Feeling like a representative
Ken
As someone who was unschooled from birth to adulthood (I'm currently
22), I sometimes feel as though my life is not just my own, but that
it reflects upon unschooling in general. For instance, I worry that my
decision not to pursue a college education might cause other people to
think twice about unschooling their children.
How do the rest of you cope with anxiety around feeling like your (and
your children's) life is a living representation of radical
unschooling's value/efficacy?
-Ken
22), I sometimes feel as though my life is not just my own, but that
it reflects upon unschooling in general. For instance, I worry that my
decision not to pursue a college education might cause other people to
think twice about unschooling their children.
How do the rest of you cope with anxiety around feeling like your (and
your children's) life is a living representation of radical
unschooling's value/efficacy?
-Ken
Nicole Paluszek
Once in a while an anxious feeling like that might pop
up in me, though less frequently now than when I first
started unschooling. I remind myself that it's not my
job to convince anyone else of the merits of
unschooling- people are either evolved enough to "get
it" or not. If someone shows a genuine interest in
learning about it I'm glad to share. If someone still
believes it's the end of the world if their kids don't
get a degree, they're probably not ready to learn
about it.
The "value and efficacy" of college education has been
steadily declining especially since the notion took
hold that it's a must for everyone. It was originally
meant for those strongly academically inclined only.
If you follow your bliss and it happens to lead you to
a non-academic pursuit, it's nobody's business to
judge you or unschooling on that.
Nicole
"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves" -Carl Jung
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up in me, though less frequently now than when I first
started unschooling. I remind myself that it's not my
job to convince anyone else of the merits of
unschooling- people are either evolved enough to "get
it" or not. If someone shows a genuine interest in
learning about it I'm glad to share. If someone still
believes it's the end of the world if their kids don't
get a degree, they're probably not ready to learn
about it.
The "value and efficacy" of college education has been
steadily declining especially since the notion took
hold that it's a must for everyone. It was originally
meant for those strongly academically inclined only.
If you follow your bliss and it happens to lead you to
a non-academic pursuit, it's nobody's business to
judge you or unschooling on that.
Nicole
"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves" -Carl Jung
____________________________________________________________________________________
Want to start your own business?
Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business.
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-index
Pamela Sorooshian
On Nov 11, 2006, at 5:55 PM, Ken wrote:
like she sometimes is thought of as a poster child for unschooling.
She sort of relishes that role, though, because she is SUCH an
unschooling missionary, herself. I doubt she thinks about it very
often, mostly she pursues her passions - that is where her focus in,
not on being an unschooling representative.
I don't think you need to spend time worrying or being anxious about
it, though. Just the thoughtfulness it takes to even ASK such a
question is already enough to make us all proud of you! <G>
Seriously, the best way for you to be a wonderful living
representative of radical unschooling is for you to truly follow your
own path and not feel the need to conform to what is expected of
young adults - that IS what we want for our kids. People who don't
want that - those for whom choosing a life that doesn't follow the
conventional path isn't a glorious thing - who cares about them?
-pam
Unschooling shirts, cups, bumper stickers, bags...
Live Love Learn
UNSCHOOL!
<http://www.cafepress.com/livelovelearn>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> How do the rest of you cope with anxiety around feeling like your (andMy oldest daughter is about to turn 22. She feels as you do, Ken,
> your children's) life is a living representation of radical
> unschooling's value/efficacy?
like she sometimes is thought of as a poster child for unschooling.
She sort of relishes that role, though, because she is SUCH an
unschooling missionary, herself. I doubt she thinks about it very
often, mostly she pursues her passions - that is where her focus in,
not on being an unschooling representative.
I don't think you need to spend time worrying or being anxious about
it, though. Just the thoughtfulness it takes to even ASK such a
question is already enough to make us all proud of you! <G>
Seriously, the best way for you to be a wonderful living
representative of radical unschooling is for you to truly follow your
own path and not feel the need to conform to what is expected of
young adults - that IS what we want for our kids. People who don't
want that - those for whom choosing a life that doesn't follow the
conventional path isn't a glorious thing - who cares about them?
-pam
Unschooling shirts, cups, bumper stickers, bags...
Live Love Learn
UNSCHOOL!
<http://www.cafepress.com/livelovelearn>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
C Johnson
I don't really think about us being a living representation at all. Either people get unschooling or they do not. We just live our lives for ourselves and are very happy.
Chrissie
Ken <anduwaithe2000@...> wrote:
As someone who was unschooled from birth to adulthood (I'm currently
22), I sometimes feel as though my life is not just my own, but that
it reflects upon unschooling in general. For instance, I worry that my
decision not to pursue a college education might cause other people to
think twice about unschooling their children.
How do the rest of you cope with anxiety around feeling like your (and
your children's) life is a living representation of radical
unschooling's value/efficacy?
-Ken
"All you have to decide is what to do with the time you have been given." Gandalf
---------------------------------
Access over 1 million songs - Yahoo! Music Unlimited.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Chrissie
Ken <anduwaithe2000@...> wrote:
As someone who was unschooled from birth to adulthood (I'm currently
22), I sometimes feel as though my life is not just my own, but that
it reflects upon unschooling in general. For instance, I worry that my
decision not to pursue a college education might cause other people to
think twice about unschooling their children.
How do the rest of you cope with anxiety around feeling like your (and
your children's) life is a living representation of radical
unschooling's value/efficacy?
-Ken
"All you have to decide is what to do with the time you have been given." Gandalf
---------------------------------
Access over 1 million songs - Yahoo! Music Unlimited.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=-How do the rest of you cope with anxiety around feeling like your
(and
your children's) life is a living representation of radical
unschooling's value/efficacy?-=-
I used to care more about whether they went to college, but I don't
anymore.
My oldest is 20. He's had a job since he was 14.
The second kid has had a job since he was 15 and a fulltime job for
nearly a year. They're busy and happy and if they want to go to
college, they can and we'll help. They know that.
They do feel like representives, but they know and I know of people
who've gone into debt and been miserable and dropped out of college,
so college isn't the goal of the world here. In those families in
which it is, they have to deal with that (and the often-accompanying
unhappiness) in they own ways.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
(and
your children's) life is a living representation of radical
unschooling's value/efficacy?-=-
I used to care more about whether they went to college, but I don't
anymore.
My oldest is 20. He's had a job since he was 14.
The second kid has had a job since he was 15 and a fulltime job for
nearly a year. They're busy and happy and if they want to go to
college, they can and we'll help. They know that.
They do feel like representives, but they know and I know of people
who've gone into debt and been miserable and dropped out of college,
so college isn't the goal of the world here. In those families in
which it is, they have to deal with that (and the often-accompanying
unhappiness) in they own ways.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Lori (Matheson-Huber) Smith
--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...>
wrote:
later due to pressure from family, found it a total waste of my time
(and couldn't believe how much more I'd been self-teaching myself!),
stayed until the 22nd of March (1977) and quit again to go to work.
That was 29 1/2 years ago when I quit the last time. Haven't
regretted it or wished I had stayed in or "graduated".
Since I know this kind of learning works as I am an unschooler
(though I didn't know it way back then!), I have given my kids
mainly this same kind of freedom and I am seeing the fruits of their
self-styled educations. I have a 19 1/2 year old and one almost 18
who are "graduated" from our homeschool and two more in their teens
who will be officially done with their schooling in the next 2-4
years. It has been an awesome journey!
I never think about representing the unschooling movement. I see it
more as representing the rights of parents to choose the path they
want for their kids. I also see it as total freedom in pursuing our
own dreams. I tend to be quite radical in my opinions about many
things, especially unschooling/education, and I also do not care if
my kids ever attend college or not. IF they want this course-I will
support their choice. IF they do not want to attend college-I will
support their choice. I think this all boils down to choice, don't
you?
Lori
wrote:
>your
> -=-How do the rest of you cope with anxiety around feeling like
> (andsemester of 1975) in 10th grade, returned to school 1 1/2 years
> your children's) life is a living representation of radical
> unschooling's value/efficacy?-=-
>
> I dropped out of high school when I was in 15 (end of first
later due to pressure from family, found it a total waste of my time
(and couldn't believe how much more I'd been self-teaching myself!),
stayed until the 22nd of March (1977) and quit again to go to work.
That was 29 1/2 years ago when I quit the last time. Haven't
regretted it or wished I had stayed in or "graduated".
Since I know this kind of learning works as I am an unschooler
(though I didn't know it way back then!), I have given my kids
mainly this same kind of freedom and I am seeing the fruits of their
self-styled educations. I have a 19 1/2 year old and one almost 18
who are "graduated" from our homeschool and two more in their teens
who will be officially done with their schooling in the next 2-4
years. It has been an awesome journey!
I never think about representing the unschooling movement. I see it
more as representing the rights of parents to choose the path they
want for their kids. I also see it as total freedom in pursuing our
own dreams. I tend to be quite radical in my opinions about many
things, especially unschooling/education, and I also do not care if
my kids ever attend college or not. IF they want this course-I will
support their choice. IF they do not want to attend college-I will
support their choice. I think this all boils down to choice, don't
you?
Lori
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>