Minninger

>> ***If the poor spelling skills bothers a child, is
>>it ok to work more deliberately on spelling?***

>How old? I missed that I guess. If she's bothered
>because people (parents) are telling her she's
>spelling stuff wrong then maybe that just needs to
>stop. If she's bothered because she really wants to
>spell well for her own reasons, then I'd ask how I
>could help.

The child is 12. We don't care about spelling, but
grandparents, neighbors, etc. do say something. It
makes my niece uncomfortable.

>Looking up correct spelling does make a difference.

It doesn't seem to in my niece's case. <grin> We gave
her a Franklin speller.

>>*** But I don't get a sense of kids with lots of
>>depth and breadth who are unschooling. I know there
>>are wonderful unschooling kids out there who do all
>>kinds of things, but they aren't the typical kids I
>>have met.***

>Now I'm lost. You are interested in unschooling but
>the unschoolers you know are shallow and ignorant?
>Which of those things sparked your interest?<g>

Well, Deb, I can see that my email might sound very
negative now that I have re-read it! LOL. I guess the
articles and books I have read is what got me
interested. And this email list! In theory
unschooling sounds wonderful!

But please don't throw tomatoes...I just haven't been
around kids who come from families who say they
unschool who are like the ones described on this list
and in the articles and books. I know people aren't
making up stories, but I guess I was sharing my
fear...that if I go all the way with unschooling that
maybe my kids won't have depth and breadth either. The
unschooling kids I have met don't have depth and
breadth. The kids seem real physical and end up in
fights and stuff.

I was excited to hear about a conference in Columbia
so I can see more variety of unschoolers. Maybe I am
meeting a lot of non-schoolers?

You might roll your eyes when I tell you this...but
the kids who do seem to have extraordinary depth and
breadth are kids who are Christian classical education
homeschoolers. I don't know a word of Latin, and
theology is a TOTAL bore to me, so the method and
curriculum doesn't attract me at all. Not at all!! But
the kids all seem very well-read, have good social
skills, and good academic skills in general. They seem
to have developed real interests beyond video games
and sports. I have nothing in common with the moms,
so I could never join their support group.

So, I guess I have been wanting to discuss this
because I have been confused...and it wasn't my
intention to insult anyone's method of homeschooling.

Thanks for writing,
Rachel Minninger




__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Calendar - Free online calendar with sync to Outlook(TM).
http://calendar.yahoo.com

[email protected]

In a message dated 6/6/03 8:59:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
steveminninger@... writes:

> I was excited to hear about a conference in Columbia
> so I can see more variety of unschoolers. Maybe I am
> meeting a lot of non-schoolers?
>
>

I think the conference will be a real eye-opener for you if you can make it.
These children are not made to learn anything they don't choose, so there is
such a variety of interests. Neither of my boys is into sports. They do like
computer and video games but also are into medieval times, knights and
castles etc, anything to do with nature, animals, gardening, lizards (we have a
fair number of pets), robots, dinosaurs, Ancient Egypt, space, mythology ... at
least right now those are some of their interests. It can and probably will
change tomorrow. They can and do hold conversations with adults. That is part
of their world. They go with me grocery shopping, to the post office etc.
You may not have contact with many unschoolers in your area. I know there are
only 2 other families in my area and I only met them recently. Before that I
was a loner around here and thought of as the "alien." LOL.

Anyway your exposure may be limited so I do encourage you to attend the
conference if you can. It is a wonderful experience.
Pam G.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]