As my kids get higher up in grades I am beginning to realize how different my education was than theirs. We live in the same school system that I grew up in but they are in a different school. I actually wish they were in the area that I went to. Then I don’t think our experiences would be much different than mine. My nephew actually goes to the same school that I went to and he has had similar experience to me. I didn’t realize how different their education experience has been until the other day when I was talking to my kids. I was on Facebook and came across a post from a friend where she dissected a dead frog that she and her kids came across in their yard. She homeschools. She is awesome at it. I love to see what her kids are learning each day. I just thought that this was really awesome. I don’t homeschool for many reasons. So when I send my kids to school I am praying that they are getting the best education possible. I started wondering if my kids had experienced dissection too. I had done it twice when I was in 7th grade I dissected a frog and when I was in 9th grade I dissected a crayfish. I still remember that experience to this day but that’s a story for another time. When I asked my daughter who is entering the 11th grade if she had done it she told me no. Then she said the strangest thing to me. She was like I have dissected a pickle though. I was shocked. I asked her what she said and she told me again she dissected a pickle. Uhm…..what the heck is she learning from dissecting a freaking pillow. A pickle doesn’t have any freaking body parts that you can learn from. You can’t see a tiny lung, heart, or anything. I mean really! What was the point of that? I literally at this point think that crap had to have been some kind of joke. If I had known about it at the time she did it I would’ve questioned it then. It is just crazy. I would have even accepted virtual frog dissection although I would’ve wished they had done a real frog but it definitely would’ve been better than dissecting a pickle. I know each area is different but can the kids at least get the same education. I mean come on! Why in the world would someone even allow a pickle to be cut? I didn’t even think I was this angry about it until now. It is really laughable to me. Are we so focused on standardized testing that we are missing out on giving kids a great educational experience? I feel like going out and find a frog just so she and my son can have the experience. Kids need to be able to get hands on with some things. There is nothing like looking through a microscope with a drop of water on it and see what is living in it. You may never want to drink tap water again but you still would have seen it or even laugh at the disgusted looks of your classmates when they hear that you are dissecting a frog the next day. Moments like these are when some kids decide they want to be doctors or veterinarians. While most of the girls in my class were disgusted I was freaking excited about it. Some of them came with the permission slips that we were sent home with where their parents said they couldn’t do it. I laughed even then. I mean at least they had the choice on whether they wanted to participate or not. Now they are just no doing it. With certain things I just feel like my kids are being robbed of what they deserve. It is just really sad. I don’t plan on pulling them out of school but I think I will be researching some ways to give them some of the experiences I think they should have.
I guess in a way kind of feel like I dropped the ball. But I know there is no way I can fix everything that is wrong with the school system but I can help them learn on their own. I can encourage them to research their interest. I can’t go back but I can move forward. But yeah it is just frustrating. I am so happy that my kids love to explore and look things up cause without it I don’t think that they would know as much as they do.
How do you feel about the school system where you live?
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
We have a really good school system in our area, so our kids aren’t missing out on anything, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve heard that there are actually digital programs for “dissecting” animals so you never have to touch a real one, and they don’t have to be killed in the first place.
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Kgilbert says
I would’ve loved if they had the digital option rather than doing a pickle. Digitally they could get the same experience and learn the same thing.
Jeanine says
I have no idea about what the schools around here do, but I never had to do any dissection in school. I guess I’ll find out soon when my oldest heads off to high school next year!
Kgilbert says
I honestly would rather them not do it at all rather than a pickle.
Pam says
The school my daughter went to dissects a starfish, a frog, a cat, and a pig. Oh, and a sheep’s eye. I’ve never heard of dissecting a pickle. Weird.
Kgilbert says
Me neither. It really is sad that they felt that was their only option.
Lindsey says
That is totally unreal. I dissected a frog in THIRD grade and a rat in 10th… she was pregnant! There are too many weenies out there – what if your child wants to be a vet? We didn’t learn human anatomy by LOOKING at our bodies… we went in!
Kgilbert says
This is exactly what I mean. Kids should have options.
Kelly Hutchinson says
Thankfully, my daughter attends a STEM school. They have a great teaching system and she is doing just great. I think I would have been upset about the pickle as well.
Kgilbert says
That darn pickle is annoying.
Kristin says
My girls go to a great school. We moved from another city just to give them the better schools. I wold be upset about this.
Kgilbert says
That is awesome! I just wish they had done digital at least. Way better than cutting a pickle.
MJ. L says
Oh I remember science class and saying no to dissecting. Hopefully my kids will have the option to digitally dissect!
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Kgilbert says
Yes! I would totally be on board with digital.
Kgilbert says
Right! I would’ve been happy with that. Back in our day it was either dissect or fail.
Val says
It doesn’t really bother me, I did it as a kid seems like it’s part of the learning phase of school and life for sure. I am not sure I have a high opinion either way about it.
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Kgilbert says
I’m upset about the pickle. I think they could’ve at least went digital.
Liz Mays says
Hmm, I wonder if most schools just don’t really dissect animals anymore. In college they definitely do though.
Kgilbert says
I wonder the same. I would rather them not do it at all than her cutting into something that she learns nothing from.
Kgilbert says
I know some do. It’s not the actual dissection that bothers me it’s the fact that it was a pickle.
Amanda Love says
We’re moving into a world filled with technology and I wouldn’t mind if the dissection is digital, at least you won’t waste an animal’s life that way and you still get to learn about their body parts and all that.
Kgilbert says
I would’ve been satisfied with digital. She learns nothing from dissecting a pickle. At least she would still learn about the body parts.
Kgilbert says
I would’ve went for digital. Much better than a freaking pickle.
Toni | BoulderLocavore.com says
The school where I enrolled my kids have a good system. They seem to be advance in all subjects though they don’t dissect an animal or anything.
Kgilbert says
There are great schools in our school system but we just aren’t in one of them. It’s sad.
Donna says
Wow, a pickle! Um, that’s hilarious and sad at the same time. My son has dissected a fish and I’m curious what he will dissect this year… I so hope it isn’t a pickle. 😉
Kgilbert says
That’s what I said. Just sad.
Ann Bacciaglia says
My kids did not have the option to dissect anything in school either. I remember when I was in High school the science class in one of the higher grades got to dissect baby pigs. Our education was different back then. We still had music class and shop class.
Kgilbert says
I feel like kids are missing out nowadays.
Kita Bryant says
Personally, I think public school gets weaker and weaker as the years go on. They’re cutting corners and are more concerned over money than education.
Kgilbert says
That’s what I think as well. It’s just crazy.
Kgilbert says
I totally agree. It is changing to where you have to challenge your kids yourself.
Meagen Brosius says
Dissection was an option for us! We could do it if we chose but we didn’t have to do it. At least we had the option I suppose!
Kgilbert says
Exactly. I wanted her to have these option. Even if it was digital I would’ve been happy.
Crystal says
We are making a pretty big change for next year. I don’t think it’ll be perfect, but it’ll be better than where they were. I think you’re right that you’ve got to do some enrichment as a family.
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Kgilbert says
I hope everything goes well. I definitely don’t expect perfect but better than what they have now.
Kgilbert says
I totally understand. I wish we could move to a better area.
Rosey says
I couldn’t dissect. I skipped, and took the low grade (still got an A in the class). I’d probably still skip today. 😉
Kgilbert says
I just think if they weren’t going to do a frog or a digital game they just shouldn’t have done it at all.
Kgilbert says
See that’s what I mean you at least got the option and it wasn’t a pickle.
Nikki Wayne says
I remember our biology class in high school. Oh, my heart goes to the frog!
Kgilbert says
Yeah. I’m just more upset that they did a pickle rather than do it digitally or something.
Kgilbert says
Ha ha ha! I enjoyed the experiencing but felt bad for the frog as well.
Chrystal | Nevermore Lane says
I was lucky in school. I took all natural sciences, just the ones to graduate because I am not a science person. I didn’t have to dissect anything and I knew that going in that was not something I wanted to do.
Kgilbert says
That’s great. I just think it should be an option. Even digital would be great. Anything besides a pickle
Kgilbert says
I’m glad you still got the choice to do it though.
christina says
We didn’t have the opportunity to dissect and I am glad we didn’t. I think the school system is better in some ways and worse in others. I hate that the schools here don’t teach penmanship.
Kgilbert says
I hate that too. We wound up teaching our kids ourselves.