katzcandles

I can't possibly be the only mom here who hears "I'm Bored" all day
long. I know that we need time to deschool, but what am I supposed
to do or say? Yesterday, my 10 year old who attended school from
pre-k- 2 mos of 5th playing game cube for some of the day and then
got off and said, mom, I'm bored. Well, I am trying not to be his
entertainer, not that I was in the past. I am trying not to direct
him, but I do try to give him ideas. I offered him some time on our
camcorder to play around. He was excited and after playing for
about 10 min. with that, put it away. He doesn't seem to have the
ability to dig in yet. I believe that will come with time right?
But what do I do now to foster this in him. If anyone has
suggestions to what they did (those who pulled children out to
unschool) I would appreciate. No offense to those who have always
unschooled, but I see how my little ones are that have had such
little school and I know that they can always find something to do,
I seldom hear I am bored from them. So, if you have experienced or
witnessed this from children do tell. If you have some insight on
this "in theory" I would welcome that as well. I have been reading
consistently and just haven't come across that in my reading. If
anyone knows of a book that will address this specific issue, I
would be grateful.


J. Stauffer

<<<But what do I do now to foster this in him.>>>>

My first question is what are YOU doing that is fun? Invite your kids to
participate in your life. Ask if they would like to help with one of your
projects. Make sure you slow yourself down enough so that working with you,
helping you is a fun activity, not a stressful one.

Occassionally, just do something weird. Try different cuisine. Get out a
craft book. Play with helium. See if you really can cook eggs on the
sidewalk. Get weird magazines, like Mother Earth News, that has all kinds
of instructions on how to make stuff you would never have thought of making
yourself.

Some organizations are pretty unschooler friendly and can help offer a
framework to someone who is used to having lots of imposed structure. 4-H
has been wonderful for our family. The kids do projects of their own
choosing, finish them or not as they choose, and have a ball. It has also
sparked some long-term interests. My daughter is in her 3rd year of showing
animals and my son is starting his second year of skeet shooting.

Julie S.

Barbara Chase

>but I see how my little ones are that have had such
>little school and I know that they can always find something to do,
>I seldom hear I am bored from them.

My 5yo daughter hasn't been in school, and yet she can still get bored. I
think we all can. For my dd, I think it's a matter of not having lots of
other people around to share her interests (she prefers large groups of
people, but alas we are a family of 3.) Also, it seems to come up when she
is interested in more of an intellectual challenge.

When my dd complains to me about being bored, I try not to think of it as
something that she shouldn't be. At the same time I try to help her feel
more comfortable about it. Sometimes when she says "I'm bored" she's not
really asking me for solutions... she just needs to connect with me, and is
sharing where she is at. So I will often just give her a hug and let the
situation unfold - she might then ask me for ideas about what to do, or she
might then run off and do her own thing, or she might start to talk about
something else.

Once when we were visiting my Mom and my dd said she was bored my Mom
recalled how her Mom used to say 'well, you can always clean the bathroom'.
I mention this because the next time we were at home and my dd said she was
bored she said 'Hey, I know, I'll clean the bathroom!" So, she became
Cinderella and she asked me to be the wicked stepmother who ordered her
around. That was good for an entire day - LOL! (except, I wasn't very
good at being wicked.)


I just read Sandra's article about it... really helpful!


ciao
--bc--

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


Julie Solich

>> Sometimes when she says "I'm bored" she's not really asking me for
solutions... she just needs to connect with me, and is sharing where she is
at. >>

I had just finished reading this when my 7 year old came into the room and
said "I'm bored Mum, I want to connect!" I gave him a hug and asked him
what he wanted to do and he said he wanted to connect and get online! LOL

So I'm going to finish up and let him have the computer.
I guess there's no avoiding the dishes now! <g>

Julie

*********
high is the sky,
being free is a bird,
gliding on the currents of life.
*********

one4oneness

You are not alone. My son isn't bored because his experiences have
been pretty negative. I am feeling the same way that you are. I
keep wanting to force him to sit and listen to me and then do
worksheets and tests. Some times I sadly do, because it just seems
he doesn't want to do anything that has to do with learning. He has
gotten better. I've got him finally asking questions and discussing
things he's interested in. We are about to start meeting other more
experienced homeschoolers. Maybe we can get some positive peer
pressure from them.

Let me know if you come up with any ideas and I'll do the same.

Taunya



--- In [email protected], "katzcandles"
<katzcandles@y...> wrote:
> I can't possibly be the only mom here who hears "I'm Bored" all
day
> long. I know that we need time to deschool, but what am I
supposed
> to do or say? Yesterday, my 10 year old who attended school from
> pre-k- 2 mos of 5th playing game cube for some of the day and then
> got off and said, mom, I'm bored. Well, I am trying not to be his
> entertainer, not that I was in the past. I am trying not to
direct
> him, but I do try to give him ideas. I offered him some time on
our
> camcorder to play around. He was excited and after playing for
> about 10 min. with that, put it away. He doesn't seem to have the
> ability to dig in yet. I believe that will come with time
right?
> But what do I do now to foster this in him. If anyone has
> suggestions to what they did (those who pulled children out to
> unschool) I would appreciate. No offense to those who have always
> unschooled, but I see how my little ones are that have had such
> little school and I know that they can always find something to
do,
> I seldom hear I am bored from them. So, if you have experienced
or
> witnessed this from children do tell. If you have some insight on
> this "in theory" I would welcome that as well. I have been
reading
> consistently and just haven't come across that in my reading. If
> anyone knows of a book that will address this specific issue, I
> would be grateful.

one4oneness

By the way...he's not saying he's bored but he's sure acting like it.

We can do this-Taunya


--- In [email protected], "katzcandles"
<katzcandles@y...> wrote:
> I can't possibly be the only mom here who hears "I'm Bored" all
day
> long. I know that we need time to deschool, but what am I
supposed
> to do or say? Yesterday, my 10 year old who attended school from
> pre-k- 2 mos of 5th playing game cube for some of the day and then
> got off and said, mom, I'm bored. Well, I am trying not to be his
> entertainer, not that I was in the past. I am trying not to
direct
> him, but I do try to give him ideas. I offered him some time on
our
> camcorder to play around. He was excited and after playing for
> about 10 min. with that, put it away. He doesn't seem to have the
> ability to dig in yet. I believe that will come with time
right?
> But what do I do now to foster this in him. If anyone has
> suggestions to what they did (those who pulled children out to
> unschool) I would appreciate. No offense to those who have always
> unschooled, but I see how my little ones are that have had such
> little school and I know that they can always find something to
do,
> I seldom hear I am bored from them. So, if you have experienced
or
> witnessed this from children do tell. If you have some insight on
> this "in theory" I would welcome that as well. I have been
reading
> consistently and just haven't come across that in my reading. If
> anyone knows of a book that will address this specific issue, I
> would be grateful.

nellebelle

We are about to start meeting other more
experienced homeschoolers. Maybe we can get some positive peer
pressure from them.>>>>

What kind of peer pressure are you hoping for?

Mary Ellen

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

Wife2Vegman

--- one4oneness <tlemon1@...> wrote:
> I
> keep wanting to force him to sit and listen to me
> and then do
> worksheets and tests. Some times I sadly do,
> because it just seems
> he doesn't want to do anything that has to do with
> learning. He has
> gotten better. I've got him finally asking
> questions and discussing
> things he's interested in. We are about to start
> meeting other more
> experienced homeschoolers. Maybe we can get some
> positive peer
> pressure from them.
>


But Taunya, it isn't his thinking that needs changing,
it is yours.

You shouldn't say that he doesn't want anything to do
with learning, because everything IS learning. It
can't be separated. Perhaps you mean he isn't doing
what you consider important. And that is what he is
learning right now, that you don't consider what he is
doing important.

Several of the phrases you just used show you need to
do some more reading about unschooling.

"I finally got him to ask questions"

"force him to sit and do worksheets"

"maybe we can get some positive peer pressure from
them"

Wow.

A desire to learn can't be forced on someone. Peer
pressure can't do it, lecturing him and then testing
him on what you have said can't do it.

Is he asking questions out of desperation just to get
you off his back? How did you "get" him to ask
questions about things that already interest him?

If the "experienced homeschoolers" are ones that use
curriculum and school-at-home, then they might tell
you that is what you should be doing too.

Unschooling challenges what they believe is best for
their kids, and they may want the same chains on your
son so they can feel better about their choices.



=====
--Susan in VA
WifetoVegman

What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for children's growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the schools, but that it isn't a school at all. John Holt

__________________________________
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[email protected]

In a message dated 1/29/04 1:01:34 PM, tlemon1@... writes:

<< I am feeling the same way that you are. I

keep wanting to force him to sit and listen to me and then do

worksheets and tests. Some times I sadly do, because it just seems

he doesn't want to do anything that has to do with learning. >>

It won't help for you to lapse and do that sometimes. Until you have REALLY
truly stopped, unschooling won't start working well.

It's the moms who need to learn to see what "anything that has to do with
learning" looks like in the absence of school.

Here are some starting ideas. Please follow the links at the bottom, too:

http://sandradodd.com/deschooling

Sandra

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/29/04 3:17:50 PM, wifetovegman2002@... writes:

<< Is he asking questions out of desperation just to get
you off his back? How did you "get" him to ask
questions about things that already interest him? >>

I've learned a lot by asking my kids questions.

Kirby and Marty are in a card-game tournament this afternoon. I called to
see how long before one or both might be eliminated, because we just bought a
used van and I wanted the whole family to go for a drive. At least an hour,
though, it's "Swiss round" and while I know what that means in SCA sword-fighting
tournament terms, I'll ask Kirby when they're home how those tournaments are
set up. Kirby has learned a lot of math from organizing tournaments at the
gaming shop. I just folded all his laundry this morning--LOTS of shirts that
say "staff" from Magic tournaments and others he's worked on.

Holly has been playing another round of Harvest Moon (Super Nintendo this
time) and I've asked her all kinds of questions. She asks me for info when
things can be looked up online or in a notebook we have of printouts and notes
we've collected over the years.

Just two examples current in the last hour. <G>

It's not question/answer for educational purposes, it's conversation and
involvement in one another's lives, but from that casual involvement, I can't help
but see how much they are learning without even trying to.

Sandra

Wife2Vegman

--- SandraDodd@... wrote:
>
> I've learned a lot by asking my kids questions.
>
> It's not question/answer for educational purposes,
> it's conversation and
> involvement in one another's lives, but from that
> casual involvement, I can't help
> but see how much they are learning without even
> trying to.
>
> Sandra
>


Yes, I have such conversations as well. On the way to
the Ranger Surplus store, Andrew (12) was telling me
everything he knows about swords, knives, guns, and
various other weaponry. I asked a few questions, just
as part of the conversation, that drew out even more
information that I didn't realize he knew.

But Taunya had stated she finally "got my son to ask
questions about the things he is interested in."

It just sounded to me like perhaps mom was putting
some pressure on him to perform, and so he was asking
questions just to appease her.

I did it too, when we first started unschooling, sort
of a "if I don't start seeing some intrisically
motivated learning take place soon, I am going to have
to do something about it!" HA HA HA! The kids would
scramble to do something "educational" until I cooled
off again, then went back to what they were really
interested in in the first place.

Remember Flash Gordon? Everyone will be happy under
pain of death!



=====
--Susan in VA
WifetoVegman

What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for children's growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the schools, but that it isn't a school at all. John Holt

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Sylvia Toyama

You shouldn't say that he doesn't want anything to do
with learning, because everything IS learning. It
can't be separated. Perhaps you mean he isn't doing
what you consider important. And that is what he is
learning right now, that you don't consider what he is
doing important.

********

that was just really well stated, Susan -- you summed up my thoughts, too -- only more eloquently!

Sylvia


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Sylvia Toyama

As for the whole getting them to ask questions thing -- or asking them questions -- that's really a very schoolish thing, and kids immediately pick up on that. You'll have more success by just having conversation with your kids. You can learn amazing things about their thought process and what they've learned from their experiences, if you just listen to them. Sometimes -- often in fact -- I wait a moment after they ask a question (or answer with a hmm to their observations and announcements) because usually it's really part of a bigger question or concept, that will unfold more easily if I don't pounce right in with a question or a complex explanation.

For example, this week Andy has figured out money, and it's happened in spurts all week. For months he's been obsessed with saving allowance from week to week to buy things, but really had no grasp of anything but dollars and pricetags. It was also very confusing for him that dimes are smaller than nickels, but worth more! A couple of days ago, he came to me and announced mid-conversation '12 quarters is 300 pennies and that's 3 dollars.' I said 'you're right, it is' and dropped it at that. This morning the conversation went like this:

A: 12 quarters are 300 cents, 3 dollars.
Me: mm hmm
A: so 16 quarters is ..... (thinking for a minute) 400 pennies and that's 4 dollars!
Me: yep, that's right.
A: and 3 dimes is 30 cents. So, if Ed, Edd & Eddy had 30 cents they could buy 6 jawbreakers, because jawbreakers cost 5 cents each, and that's 6 nickels, which is 3 dimes -- 30 cents!

Then later at McDonalds, after finding he could only buy one burter for his dollar, he said, "if they sold burgers for 50cents, then I could have 2!

He has learned all this thru his own observations. He figured it on his own, when it made sense to him, because it was now important to him to know. And he has the pleasure of knowing he did it without being 'taught' by someone else. He's learned that he's capable and smart -- something you just can't get from a worksheet with some arcane facts memorized.

And that's how they reach the point of 'wanting to learn' -- when it matters to them, not when it matters to you or anyone else.

Sylvia




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joylyn

An observation...

we were at a aquariam today, Long Beach's. It's a beautiful aquarium.
We were touching the sting rays, and I had lots of questions. So did
Lexie and Savana, another homeschooled child. All three of us were
asking our questions, one after another, too fast for the docent to
answer almost. As I was observing the three of us, of our intense joy
at touching these animals, at learning about them, how they eat, why
they put sand on top of themselves, why people putting their hands in
the water didn't make them sick or kill them, the filtration system of
the tank, questions that were simple and intricate, I was realizing that
I was as excited and curious as the kids, and I was thinking, and this
is an extremely long sentence, and likely a run-on to boot, but I was
thinking--I think one huge component of unschooling is that the parents
are not facilitators, they are not teachers, they are not curriculum
writers or test administrators, instead, they are simply life long
learners, learning with their children.

After I had this thought, I was thinking more about this... and I began
watching the other parents. It was almost as many of them, certaninly
not all of them, but many, had brought their children there, but they
almost had not come themselves.

anyway, enough thinking, I'm tired.

Joylyn

Wife2Vegman

--- Sylvia Toyama <syltoyama@...> wrote:
>
> A: 12 quarters are 300 cents, 3 dollars.
> Me: mm hmm
> A: so 16 quarters is ..... (thinking for a minute)
> 400 pennies and that's 4 dollars!
> Me: yep, that's right.
> A: and 3 dimes is 30 cents. So, if Ed, Edd & Eddy
> had 30 cents they could buy 6 jawbreakers, because
> jawbreakers cost 5 cents each, and that's 6 nickels,
> which is 3 dimes -- 30 cents!
>


I LOVE IT!!!!

Besides being my favorite cartoon right now (having
bumped spongebob to second), they are teaching math!

I just read this to my husband, and said, "see, I told
you...we are learning no matter what we are doing or
watching". hee hee

What a great way to start my day, thanks!



=====
--Susan in VA
WifetoVegman

What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for children's growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the schools, but that it isn't a school at all. John Holt

__________________________________
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Wife2Vegman

--- joylyn <joylyn@...> wrote:
>
> An observation...
>
> I think one huge component of unschooling
> is that the parents
> are not facilitators, they are not teachers, they
> are not curriculum
> writers or test administrators, instead, they are
> simply life long
> learners, learning with their children.


Whoa. I think I just had a moment.

I guess on one level I'm a facilitator because I have
the means of providing things the kids can't get for
themselves yet (money, car, transportation, credit
cards...), but you're right! I have more fun just
learning right alongside of them. That must be why I
was so irritable with the 5yo who kept dragging me
through the spy museum at a speed that didn't let me
read anything! I wanted to learn too!

Now I have had two great thoughts from two separate
posts, before my third sip of coffee this morning. I
am going to have a good day!




=====
--Susan in VA
WifetoVegman

What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for children's growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the schools, but that it isn't a school at all. John Holt

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Colleen D. Williams

this "being bored" thread had really bothered me (the mother) for the last few days, because one thing I HAVE to be is "productively busy" however I define it.. I think the hardest time I had starting to let go and unschool was the fact that I HAD to stay busy, with lesson plans, schedules , book buying etc,,,, the kids merrily went along, usually because of the FUN FACTOR, but then I got tired, really tired of it all and decided that

1) I was always goiing to be outnumbered (parent/kid ratio)
2) the kids were learning quite well and creatively at that withour my help, thank you
3) they were happy,"well adjusted" individuals who were respectful of others
4) Mom did not need to define her self worth by spending all her time schedueling her family's time

I guess I thought I would run out of stuff "to do" Knows much better now!
Colleen in GA


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Paula Sjogerman

on 1/29/04 11:53 PM, joylyn at joylyn@... wrote:

> After I had this thought, I was thinking more about this... and I began
> watching the other parents. It was almost as many of them, certaninly
> not all of them, but many, had brought their children there, but they
> almost had not come themselves.


Oh, we had a great aquarium experience recently also! Quinn, who loves
animals, and I watched a PBS special about octopus more than a year ago. It
was an amazing film and we ordered it and passed it around among our
friends. The next time we went to the Shedd Aquarium, we realized they had a
Giant Pacific octopus there. He spent our whole visit curled into a ball in
the corner of the tank. Months later, we made another visit, we went to
check the octopus several times, and then! he did it! unfurled the whole
way, moved around the tank. It was so exciting! And I was the most excited
person there. I knew there were people around me who thought I was a bit
nuts.

And this is why I find it so hard to really explain unschooling these days.
So many moments like the above are made up of many, many other moments we
have together. It's like trying to explain your whole relationship with
someone in a few sentences.

Paula

Ren

"It was almost as many of them, certaninly
not all of them, but many, had brought their children there, but they
almost had not come themselves."

I see this a lot at the park.
It's so sad, and so common that I really notice if another parent is really playing with their child. A Mom got onto the merry-go-round the other day, barefoot and laughing and I stopped and really watched, because I so rarely see that joy. It was cool, and I wasn't the only adult using the equipment finally.:)

I think most people "sleep" their way through life though. Early childhood shuts them down and they never come out of it to notice what an amazing planet, what true beauty surrounds them everyday. When you meet someone who is awake, you really notice.

Ren

"Who walks the world with eyes awake, finds beauty everywhere."

Elizabeth Roberts

I know what you mean. When we came home from visiting Plimoth Plantation last October, I told my husband that I wanted to go back with just Sarah and not the babies because I'd not been able to enjoy it at all. I was too busy being Mommy, and keeping track of Logan wanting to run off and watch the militia, and Megan trying to play in the dirt road, and taking care of Gracie (then just 2 months old). I was there physically, but not really mentally, not in a way where it did me any good to be there. I LOVE history though, and I'm looking forward to going back when the weather warms up a little.

MamaBeth

joylyn <joylyn@...> wrote:

An observation...

we were at a aquariam today, Long Beach's. It's a beautiful aquarium.
We were touching the sting rays, and I had lots of questions. So did
Lexie and Savana, another homeschooled child. All three of us were
asking our questions, one after another, too fast for the docent to
answer almost. As I was observing the three of us, of our intense joy
at touching these animals, at learning about them, how they eat, why
they put sand on top of themselves, why people putting their hands in
the water didn't make them sick or kill them, the filtration system of
the tank, questions that were simple and intricate, I was realizing that
I was as excited and curious as the kids, and I was thinking, and this
is an extremely long sentence, and likely a run-on to boot, but I was
thinking--I think one huge component of unschooling is that the parents
are not facilitators, they are not teachers, they are not curriculum
writers or test administrators, instead, they are simply life long
learners, learning with their children.

After I had this thought, I was thinking more about this... and I began
watching the other parents. It was almost as many of them, certaninly
not all of them, but many, had brought their children there, but they
almost had not come themselves.

anyway, enough thinking, I'm tired.

Joylyn


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[email protected]

In a message dated 1/29/04 11:00:18 PM, wifetovegman2002@... writes:

<<
But Taunya had stated she finally "got my son to ask
questions about the things he is interested in." >>

Right.
And I think she'll do much better asking HIM questions about the things he's
interested in. Not the things she wants him to be interested in, but the
things he actually is already honestly and naturally interested in.

Maybe because teachers tend not to ask kids much about their interests the
teachers continue (some of them) to act as though what the kid learned outside
of school is "extra," time-waste, and what they know that's good they learned
in school.

Part of that is time-constraing. Unschoolers don't have time constraints!
COOL!

Sandra

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/30/04 1:51:08 AM, joylyn@... writes:

<< After I had this thought, I was thinking more about this... and I began

watching the other parents. It was almost as many of them, certaninly

not all of them, but many, had brought their children there, but they

almost had not come themselves. >>

When I was little, six or seven, and my granny had bragged that I was smart
in school or something, a youngish uncle of mine (in his 20's) said, "Okay,
what's the capital of South Dakota?"

I said I didn't know. That was true. I figured he was about to tell me,
because that's the way that sort of quizzing usually works. Phase one is the
challenge. Phase two is them giving you the answer and telling you you're not so
smart. I'd heard that before. I was already learning to let it slide on off.

But he didn't know either.

I pressed him again, and said why didn't HE know if he was asking me? He
said "I don't have to know. I'm not in school anymore."

I have never forgotten that, and it helped me be calm about what kids in
school "know" or don't, to know that adults didn't seem ashamed to have forgotten
it.

I shouldn't have judged all adults by my Uncle Billy Jack, but it did prove
true of some others I met. Not all. Some adults when I was little knew TONS
of stuff, and lots of it I knew they didn't learn in school. Stuff about
go-carts and motorcycles, fishing and trapping and hunting, what plants to plant
when and where. My granny crocheted with stuff about the size of fat thread,
and she could put words in, and pictures of eagles.

The capital of South Dakota didn't seem like something they could use, living
in Texas. And me, in New Mexico, I knew the capital of New Mexico and the
capital of Texas, and I had no reason to even know those! I couldn't drive,
and I had no legal business to attend to in second grade. <g> I knew some other
capitals too, but those others I had learned from a map puzzle I had. When
the pieces were out of the frame you could see the capital city with a mark for
its location. New England was just divided into three pieces, though, with
more than one state on each, so to this day New England is lumpy and vague in
my head. <g>

Sandra

J. Stauffer

Does anybody watch "Radio Free Roscoe"...kind of a teen soap opera of the
light hearted kind. They did any unschooling sorta episode recently.

The girl couldn't get physics, was failing, asked the two nerds to help her.
They told her to get rid of the books, that she had to stop trying to learn
physics and simply let it flow through her. They played all kinds of games,
races on janitor carts,etc.. She understood the concepts but didn't trust
it. She took the sample test and failed. She blamed the two nerds who said
something to the effect that she failed to trust herself and she got
mad....went off on a rant that involved some physics theory and suddenly
realized that she truly understood the concepts. The two nerds said "It is
flowing through you". Everyone was happy and she passed the test.

Julie S.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wife2Vegman" <wifetovegman2002@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 6:15 AM
Subject: Math according to Ed, Edd, and Eddy (was Re: [AlwaysLearning] Re:
I'm Bored........)


>
> --- Sylvia Toyama <syltoyama@...> wrote:
> >
> > A: 12 quarters are 300 cents, 3 dollars.
> > Me: mm hmm
> > A: so 16 quarters is ..... (thinking for a minute)
> > 400 pennies and that's 4 dollars!
> > Me: yep, that's right.
> > A: and 3 dimes is 30 cents. So, if Ed, Edd & Eddy
> > had 30 cents they could buy 6 jawbreakers, because
> > jawbreakers cost 5 cents each, and that's 6 nickels,
> > which is 3 dimes -- 30 cents!
> >
>
>
> I LOVE IT!!!!
>
> Besides being my favorite cartoon right now (having
> bumped spongebob to second), they are teaching math!
>
> I just read this to my husband, and said, "see, I told
> you...we are learning no matter what we are doing or
> watching". hee hee
>
> What a great way to start my day, thanks!
>
>
>
> =====
> --Susan in VA
> WifetoVegman
>
> What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for
children's growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the
schools, but that it isn't a school at all. John Holt
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it!
> http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlwaysLearning/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> [email protected]
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/30/04 8:19:00 AM, starsuncloud@... writes:

<< I think most people "sleep" their way through life though. Early childhood
shuts them down and they never come out of it to notice what an amazing
planet, what true beauty surrounds them everyday. When you meet someone who is
awake, you really notice. >>

I see some who profess to want to unschool, too.
They say "tell me what I have to do," but they seem to mean "tell me what I
have to make my kids do, and it better be easy."

So there's another clue for the who can and who can't considerations. They
need to be alive and open to beauty and amazement.

Sandra

one4oneness

You are absolutely right! In regards to me tweaking my way of
thinking. To be clear, I don't pressure him to ask questions. You
took only part of a thought. The entire sentence is key because if
you asked him what he liked doing or what he thought was cool he'd
say "I don't know." This from a very articulate and opinionated
child. We are new to this, from an environment where we are the only
family that we know taking this approach. We are being questioned
and judged nearly continually. So, I do need to feel more confident
in what my heart is telling me is right for us. Please note I said I
keep "wanting to" not that I feel I agree with it or am continuing
to do so- another sentence you took only in part.

What he does is very important to me whatever it is. However it has
only been 2 months and he really just wants to sleep, watch TV, play
video games. Not in and of themselves negative things. During the
Summer he's my "roaddawg". He's always wanting to be on the go.
He's typically very depressed and irritable during the school year.
I just wish that he was more like out of school Kameron since he's
not in a school. Our state however does require certain things.

The public/private schoolers judge and challenge everything we do.
The best lesson I've learned from you is that, though well intended
home/unschoolers will too. Even more of a reason for me to stand by
my convictions and the fact that I know my child. I was merely
wanting us to make a connection with others that have more
experience with what we are trying to do. I'm sure other newbies
will agree that it is scarey. And there is a deproggramming time
for both of us. It's been 33 years for me of believing that you're
nothing w/out traditional academic success. For myself I wish I'd
had a non-traditional education. I did well because I was a
performer, a people pleaser. But, I definately was very unhappy and
felt like noone could believe in what I knew my real talents and
focus should be. Therefore not worth exploring or nurturing. I
don't want my children to waste their lives chasing someone elses
dream. Or conforming for the sake of peace, even at the expense of
your own.

You've given me lots to think about-for myself and Kameron.





--- In [email protected], Wife2Vegman
<wifetovegman2002@y...> wrote:
>
> --- one4oneness <tlemon1@s...> wrote:
> > I
> > keep wanting to force him to sit and listen to me
> > and then do
> > worksheets and tests. Some times I sadly do,
> > because it just seems
> > he doesn't want to do anything that has to do with
> > learning. He has
> > gotten better. I've got him finally asking
> > questions and discussing
> > things he's interested in. We are about to start
> > meeting other more
> > experienced homeschoolers. Maybe we can get some
> > positive peer
> > pressure from them.
> >
>
>
> But Taunya, it isn't his thinking that needs changing,
> it is yours.
>
> You shouldn't say that he doesn't want anything to do
> with learning, because everything IS learning. It
> can't be separated. Perhaps you mean he isn't doing
> what you consider important. And that is what he is
> learning right now, that you don't consider what he is
> doing important.
>
> Several of the phrases you just used show you need to
> do some more reading about unschooling.
>
> "I finally got him to ask questions"
>
> "force him to sit and do worksheets"
>
> "maybe we can get some positive peer pressure from
> them"
>
> Wow.
>
> A desire to learn can't be forced on someone. Peer
> pressure can't do it, lecturing him and then testing
> him on what you have said can't do it.
>
> Is he asking questions out of desperation just to get
> you off his back? How did you "get" him to ask
> questions about things that already interest him?
>
> If the "experienced homeschoolers" are ones that use
> curriculum and school-at-home, then they might tell
> you that is what you should be doing too.
>
> Unschooling challenges what they believe is best for
> their kids, and they may want the same chains on your
> son so they can feel better about their choices.
>
>
>
> =====
> --Susan in VA
> WifetoVegman
>
> What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for
children's growth into the world is not that it is a better school
than the schools, but that it isn't a school at all. John Holt
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it!
> http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/

one4oneness

You're site was where I was initially introduced to the
term "unschooling". Well before I ever thought to try it. It is
harder than I thought even though I always felt it and wanted it to
live it.

I am so thankful for this group. You live what I am for now only
dreaming.

Taunya-work in progress


--- In [email protected], SandraDodd@a... wrote:
>
> In a message dated 1/29/04 1:01:34 PM, tlemon1@s... writes:
>
> << I am feeling the same way that you are. I
>
> keep wanting to force him to sit and listen to me and then do
>
> worksheets and tests. Some times I sadly do, because it just
seems
>
> he doesn't want to do anything that has to do with learning. >>
>
> It won't help for you to lapse and do that sometimes. Until you
have REALLY
> truly stopped, unschooling won't start working well.
>
> It's the moms who need to learn to see what "anything that has to
do with
> learning" looks like in the absence of school.
>
> Here are some starting ideas. Please follow the links at the
bottom, too:
>
> http://sandradodd.com/deschooling
>
> Sandra

one4oneness

And here I was worried that ds is watching too much TV.


--- In [email protected], Wife2Vegman
<wifetovegman2002@y...> wrote:
>
> --- Sylvia Toyama <syltoyama@y...> wrote:
> >
> > A: 12 quarters are 300 cents, 3 dollars.
> > Me: mm hmm
> > A: so 16 quarters is ..... (thinking for a minute)
> > 400 pennies and that's 4 dollars!
> > Me: yep, that's right.
> > A: and 3 dimes is 30 cents. So, if Ed, Edd & Eddy
> > had 30 cents they could buy 6 jawbreakers, because
> > jawbreakers cost 5 cents each, and that's 6 nickels,
> > which is 3 dimes -- 30 cents!
> >
>
>
> I LOVE IT!!!!
>
> Besides being my favorite cartoon right now (having
> bumped spongebob to second), they are teaching math!
>
> I just read this to my husband, and said, "see, I told
> you...we are learning no matter what we are doing or
> watching". hee hee
>
> What a great way to start my day, thanks!
>
>
>
> =====
> --Susan in VA
> WifetoVegman
>
> What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for
children's growth into the world is not that it is a better school
than the schools, but that it isn't a school at all. John Holt
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it!
> http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/30/04 10:48:04 AM, tlemon1@... writes:

<< During the

Summer he's my "roaddawg". He's always wanting to be on the go. >>

No difference between summer and other seasons for unschooling.

<<He's typically very depressed and irritable during the school year. >>>

But he was in school, right?

<<Our state however does require certain things. >>

Unschoolers in every state have figured out how to fulfill the state's
requirements.
Here's a sample of something Carol Narigon used in Ohio:

http://sandradodd.com/unschoolingcurriculum

If state regs and "school year" are going to be given important places in
your thought, you'll have a hard time getting to unschooling.

<<The public/private schoolers judge and challenge everything we do. >>

That is not my experience. When I do get feedback from someone, it's
usually their amazement at how my kids are or what they know.

<< I'm sure other newbies

will agree that it is scarey. And there is a deproggramming time

for both of us. >>

Right. People are trying to help you take another step away from the scary
part.

<< It's been 33 years for me of believing that you're

nothing w/out traditional academic success. >>

Most of us have been there. You can't step away from it without just
stepping away.

Sandra