Laundry. I think a lot about laundry. Perhaps because I do a lot of laundry. Granted this does NOT make me a laundry expert – I’m not especially efficient . In fact I think facebook should have “Every article of clothing is washed, dried, and put away” as a life event option. Like “got married.” After all for me these life events have happened with the same exact frequency – once! Only once!
Laundry is so much more than merely producing clean clothes. It can be therapy. When our 5 children were ages 5 and under, Todd and I would often sort and fold laundry together. We would talk or watch old TV sitcoms or listen to audio books while we accomplished something. Actually accomplished something. (The feeling of accomplishment is very important when you have 5 kids ages 5 and under). I kind of miss the Laundry Therapy days. (Not wanting them to miss out on the good times, we now make our children fold their own clothes).
And there are so many profound truths that can be expressed through the language of laundry. “Let things go too long and you’ll end up a basket case.” Or “If you use your resources wisely, you’ll never be in a pressing situation.” (Don’t follow? If you hang stuff up right away out of the dryer you’ll never have to iron. See?) I know I’m not the first one to have found life-lessons in the hamper. Kenny Rogers obviously drew from great laundry wisdom when he put philosophy to song – “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em. Know when to fold ‘em . . . “
Recently I was struck by how those laundry baskets hold so many great metaphors for educating children. Now before you accuse me of sniffing the dryer sheets, let me explain:
It’s not one-size-fits-all. Imagine if all your kids wore exactly the same size. You wouldn’t have to worry about who got what pants because it wouldn’t matter. Where would the fun and adventure be in that?! And the best learning is not one-size-fits-all either. Different children have different needs and how they are taught should reflect this truth.
Just because it fit yesterday . . . Children grow. They outgrow their clothes. What fit them last spring will likely not fit them this spring. Their minds grow and change too. The hands-on preschoolers become concrete thinking elementary students then grow middle schoolers who begin to think abstractly. The approaches to learning should grow and change with them. Just because a curriculum or program choice “fit” a child last year doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for this year.
Sometimes things need to soak. There are some things that require a good long bath in the bleach bucket. What they are steeped in, their environment, makes all the difference how they turn out. True for once-white socks and for kids. Sometimes the best thing we can do in educating children is ensure they are in the right environment, “soaking up” the right attitudes. Attitudes about life, other people, learning, themselves. Could be the difference between a dingy or bright future.
Everyone has their own style. Some like stripes, some don’t. Some only like short sleeves (polar vortex or not!). I have one boxer-brief boy and a few tighty-whiteys. Their style is what helps them get through the day comfortably. This rings true for learning too. Some learn best doing while others learn best listening or writing. Teaching to these strengths will make the endeavor much more comfortable for everyone.
You lay out all the options then go for the match! That’s the best way to sort socks, in my humble opinion! And that’s the best way to find a match for your child’s learning needs – lay out all the options. Yes, that can be overwhelming – nearly as overwhelming as our stray sock basket (we call it the Lonely Socks Club) because the choices seem endless. But there is one online resource that is very helpful in making a match. Global Student Network offers 6 of the best web-based curricula from one location. That means you can take a good look at the options and find the right match for your child.
Well, that’s the signal for the rinse cycle. Time to add the fabric softener.
Happy laundry! And happy learning!!
Copyright © 2014 J. Hoffman / Global Student Network
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Email: JHoffman@GlobalStudentNetwork.com