Madison started going to a science club today for 8-to-11-year-olds, which is run for free by some homeschooling parents near here. They're strange people, though not fundies or anything. When they're talking to you, whether on the phone or in person, they talk and talk and talk and talk, with no sense of YOU being there as another human being with thoughts or ideas, until you want to run. They're like verbal quicksand.
BUT...
They seem to be really good with the kids. When Madison asked a science question when we first met them, they were great at drawing the answer out of her, with "What do you think?" and "What evidence is there for your hypothesis?" kinds of questions.
They take it seriously; they're going to send around a little email each week describing what they did and what scientific principles were involved so that we can follow up.
And, apparently, she had a good time today. I'm guessing that somehow they have a different section of their brains switched on so they don't just bury the kids in a pile of words.
And did I mention it's free?
I wouldn't have predicted, at first blush, that this could work well with those particular folks. But there it is. Just goes to show that you really can't necessarily judge the value of something at first glance.
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