments, grocery store aisles, news headlines etc. The date is important for two reasons: how it is written and for answering the question, when?

Kids are the main food consumers. Therefore, they should open kitchen cupboards and tell you what is missing. You approve and they write it down. They open the fridge and freezer and tell you what’s missing. You approve and they write it down. You approve because of budgetary constraints and kids will surprise you. “Mom doesn’t have a lot of money right now. It’s the middle of the month.”

Then comes spelling. Their grocery list has food like broccoli, bannock, sesame seeds muffins, spaghetti, rye bread and cereal. It is through such interaction that kids learn it is cereal they eat with milk, not the serial killer on the loose.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.