fun article on unschooling
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http://www.hsc.org/chs/chs00hndwrngrs.html
It's better to look at it on the site, but for those who can't get to the
internet, here's the text:
The Handwringers Column
by Diane Kallas and Barbara Alward
handwringers@...
Dear Handwringers,
Next fall, my eldest child will be old enough for kindergarten, so the
pressure's on. The unschooling philosophy suits us - but I am becoming a
little freaked by happenings in the news which indicate it's becoming more
difficult for homeschoolers to earn "diplomas and other credentials" (see
"Don't Let Credentials Get You Down", Mar.-April '98, Home Education
Magazine). We've chosen homeschooling for the greater opportunity and
enrichment it will allow our children. So any resulting impediment to their
future life (i.e. COLLEGE) is a big worry. My question is: Do you think a
prepackaged, accredited curriculum could serve as a tool used to dispel any
administrator's concern for the quality of our children's homeschooling
education? Or should I go ahead and spend all that extra cash we have laying
around on baby chicks or more books from the F.U.N. catalog?
Dana Murguia
Dear Dana,
Your child is just approaching the compulsory sentence and already you hear
scary music on the soundtrack of your life? Is your career goal to be a
bonafide handwringer? (Motto: "Worry now, and beat the rush.")
As you make your way through the maze of life you are going to read all kinds
of newsy things designed to send you into a tizzy of frivolous consuming. One
day you will read that homeschoolers have a tough time getting into college
then the next day (same newspaper, same section, same page, same ad for your
local tutoring center) you'll read another article that extols the ease with
which homeschoolers get into college and how administrators are going door to
door looking for homeschoolers who, as other articles will tell you and we
all know, are self-starters, self-directed, self-esteemed, self-dressing,
self-taught, self-motivated, self-defrosting and self-employed. Do these
homeschoolers even NEED college??? Then, on the same day you might come
across another article saying that scientists were wrong and the asteroid
they said couldn't possibly even come near our galaxy is headed smack dab for
the middle of California. See how quickly our center of gravity shifts? What
we are suggesting is–don't let the opinions of others determine how you want
your life and your kid's life to be. Would you prefer baby chicks pecking in
your bathtub next week or more paper stacked on your kitchen table? You
decide. Remember life is a mysterious process, fraught with twists and turns
no matter how well we prepare.
Don't give up worrying however. I personally believe that worrying makes life
much more interesting than it really is. Worry is the Gymboree of the adult
mind. Philosophic musing, spiritual contemplation, abstract reasoning–all
that just floats on through, but worry, anxiety and panic, well that's
exciting stuff. Worry isn't a big problem if it only leads to impulse buying
at the educational toy store. The problem comes if you take yourself too
seriously and start imposing your panic on others. Forget it. Most children
succeed in life in spite of their parents' ability or inability to worry.
Dana, please don't think that we handwringers are not taking your concern
seriously. (We aren't, but don't think that). We handwringers believe in the
credo "whatever works," shortened on alternate days to "whatever." We admit
to being committed unschoolers, we believe unschooling is a valid educational
and lifestyle choice that we embrace from a generally prone position. We
wouldn't for a minute try to discourage you from buying a curriculum
advertised in your favorite homeschooling magazine but we do have a few words
of caution . . .
I once paid about $275 for a curriculum that would have cost me about $57.95
if I had just gone out and bought the books myself but I was too smart to go
out and buy a bunch of books I knew would just sit on the shelf collecting
dust! When the curriculum arrived I thought, "Gee, do I need to pay $275 so I
can say my kid is 5th grade material?" No, I decided I didn't need to pay
$275 to achieve this; I could just practice saying it in the bathroom mirror
a few times and send the curriculum back. Luckily the curriculum came with a
money back guarantee and that money came in handy the next time we had to pay
some one to take some chickens off our hands. So don't give yourself one more
thing to worry about Dana: Make sure you get a money back guarantee, postage
included!
Good luck, The Handwringers
The Handwringers, Diane Kallas of Davis and Barbara Alward of Atascadero
believe that there is no problem too small to fret over. They go where no
worriers dare to tread. Be brave, challenge them and send them something to
worry about. Send all questions and worries to handwringers@...
This Handwringers Column is from a previous issue of the California
HomeSchooler. To be one of the first on your block to get the current
Handwringers Column, click here to join HSC and receive your very own copy of
the California HomeSchooler six times a year.
It's better to look at it on the site, but for those who can't get to the
internet, here's the text:
The Handwringers Column
by Diane Kallas and Barbara Alward
handwringers@...
Dear Handwringers,
Next fall, my eldest child will be old enough for kindergarten, so the
pressure's on. The unschooling philosophy suits us - but I am becoming a
little freaked by happenings in the news which indicate it's becoming more
difficult for homeschoolers to earn "diplomas and other credentials" (see
"Don't Let Credentials Get You Down", Mar.-April '98, Home Education
Magazine). We've chosen homeschooling for the greater opportunity and
enrichment it will allow our children. So any resulting impediment to their
future life (i.e. COLLEGE) is a big worry. My question is: Do you think a
prepackaged, accredited curriculum could serve as a tool used to dispel any
administrator's concern for the quality of our children's homeschooling
education? Or should I go ahead and spend all that extra cash we have laying
around on baby chicks or more books from the F.U.N. catalog?
Dana Murguia
Dear Dana,
Your child is just approaching the compulsory sentence and already you hear
scary music on the soundtrack of your life? Is your career goal to be a
bonafide handwringer? (Motto: "Worry now, and beat the rush.")
As you make your way through the maze of life you are going to read all kinds
of newsy things designed to send you into a tizzy of frivolous consuming. One
day you will read that homeschoolers have a tough time getting into college
then the next day (same newspaper, same section, same page, same ad for your
local tutoring center) you'll read another article that extols the ease with
which homeschoolers get into college and how administrators are going door to
door looking for homeschoolers who, as other articles will tell you and we
all know, are self-starters, self-directed, self-esteemed, self-dressing,
self-taught, self-motivated, self-defrosting and self-employed. Do these
homeschoolers even NEED college??? Then, on the same day you might come
across another article saying that scientists were wrong and the asteroid
they said couldn't possibly even come near our galaxy is headed smack dab for
the middle of California. See how quickly our center of gravity shifts? What
we are suggesting is–don't let the opinions of others determine how you want
your life and your kid's life to be. Would you prefer baby chicks pecking in
your bathtub next week or more paper stacked on your kitchen table? You
decide. Remember life is a mysterious process, fraught with twists and turns
no matter how well we prepare.
Don't give up worrying however. I personally believe that worrying makes life
much more interesting than it really is. Worry is the Gymboree of the adult
mind. Philosophic musing, spiritual contemplation, abstract reasoning–all
that just floats on through, but worry, anxiety and panic, well that's
exciting stuff. Worry isn't a big problem if it only leads to impulse buying
at the educational toy store. The problem comes if you take yourself too
seriously and start imposing your panic on others. Forget it. Most children
succeed in life in spite of their parents' ability or inability to worry.
Dana, please don't think that we handwringers are not taking your concern
seriously. (We aren't, but don't think that). We handwringers believe in the
credo "whatever works," shortened on alternate days to "whatever." We admit
to being committed unschoolers, we believe unschooling is a valid educational
and lifestyle choice that we embrace from a generally prone position. We
wouldn't for a minute try to discourage you from buying a curriculum
advertised in your favorite homeschooling magazine but we do have a few words
of caution . . .
I once paid about $275 for a curriculum that would have cost me about $57.95
if I had just gone out and bought the books myself but I was too smart to go
out and buy a bunch of books I knew would just sit on the shelf collecting
dust! When the curriculum arrived I thought, "Gee, do I need to pay $275 so I
can say my kid is 5th grade material?" No, I decided I didn't need to pay
$275 to achieve this; I could just practice saying it in the bathroom mirror
a few times and send the curriculum back. Luckily the curriculum came with a
money back guarantee and that money came in handy the next time we had to pay
some one to take some chickens off our hands. So don't give yourself one more
thing to worry about Dana: Make sure you get a money back guarantee, postage
included!
Good luck, The Handwringers
The Handwringers, Diane Kallas of Davis and Barbara Alward of Atascadero
believe that there is no problem too small to fret over. They go where no
worriers dare to tread. Be brave, challenge them and send them something to
worry about. Send all questions and worries to handwringers@...
This Handwringers Column is from a previous issue of the California
HomeSchooler. To be one of the first on your block to get the current
Handwringers Column, click here to join HSC and receive your very own copy of
the California HomeSchooler six times a year.