Comments on Girl's Gone Child: The first choice isn't always the right choice

Just book marked this post to read again when I st...

2011-08-20T00:13:11.592-07:00

Just book marked this post to read again when I start poppin' out some babes. Really, this is the exact mindset I want to have through child rearing. As a future wannabe public school teacher, nothing irks me more than people bashing the public school system. Education is SO MUCH MORE! Well said, GCC.

I cannot tell you how many times I read those essa...

2011-05-12T12:49:17.243-07:00

I cannot tell you how many times I read those essays. Countless, and then a few more times for good measure. Thank you for those, they made being an awkward teen less lonely.
Remember education is what you make of it, there are kids graduating from not the best schools, who go amazing places, and kids who graduate from the "best" schools and dont go very far at all.

so, this is slightly out of context but i totally ...

2010-05-10T11:44:46.067-07:00

so, this is slightly out of context but i totally dig your shiny gold shoes, and i think you've actually mentioned what they are before but I just can't seem to find the reference in your archives. if you have a moment, can you let a shoe-fiend know? thank you!

Dude, I feel you on this on sooo many levels. I wa...

2010-03-22T18:09:34.817-07:00

Dude, I feel you on this on sooo many levels. I was expected to go Ivy League, become a world-famous researcher/doctor, and look down my nose at all the "regular people". Instead, I traveled a lot, became a prolific activist, and wrote and performed my little heart out. And I gotta tell ya, I don't regret one minute of it. Life (education, included) is what you make of it. Word. Booty.

I think you're teaching your kids the right at...

2010-03-15T12:21:53.033-07:00

I think you're teaching your kids the right attitude, Rebecca. I've watched my husband deal with over-achiever feelings left over from our competitive school days and it's not fun. His parents still prize academic/intellectual achievement above everything else and still don't get why he didn't get his PhD. Cuz he didn't get into any PhD program he applied to! 7 years later, they still wonder about that. Meanwhile, we're thrilled about our life now.

I think if you work hard, make the most of the opportunities you do have and TRY not to take yourself too seriously, you'll be happy. And that's the goal, right? Happiness!

I teach at a less than stellar public high school....

2010-03-14T20:16:56.939-07:00

I teach at a less than stellar public high school. But I truly believe that you can get an AMAZING education in any public school if you look hard for it. I am excited by your presence on the PTA of a public school, even if it is on the opposite coast from where I teach. Your children will grow up well educated, of this I am sure.

Thanks for this, it was something I needed to hear...

2010-03-12T17:55:43.147-08:00

Thanks for this, it was something I needed to hear. (Isn't that why you blog, just for me??) I was in a conversation with family about whether to move to a better school district. This reminded me to also keep in mind the books and hikes and museums and music. You rock.

V

I love this post. I am so over the concept that yo...

2010-03-12T10:01:03.555-08:00

I love this post. I am so over the concept that you are as good as your degree, or your job, or your credit score. If your value is rooted in things so fragile, you too are going to fragile. Love your words, love your photos, love your insight. You are pretty fucking lovely lady.

This sentence didn't make sense to me: "...

2010-03-11T23:44:34.100-08:00

This sentence didn't make sense to me: "Me? I have a high-school education with the same resume as my Yale-alum friends." If you don't have Yale on the resume, then it isn't the same. (?)

My family's Plan B is homeschooling all 3. You...

2010-03-11T20:49:04.039-08:00

My family's Plan B is homeschooling all 3. You know what? It's awesome. There really is something to be said for keeping an open mind... I'm sure Archer and Fable will learn more from you guys than he will ever gather at any school!

So true, education isn't the end all and be al...

2010-03-11T06:39:22.272-08:00

So true, education isn't the end all and be all..opportuntiies are. Archer and Fable will have tons of opportunities!

You rock my socks, by the way! xoxo

Such a great post! We are actually in the worst sc...

2010-03-10T12:35:24.450-08:00

Such a great post! We are actually in the worst school districy in the area, but we are lucky enough to be in the area with the best elementary school in the district which may not seem like much but it is a good school. We are having issues with sending our son to the junior high which is in academic emergency. We had planned on not living here any more but life happens and things just don't happen. I appreciate you stating that it doesn't matter where you go to school, because I do agree.

This is inspiring. You are totally right and you&...

2010-03-10T11:10:33.083-08:00

This is inspiring.
You are totally right and you've got proof: parents ARE the most important, you cant just throw your kid into a nice school and expect them to turn out into this amazing thing....

A great post Rebecca. Have you heard the lecture ...

2010-03-09T23:50:32.869-08:00

A great post Rebecca. Have you heard the lecture about education killing creativity by Ken Robinson. A MUST.
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

I have sat down and listened to it a few times now, particularly after my son was born.

You have a brilliant blog.
Thank you (from Australia)

hells yeah. high five to you. this was an excellen...

2010-03-09T21:29:44.184-08:00

hells yeah. high five to you. this was an excellent post and all so true.

Seeing as I am a college drop-out, that feels as i...

2010-03-09T20:24:55.232-08:00

Seeing as I am a college drop-out, that feels as if she has had a pretty great life, so far... Well, I'm glad you've found it in yourself to give your children that same sense of freedom.
My Mother didn't find it in herself until she was nearly 50, and she practically made herself crazy trying to be the perfect student... To achieve an ideal she didn't need.

I love that first photo of you with your gold shoe...

2010-03-09T19:32:46.341-08:00

I love that first photo of you with your gold shoes on the train tracks. It’s like your own version of the, “Wizard of Oz.” With you leading the way.

You are awesome Rebecca Woolf and there’s no doubt that Archer & Fable will be awesome individuals as well, because of you. And from what you wrote you’ve accomplished a hellavue lot more than most people ever will, without college.

Also: You wrote, “Education is only a SMALL part of one's learning. Opportunity is about SO much more. It's about love and support and books at bedtime, it's about intellectual conversations over dinner and weekend trips to art museums. It's about exposing our kids to beautiful music, and poetry -- star-gazing with them during meteor showers -- hiking with them in the back-hills behind our homes. Volunteering with them in our communities. Motivating. Inspiring. Being there.”

That is all so true. It is said that kids are more intellectual when they are stimulated with different activities. Whether it be a cooking class, a painting class or a music class for Archer, having him be able to experience these things will expand his mind and his opinions. Also his outlook on life.

Show Archer & Fable the world and they'll be fine (although I know I don’t have to tell you that). ;o)

Question: So since you’ve decided that you’re moving have you done any house hunting yet? ;o)

We are selling the house we love ... in an area we...

2010-03-09T17:06:50.839-08:00

We are selling the house we love ... in an area we love ... b/c the public school our kids would attend? Finally became "not failing" school ... ranked 3 out of 10 ... thus they can't go to the Charter School and yeah, that particular public school was NOT going to happen.

But on the great side ... yes, we are moving farther away from DC BUT we are really excited about the school district (awesome schools all the way up to High School, I'll be walking my kids to the elementary school) and our house will be pretty darn great.

As parents we definitely make sacrifices for our kids. And, for me, making sure they love school is soooo important! Good luck with your decision ... I'm excited to see what happens with you guys!

It's the economy. Rich parents are pulling th...

2010-03-09T16:59:06.658-08:00

It's the economy. Rich parents are pulling their kids out of private schools and putting them in charter schools. Kinda sucks for the rest of us. We are going to do what you are doing. Moving to an area with a better school district and give our kid experiences that no private school can match.

You are my hero. Just sayin'.

2010-03-09T16:30:13.845-08:00

You are my hero. Just sayin'.

I applied to NYU as a transfer student and got in,...

2010-03-09T14:16:16.535-08:00

I applied to NYU as a transfer student and got in, but at the last minute chickened (!) out about leaving my small college for the big city. I used to regret it. Then I had Eloise - and I can't regret anything anymore because all of it lead me to having her.

Reading this post makes me want to call my mom and thank her for the effort she made to ensure my education happened inside AND outside the classroom.

I'm sure one day Archer will want to thank you too.

This was a great post. My parents thought it would...

2010-03-09T13:20:59.748-08:00

This was a great post. My parents thought it would be a great idea for us to go to a small school. It wasn't - it was grossly underfunded. But my mom taught us all to read early, and she read to us every day. That made all the difference.

I wanted to go to Columbia for my Master's. Go...

2010-03-09T10:39:40.745-08:00

I wanted to go to Columbia for my Master's. Got into NYU. (Grad school is different than undergrad -- don't hate me!) My opinion: I was glad I didn't pay for the experience. Instead, my employer paid.

Schools don't matter THAT much unless you live in an economically disadvantaged district. Archer is going to kick ass wherever he goes since he's got you for a mom. We moms actually matter more than the schools would like to believe.

"Life is a mysterious genius".... I frea...

2010-03-09T10:10:25.309-08:00

"Life is a mysterious genius".... I freaking LOVE that! I work Admissions at a rather large university in Austin, Texas. You don't know how often I hear from students just like you who think that our school is the ONLY school at which they could possibly be happy. It's heartbreaking and I wish I could just admit them all. Sadly I can't. But like you say, life is a mysterious genius, and I have to figure that they will end up exactly where they need to be, when they need to be there. And if it's here, somewhere down the road, great. If not, I think it's equally great, but oh is it hard to see that when you're stuck in the moment. Archer will be great no matter where he is! How do I know this? Because his mom kicks ass!

And thank you all for your words. So glad mine cou...

2010-03-09T08:51:12.203-08:00

And thank you all for your words. So glad mine could have been helpful to you! I have so much to say re: education, specifically college and how important it REALLY is - especially for those of us looking for work outside of law, medicine, science, etc.

No one has ever cared that I didn't have a college education. Not one single employer - mind you, I've only ever worked in creative fields and I live in a city who hires on experience vs education but I think its important for us over-achieving types to see the other side of education. Smart girls don't always go to college. There are plenty of ways to self-educate - to carve your own niches for yourselves.