Do not underestimate the child's intrinsic motivation for learning. Ultimately, this is what matters. Adults' roleis to protect and encourage at this at all costs, but unfortunately the opposite happens in most schools. Based on my limited knowledge of the montessori system, teachers are only guides, and children do the "heavy lifting" on their own. Also, I am sure if there were no schools, children would still have plenty of opportunities to mingle and learn social skills.
Exactly, I have seen myself as a facilitator and support person in my children's education, rather than a teacher. If I was to let my ego get in the way, my children would have only learnt what "I" know. They were capable of so much more than that!
And yes to your point about social skills. People don't realise that schools are a relatively new concept in the history of the human species. Kids were not unsociable, uncouth savages, incapable of holding a civilised conversation before school came along. 😂
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