Ticia

I was just sitting her having my tea and remembering that when I was a
young kid I *hated* painting with those stupid *kids* paintbrushes. I
hated the feel and smell of *kids* paints. Even today the nostalgia of
temprah paint borders on sickening to good memories?? I don't know how
else to say it.

How does this post apply to unschooling...ok ok I'm gettin there!

The other day we pulled out all of my *old* art supplies from my
college days. These are my gold...my pastels, my oil paints, my 20
dollar brushes, my expensive paper...do you see a pattern. They area
all *MINE*.

We have recently moved. As I unpacked all of our boxes I have stumbled
upon my treasure trove of ultimate art supplies. MINE! Anyhow, both of
my kids were completley fascinated with this big box of MINE! So I
slowly pulled out all of my treasures and explained how they were so
expensive and then my mental lightbulb went on! Oh Hello TICIA you
silly Mommy, your children want to play with your "expensive" and
alluring art supplies because they are so desired now. LOL

That lightbulb was more of a lightning strike to me. I unpacked my
untouchables and let them go at all of my supplies. They played with
oil pastels, conte crayons, liquid water colors, fancy dancy paper,
and my $$$ uh um brushes.

AND GUESS WHAT!!!

They created such Great artwork because they enjoyed the luxury of
good brushes, paper and numerous other fun and new things.

I don't know how else to explain my round about logic. BUT, I do know
that when we go into "educational supply stores" we usually feel like
we are all in a toy store. *I* am the only one who feels the guilt of
it being "undercover".

Enjoy the fun of exploring wherever you are. And let those kiddos
explore a piece of you and your fun!

Ticia

Anastasia Hall

On the expensive MINE things - my dear mother gave me the clarinet she used in high school when I
was 10 and starting band. After I was finished with it, I gave it back to her. This summer, she
gave it to my dd10, but I still think of it as MINE. It's in need of a little repair, but after I
taped down a key whose spring had broken and put a piece of foam in place of a pad, I bought two
new reeds and tried it out. Oh, was I out of practice!? I explained that this clarinet was made
in the 1960's, I'd seen used clarinets for $125-$200 at the music store, and they need to treat
the instrument with respect. I was so scared to let them use it!!! I showed them where to place
their fingers and let them go at it. I started to go down the, "let's get out the music reader
and learn what all the notes are," but then I had to remind myself that they need to get the feel
of the instrument and embouchure and just explore. I wanted to jump in and play music teacher
sooo badly! (We're still deschooling...) So the kids aren't producing masterpieces yet, but they
have more musical experience in the past two weeks or so than most of the kids in our ps district,
who don't start band until 7th grade.

Anastasia
--- Ticia <ticiamama@...> wrote:


---------------------------------
I was just sitting her having my tea and remembering that when I was a
young kid I *hated* painting with those stupid *kids* paintbrushes. I
hated the feel and smell of *kids* paints. Even today the nostalgia of
temprah paint borders on sickening to good memories?? I don't know how
else to say it.

How does this post apply to unschooling...ok ok I'm gettin there!

The other day we pulled out all of my *old* art supplies from my
college days. These are my gold...my pastels, my oil paints, my 20
dollar brushes, my expensive paper...do you see a pattern. They area
all *MINE*.

We have recently moved. As I unpacked all of our boxes I have stumbled
upon my treasure trove of ultimate art supplies. MINE! Anyhow, both of
my kids were completley fascinated with this big box of MINE! So I
slowly pulled out all of my treasures and explained how they were so
expensive and then my mental lightbulb went on! Oh Hello TICIA you
silly Mommy, your children want to play with your "expensive" and
alluring art supplies because they are so desired now. LOL

That lightbulb was more of a lightning strike to me. I unpacked my
untouchables and let them go at all of my supplies. They played with
oil pastels, conte crayons, liquid water colors, fancy dancy paper,
and my $$$ uh um brushes.

AND GUESS WHAT!!!

They created such Great artwork because they enjoyed the luxury of
good brushes, paper and numerous other fun and new things.

I don't know how else to explain my round about logic. BUT, I do know
that when we go into "educational supply stores" we usually feel like
we are all in a toy store. *I* am the only one who feels the guilt of
it being "undercover".

Enjoy the fun of exploring wherever you are. And let those kiddos
explore a piece of you and your fun!

Ticia






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[email protected]

Hello,
I'm new to this group and also new to homeschooling our two daughters so
we're still deschooling also. These emails you both wrote really struck a cord
with me. I have been an artist most all of my life so I too have the "MINE"
attitude towards all of MY expensive art supplies. Your emails reminded me of a
time when I was doing a commissioned piece and my daughters came into my studio
asking if they too could do some painting and burning (at the time I was doing
pyrography/painting on a very large fireplace mantel) So, I went over to
"their" shelves of art supplies and got out "their" things. When I carried them
over to the table for them the look on their faces were sad and confused but they
never said a word about it, they just started painting and burning. I noticed
how awful their works of art were coming along, it was hard for them, even at
their young level, to do much detail at all with the lame supplies they had.
I ended up taking all of their stuff and throwing it in a box and took all of
my things and let them go for it. I showed them the different strokes each
brush would make and introduced them to my burner, (the one that cost me a
bundle)! and also taught them how to care for all of them. The look on their faces
was enough for me, but the art work they produced was unbelievably so much
better. I too remember:......

"I was just sitting her having my tea and remembering that when I was a
young kid I *hated* painting with those stupid *kids* paintbrushes. I
hated the feel and smell of *kids* paints. Even today the nostalgia of
temprah paint borders on sickening to good memories?? I don't know how
else to say it." <That was a perfect way of saying it! I feel the same way
too! :o)

Now that we are homeschooling and giving our family time to deschool, thanks
for reminding me once again the need to just let my kids grow without the
influence and restrictions that were placed on them by not only the public school
system that we just (so thankfully) pulled them out of, but also, sometimes
innocently and/or unknowingly by me!

Nancy



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

[email protected]

In a message dated 11/7/05 7:17:19 AM, hall.anastasia@... writes:


> -=-but then I had to remind myself that they need to get the feel
> of the instrument and embouchure and just explore.  I wanted to jump in and
> play music teacher
> sooo badly!  (We're still deschooling...)-=-
>
Clarinet's hard. You should "play music teacher" as much as they ask.
Probably you did show them how to make the sounds, and you probably showed them a
few notes, anyway, right? I used to play clarinet (ages 10 to 14, after
which I sold it and bought a guitar with the money).

When people start to mess with a recorder they tend to blow too hard and to
try to start with all the holes covered up. That's one of the hardest notes
and it takes the LEAST air, so it's better to help them find an easier few
notes to try out. That's not being too teacherly.

Maybe you just meant you had to resist teaching them to read musical
notation.

Unschooling and discovery are very cool, but in the face of some new piece of
equipment--musical, mechanical, cooking equipment--it's regular everyday
courtesy to help someone new to that thing understand its operation and dangers
and all.

This isn't really about the clarinet at all, but about the idea that
unschoolers shouldn't help kids too much for fear of turning into a teacher.

One dangerous aspect (dangerous to unschooling, I mean) of teaching is the
expectation of the teacher--the potential frustration and divisive feeling if
the lessons don't go well.

I let a two year old play with my pump organ the other day. She would've
gone for the electric keyboard that was on top of it, but she had asked what
the pedals did, so I moved the electric keyboard, opened the lid and showed
her. She might be too little to remember, but I think the idea of an instrument
that's not electric, that has no on/off switch, might stay with her. <g>

When I was little I was surrounded by people-powered tools. My granny's
house had a treadle machine, hand-cranked meat grinder, hand-cranked egg beater,
hand-cranked drill, and they started their tractor with a crank (though after
that point it was a gas powered engine, of course). Kids nowadays might see
very few hand-powered tools or even instruments. Even their parent's
acoustic guitar might have a pickup and an amp. A friend of mine used to collect
electronic instruments when they first came out. He had an electronic saxophone
and guitar and even bagpipes. You only had to touch the place where you
would have ordinarily have had to cover the hole completely, or only put your
fingers where the strings would have been, and strum across where the strings
would have been to make the sound.

Yeah, I know... I went on a little detour. <g>

Sandra




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

Anastasia Hall

"Maybe you just meant you had to resist teaching them to read musical
notation."
Yup, that's what I meant. I wanted to delve into how to read music and what the fingering was on
the clarinet for each note, but I resisted. But like you said, I gave them the tip that an open
note E was a lot easier than covering the holes, I showed them where to put their hands, how to
hold their mouth and keep their cheeks in and breathe from their bellies and such. I'm still
trying to grasp the whole unschooling thing. I've tried to be a bit child-led by letting the kids
pick topics for unit studies, but we just started homeschooling in September and I'm feeling my
way through it based on the kids' reactions, so I'm attempting to let go of "teaching" and grasp
the concept of being more of a facilitator and getting them interested in something other than TV.
Not that all TV is bad, and I know it's ok to allow that sometimes, too, but they want to watch
soaps, and we don't have cable or PBS for all the good "educational" shows. Unschooling sounds a
lot easier and better in the books I've read than it is for me in real life. I've read about kids
who were unschooled and do amazing things like building computers or playing concertos on the
piano, and my kids have no drive or interest in anything in particular (yet.) And I don't know
whether or not to expect them to be great at something, but to just have an appreciation for
learning would be nice. I have a lot of doubts sometimes and more "Oh, no, what if I'm not doing
enough!" moments in the last month. So maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm not seeing enough of what
they're doing to learn so I think it isn't happening. But now I'm just thinking out loud on the
keyboard and starting to ramble, so I'll leave it at that.

Thanks for your input!
Anastasia


--- SandraDodd@... wrote:


---------------------------------

In a message dated 11/7/05 7:17:19 AM, hall.anastasia@... writes:


> -=-but then I had to remind myself that they need to get the feel
> of the instrument and embouchure and just explore. I wanted to jump in and
> play music teacher
> sooo badly! (We're still deschooling...)-=-
>
Clarinet's hard. You should "play music teacher" as much as they ask.
Probably you did show them how to make the sounds, and you probably showed them a
few notes, anyway, right? I used to play clarinet (ages 10 to 14, after
which I sold it and bought a guitar with the money).

When people start to mess with a recorder they tend to blow too hard and to
try to start with all the holes covered up. That's one of the hardest notes
and it takes the LEAST air, so it's better to help them find an easier few
notes to try out. That's not being too teacherly.

Maybe you just meant you had to resist teaching them to read musical
notation.

Unschooling and discovery are very cool, but in the face of some new piece of
equipment--musical, mechanical, cooking equipment--it's regular everyday
courtesy to help someone new to that thing understand its operation and dangers
and all.

This isn't really about the clarinet at all, but about the idea that
unschoolers shouldn't help kids too much for fear of turning into a teacher.

One dangerous aspect (dangerous to unschooling, I mean) of teaching is the
expectation of the teacher--the potential frustration and divisive feeling if
the lessons don't go well.

I let a two year old play with my pump organ the other day. She would've
gone for the electric keyboard that was on top of it, but she had asked what
the pedals did, so I moved the electric keyboard, opened the lid and showed
her. She might be too little to remember, but I think the idea of an instrument
that's not electric, that has no on/off switch, might stay with her. <g>

When I was little I was surrounded by people-powered tools. My granny's
house had a treadle machine, hand-cranked meat grinder, hand-cranked egg beater,
hand-cranked drill, and they started their tractor with a crank (though after
that point it was a gas powered engine, of course). Kids nowadays might see
very few hand-powered tools or even instruments. Even their parent's
acoustic guitar might have a pickup and an amp. A friend of mine used to collect
electronic instruments when they first came out. He had an electronic saxophone
and guitar and even bagpipes. You only had to touch the place where you
would have ordinarily have had to cover the hole completely, or only put your
fingers where the strings would have been, and strum across where the strings
would have been to make the sound.

Yeah, I know... I went on a little detour. <g>

Sandra




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



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[email protected]

> so I'm attempting to let go of "teaching" and grasp
> the concept of being more of a facilitator and getting them interested in
> something other than TV.
> Not that all TV is bad, and I know it's ok to allow that sometimes, too, but
> they want to watch
> soaps, and we don't have cable or PBS for all the good "educational" shows. 
>
How can you not have PBS!?
(We don't have cable either...)

Do you have a DVD player?

-=- Unschooling sounds a
lot easier and better in the books I've read than it is for me in real
life.-=-

Do you want to buy a different book?
http://sandradodd.com/puddlebook

You can read about my kids watching TV (among other things).

-=-my kids have no drive or interest in anything in particular (yet.) -=-

I think sometimes when people say "drive" they subconsciously mean "desire to
create school-like projects spontaneously," so if you get a chance to look at
that "drive" maybe disassemble it and let the parts scatter out behind you.

-=-  And I don't know whether or not to expect them to be great at something,
but to just have an appreciation for learning would be nice. -=-

What will help more, I'm guessing (from prior experience more than from your
writing, not counting a clue or two), would be for you to continue your own
deschooling while they learn. Somewhere in there you will develop an
appreciation for learning that doesn't look schoolish, and you'll see what they're
doing, even watching soaps, as part of their learning about everything in the
whole wide world.

-=- Maybe I'm not seeing enough of what
they're doing to learn so I think it isn't happening.  But now I'm just
thinking out loud on the
keyboard and starting to ramble,-=-

Like that. <g>

Now back to that TV idea of yours...

-=-... and getting them interested in something other than TV.
Not that all TV is bad, and I know it's ok to allow that sometimes, too,
but...-=-

When are these "sometimes" that it's ok to allow TV?
When are those times you're disallowing it?

You don't need to tell us, but maybe have a look here:
http://sandradodd.com/tv
and see how some other people's thinking went.

Can't they play clarinet and watch TV at the same time?
Can't they draw, paint, sort, build, play and watch TV at the same time?

Sandra








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

Pamela Sorooshian

In fact, start with the soaps, right now, maybe?

Do you watch with them? Do you talk about the people? Their
decisions? What's probably going to happen next? What were the
writers thinking? Soaps are GREAT for psychology and sociology
discussions.

WHAT could be more important than learning about human behavior?

Well - there is also the whole "writing" side of soaps - what kind of
writing does it entail - how is that different from writing a movie
or a short story or a novel or ....? How do the writers keep people
"hooked" on the stories? (But be careful that you don't turn this
into a "language arts" lesson - I almost hesitate to even mention
this aspect of it.)

Support their interest - don't try to distract AWAY from it.

-pam

On Nov 7, 2005, at 11:24 AM, SandraDodd@... wrote:

> Somewhere in there you will develop an
> appreciation for learning that doesn't look schoolish, and you'll
> see what they're
> doing, even watching soaps, as part of their learning about
> everything in the
> whole wide world.



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

Anastasia Hall

--- SandraDodd@... wrote:


---------------------------------
How can you not have PBS!?
(We don't have cable either...)
We live in a mobile home with just a pair of rabbit ears. I think the nearest PBS station is
about 150 miles away. I was bummed at that when we moved here. I miss Nova.

Do you have a DVD player? - yes, and we do watch a lot of movies. We could afford cable if we
didn't go to Blockbuster so much, and the kids get more DVD's and VHS tapes than books most visits
to the library.

Do you want to buy a different book?
http://sandradodd.com/puddlebook - I'll have to get it now, huh?

You can read about my kids watching TV (among other things).

I think sometimes when people say "drive" they subconsciously mean "desire to
create school-like projects spontaneously," so if you get a chance to look at
that "drive" maybe disassemble it and let the parts scatter out behind you. -

point taken - I told you I'm new at this whole concept!

What will help more, I'm guessing (from prior experience more than from your
writing, not counting a clue or two), would be for you to continue your own
deschooling while they learn. Somewhere in there you will develop an
appreciation for learning that doesn't look schoolish, and you'll see what they're
doing, even watching soaps, as part of their learning about everything in the
whole wide world. -

Oh, I am very aware that I need to deschool. I catch myself every day thinking about schoolish
things and I'm sure there are other thoughts that I've been so indoctrinated with that I don't
even realize I'm thinking them.


Now back to that TV idea of yours...

-=-... and getting them interested in something other than TV.
Not that all TV is bad, and I know it's ok to allow that sometimes, too,
but...-=-

When are these "sometimes" that it's ok to allow TV? - well, since I still haven't tossed the
notion of "school hours", I usually ask them to keep the TV off till after lunch. Then they watch
game shows and soaps, since there isn't much else on. They watched the new Herbie movie this
morning, though... It's always ok to watch TV when I want to! LOL! I know I'm sounding like a
hypocrite now, but I have my TV on in the bedroom while I fold laundry or make a to-do list or
they're busy doing something and I just watch Martha Stewart or The View or something. And I
learn about food, recipes, crafts, current events, etc, when I watch, so why wouldn't they? I'm
getting it now. I guess I was raised that TV fries kids' brains and isn't good, and it's stuck
with me. But I suppose my brain isn't fried, and I watch a few hours every day.

When are those times you're disallowing it?

You don't need to tell us, but maybe have a look here:
http://sandradodd.com/tv
and see how some other people's thinking went. - Ok, I told you anyway, and I read some of the
articles from the link. I see the point now. I guess I'll have to let go a bit more, eh?

Can't they play clarinet and watch TV at the same time?
Can't they draw, paint, sort, build, play and watch TV at the same time? Yes, and they do.

Thank you, Sandra, for opening my mind up a bit more. One day I'll get to where I want to be with
this, I hope.







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



SPONSORED LINKS
Unschooling
Attachment parenting John holt
Parenting magazine Single
parenting

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---------------------------------