“What children need is not new and better curriculum but access to more of the real world; plenty of time and space to think over their experiences, and to use fantasy and play to make meaning out of them.”

May be a thumbs down. For educating children, not only are new and better curriculums needed, new application techniques are also needed. There are some great curriculums and techniques of the past that have been discarded so as to complete the dumming down of the children. The whole warm and fuzzy experience of using fantasy and play have failed miserably. Play and fantasy are both extremely important in developing a healthy mind and body but they have their place.

However, if the parents have been conditioned by government schooling, they have little experience in guiding children through the 'real world.' We are all on the nut for learning what we need to know -- there is no escape.

Having home-schooled my children for a while, I often asked myself what/when/how do the children learn?  They are always learning which is why as parents we are always setting an example.  I did find that when we traveled with the children, they picked up a lot along the way, more than when at home.  The differences in language and customs always stand out, which then are compared to our own customs which we were mostly unaware of until we saw something different.