spelling and core knowledge and such
[email protected]
I received a question offlist from a list member about spelling. Below
is the reponse I sent her last night. But I woke up this morning
thinking about her question again and had more to add. I figured I'd
post it here rather than just back to her.
-----Original Message-----
*** By the way, I couldn't take it and told my kids to do spelling
workbooks. My oldest bawked. I'm not sure what to do. It doesn't
make sense to me that they will learn to be good spellers by reading
alone. What if they don't like to read? ***
My response:
Some people are naturally good spellers. Some are not---no matter how
many workbooks they do! Don't you have any friends that can't spell
after 12-16+ years of school?
Ask yourself: What would happen if they couldn't spell?
What's your worst fear? That they would be thought of as stupid? (It
matters more what the CHILD thinks than what someone else thinks about
him!!) That they would use spell-check? That they might find other ways
to spell?
What's your fear?
Fear of mom and her thoughts that a child couldn't spell ----THAT's a
much bigger worry for a child. The feeling of incompetence/inadequacy a
child feels when his mom is pushing something he doesn't want to learn
right now---that's stifling and can shut that chiild down for a long,
long time. Don't do that!
Please, accept each child as He Is and know that, when he's ready,
he'll pick up what's important to him. It may never be important to
spell. It IS important to be loved by your mom for Who You Are! THAT
can't wait!
The fastest way to turn a child off from reading and from
spelling/math/gardening/fly-fishing is to push/force/require it. Quit
forcing. Read TO them. Listen to books-on-CD. Spell things FOR them
when they ask. Be their partner, not their adversary!
Reading doesn't *make* good spellers, but it can make it easier...make
words more familiar.
Those that don't *like* to read will proabably still read, but for
information, not for pleasure.
They'll all learn when it's important to THEM!
-=-=-=-
My addition here:
I was at a party a few weeks ago. I would up talking about...duh!
*unschooling*! <g> with my husband's boss's husband.
He was insisting that there were things *everyone* needed to
know---"core" knowledge, if you will. I asked him to name ONE. ONE
thing that *everyone* needed to know. I then refilled my plate, got
another drink, and sat back to enjoy the show. <bwg>
His first answer was....you guessed it...spelling!
What a stupid answer. Stupid if he wanted to defend it! <g>
I reminded him that PLENTY of people can't spell---even after years and
years of wookbooks and spelling tests.
Give me another---a better---thing that we ALL *must* know.
Reading.
Dope!
I reminded him that blind people don't read. Not in the traditional
sense. *But* that there are books-on-CD and friends that will read to
them. They can learn braille instead. But not *everyone* needs to know
how to read.
Then he *knew* he had me! <g>
Communication!
We *all* need to communicate. We *must* be taught how to do that. We
must! It's a necessary part of living. If we can't communicate, the
world will go to hell in a handbasket. Yes! Yes! Communication!
And he sat back, satisfied.
<g>
We're BORN communicating! A baby's cries are a form of communication.
That's not something we must be taught! We learn as we go that crying
is not the best way to communicate our needs. Pointing and grunting are
better. Then talking. Sometimes we go so far as to LIE to get what we
want! I think lying is a very evolved form of communication. And some
children figure out *that* so easily... And boy, can it be effective!
We can communicate with our hands (like the deaf. Sign
language---wow!). With our facial expressions (many actors are great at
this!). We can communicate in writing---in cyberspace even! In foreign
languages. In music. In art. Math is a form of communcation. Touch can
communicate a LOT. Animals can even communicate with us: Basia and
SodaPop woke me up at 5:59 this morning asking to be let out and fed!
Now, generally, I try to gear my rants <g> to my audience. And although
I knew he was military (he's a retired colonel in the Air Force) and
*probably* conservative, I couldn't be sure of his politics, so I
didn't bring up that his own *president*---the highest office holder in
the US and leader of the free world..........is ....um......not the
best communicator. (I would have phrased it differently had I known for
sure whether he was a democrat or a republican. Since I didn't know, I
just left it out.) But obviously, his lack of communication skills did
NOT hurt his ability to get elected. Obviously, GOOD communication is
not a requirement for serving as president.
I think it's very important to ask ourselves what it is that we fear
will happen if our children don't excel at ________.
What if he's NOT a good speller?
What if she CAN'T do long division?
What if he NEVER learns to cook?
What if she decides NOT to learn to drive.
What's the *worst* that could happen? Really? The WORST thing?
Now, first, how bad IS that exactly?
Second---chances are that it will never come to that!
A person who is a really bad speller probably won't write for a living.
If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or hire an
editor.
If she can't do long division, she probably won't become an accountant
or statistics professor. But she can barter with a friend to help her
with her taxes, buy a calculator, or hire a bookkeeper.
If he hates to cook, I doubt he will become a master chef. But he could
marry one. Or eat out. Or learn to love Ramen noodles.
If she doesn't want to drive, she can live in a city with really good
public transportation, call a cab, walk a lot, or ride a bike. (She
might come out a lot better financially than her driving cousins!!) <g>
Adults DO what they're good at and find ways around what they struggle
with/don't like/aren't good at.
Well, *smart* adults do.
The ones who have learned that they are incompetent or dumb or
inadequate---the ones whose moms and teachers have insisted that they
learn something that is unimportant or irrelevant in their own
lives----well, those people are the ones that find learning hard or
sucky or stupid. They're the ones that shut down or or rebel or are
simply unhappy and unfulfilled.
Learning is a natural part of living. We are hard-wired to learn.
Certainly not everything all at the same time. But each one of us will
learn what we need *when* we need it. That's HOW humans learn. Not
*everyone* will be a great speller or physicist or gardener. NONE of us
*has* to. Each of us will make his own way---no matter how much our
mom---or our husband's boss's husband <g>---thinks we *need* to know
how to spell. When it becomes important, we will *make* it important,
and it will BE important---to *us*. Until then, it's just superfluous
and something someone *else* thinks is important.
There's nothing everyone needs to know. Content yourself with that.
Each person has his own set of talents---that might not be (and
probably aren't) *your* set of talents. Each person should have the
right to pursue those talents/passions to their logical ends--or new
begginings.
It'll make for a happier household AND a more joyful world!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://liveandlearnconference.org
is the reponse I sent her last night. But I woke up this morning
thinking about her question again and had more to add. I figured I'd
post it here rather than just back to her.
-----Original Message-----
*** By the way, I couldn't take it and told my kids to do spelling
workbooks. My oldest bawked. I'm not sure what to do. It doesn't
make sense to me that they will learn to be good spellers by reading
alone. What if they don't like to read? ***
My response:
Some people are naturally good spellers. Some are not---no matter how
many workbooks they do! Don't you have any friends that can't spell
after 12-16+ years of school?
Ask yourself: What would happen if they couldn't spell?
What's your worst fear? That they would be thought of as stupid? (It
matters more what the CHILD thinks than what someone else thinks about
him!!) That they would use spell-check? That they might find other ways
to spell?
What's your fear?
Fear of mom and her thoughts that a child couldn't spell ----THAT's a
much bigger worry for a child. The feeling of incompetence/inadequacy a
child feels when his mom is pushing something he doesn't want to learn
right now---that's stifling and can shut that chiild down for a long,
long time. Don't do that!
Please, accept each child as He Is and know that, when he's ready,
he'll pick up what's important to him. It may never be important to
spell. It IS important to be loved by your mom for Who You Are! THAT
can't wait!
The fastest way to turn a child off from reading and from
spelling/math/gardening/fly-fishing is to push/force/require it. Quit
forcing. Read TO them. Listen to books-on-CD. Spell things FOR them
when they ask. Be their partner, not their adversary!
Reading doesn't *make* good spellers, but it can make it easier...make
words more familiar.
Those that don't *like* to read will proabably still read, but for
information, not for pleasure.
They'll all learn when it's important to THEM!
-=-=-=-
My addition here:
I was at a party a few weeks ago. I would up talking about...duh!
*unschooling*! <g> with my husband's boss's husband.
He was insisting that there were things *everyone* needed to
know---"core" knowledge, if you will. I asked him to name ONE. ONE
thing that *everyone* needed to know. I then refilled my plate, got
another drink, and sat back to enjoy the show. <bwg>
His first answer was....you guessed it...spelling!
What a stupid answer. Stupid if he wanted to defend it! <g>
I reminded him that PLENTY of people can't spell---even after years and
years of wookbooks and spelling tests.
Give me another---a better---thing that we ALL *must* know.
Reading.
Dope!
I reminded him that blind people don't read. Not in the traditional
sense. *But* that there are books-on-CD and friends that will read to
them. They can learn braille instead. But not *everyone* needs to know
how to read.
Then he *knew* he had me! <g>
Communication!
We *all* need to communicate. We *must* be taught how to do that. We
must! It's a necessary part of living. If we can't communicate, the
world will go to hell in a handbasket. Yes! Yes! Communication!
And he sat back, satisfied.
<g>
We're BORN communicating! A baby's cries are a form of communication.
That's not something we must be taught! We learn as we go that crying
is not the best way to communicate our needs. Pointing and grunting are
better. Then talking. Sometimes we go so far as to LIE to get what we
want! I think lying is a very evolved form of communication. And some
children figure out *that* so easily... And boy, can it be effective!
We can communicate with our hands (like the deaf. Sign
language---wow!). With our facial expressions (many actors are great at
this!). We can communicate in writing---in cyberspace even! In foreign
languages. In music. In art. Math is a form of communcation. Touch can
communicate a LOT. Animals can even communicate with us: Basia and
SodaPop woke me up at 5:59 this morning asking to be let out and fed!
Now, generally, I try to gear my rants <g> to my audience. And although
I knew he was military (he's a retired colonel in the Air Force) and
*probably* conservative, I couldn't be sure of his politics, so I
didn't bring up that his own *president*---the highest office holder in
the US and leader of the free world..........is ....um......not the
best communicator. (I would have phrased it differently had I known for
sure whether he was a democrat or a republican. Since I didn't know, I
just left it out.) But obviously, his lack of communication skills did
NOT hurt his ability to get elected. Obviously, GOOD communication is
not a requirement for serving as president.
I think it's very important to ask ourselves what it is that we fear
will happen if our children don't excel at ________.
What if he's NOT a good speller?
What if she CAN'T do long division?
What if he NEVER learns to cook?
What if she decides NOT to learn to drive.
What's the *worst* that could happen? Really? The WORST thing?
Now, first, how bad IS that exactly?
Second---chances are that it will never come to that!
A person who is a really bad speller probably won't write for a living.
If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or hire an
editor.
If she can't do long division, she probably won't become an accountant
or statistics professor. But she can barter with a friend to help her
with her taxes, buy a calculator, or hire a bookkeeper.
If he hates to cook, I doubt he will become a master chef. But he could
marry one. Or eat out. Or learn to love Ramen noodles.
If she doesn't want to drive, she can live in a city with really good
public transportation, call a cab, walk a lot, or ride a bike. (She
might come out a lot better financially than her driving cousins!!) <g>
Adults DO what they're good at and find ways around what they struggle
with/don't like/aren't good at.
Well, *smart* adults do.
The ones who have learned that they are incompetent or dumb or
inadequate---the ones whose moms and teachers have insisted that they
learn something that is unimportant or irrelevant in their own
lives----well, those people are the ones that find learning hard or
sucky or stupid. They're the ones that shut down or or rebel or are
simply unhappy and unfulfilled.
Learning is a natural part of living. We are hard-wired to learn.
Certainly not everything all at the same time. But each one of us will
learn what we need *when* we need it. That's HOW humans learn. Not
*everyone* will be a great speller or physicist or gardener. NONE of us
*has* to. Each of us will make his own way---no matter how much our
mom---or our husband's boss's husband <g>---thinks we *need* to know
how to spell. When it becomes important, we will *make* it important,
and it will BE important---to *us*. Until then, it's just superfluous
and something someone *else* thinks is important.
There's nothing everyone needs to know. Content yourself with that.
Each person has his own set of talents---that might not be (and
probably aren't) *your* set of talents. Each person should have the
right to pursue those talents/passions to their logical ends--or new
begginings.
It'll make for a happier household AND a more joyful world!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://liveandlearnconference.org
aplan4life
Just going to be honest with myself and say 'yes', what I'm worried
about is that OTHERS will think my children are 'stupid'. If the
world were a bigger better nicer place then it wouldn't be a
concern...HOWEVER, we still are not doing spelling tests. My children
ask me how to spell something when they have trouble and I happily let
them know and also, yesterday, my 8yo dd wrote somethings on a grocery
list and put: fruit ingreedeints....I personally think that her
spelling of 'ingredients' is more in line with how the damn word his
pronounced in the first place. I told her that I liked her spelling
and she's like "Yeah, it really doesn't make any sense how it's
spelled like the way everyone says that it should be spelled." :-)
~Sandy Winn....who, btw has been having a great time since fully
embracing unschooling!
about is that OTHERS will think my children are 'stupid'. If the
world were a bigger better nicer place then it wouldn't be a
concern...HOWEVER, we still are not doing spelling tests. My children
ask me how to spell something when they have trouble and I happily let
them know and also, yesterday, my 8yo dd wrote somethings on a grocery
list and put: fruit ingreedeints....I personally think that her
spelling of 'ingredients' is more in line with how the damn word his
pronounced in the first place. I told her that I liked her spelling
and she's like "Yeah, it really doesn't make any sense how it's
spelled like the way everyone says that it should be spelled." :-)
~Sandy Winn....who, btw has been having a great time since fully
embracing unschooling!
Jenniffer Baltzell
I had a high school professor who was a brilliant guy, it just shone out of
him and dripped out of his every word, whether he was giving a lecture or
telling a joke. He couldn't spell for the life of him and was constantly
misspelling things on the chalkboard. He was sort of abashed and
self-deprecating about it and his pupils tended to take a nurturing attitude
toward him. I don't recall anyone ever making fun of him or trying to
embarass him, even though we pointed out his misspellings on a daily basis
and he often asked us how things were spelled as he wrote them on the
chalkboard. At the end of the day, everyone just loved him for who he was.
He was one of the most popular professors because he was kind and funny and
brilliant. Whether or not he cold spell was beside the point. Poor
spelling ability has nothing to do with intelligence, and, in my opinion, at
least, there are other qualities and skills that are far more important if
we want a meaningful and rewarding life.
--
Jenniffer in Harpers Ferry
http://octopigarden.blogspot.com
Listen, are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life? ~Mary Oliver
him and dripped out of his every word, whether he was giving a lecture or
telling a joke. He couldn't spell for the life of him and was constantly
misspelling things on the chalkboard. He was sort of abashed and
self-deprecating about it and his pupils tended to take a nurturing attitude
toward him. I don't recall anyone ever making fun of him or trying to
embarass him, even though we pointed out his misspellings on a daily basis
and he often asked us how things were spelled as he wrote them on the
chalkboard. At the end of the day, everyone just loved him for who he was.
He was one of the most popular professors because he was kind and funny and
brilliant. Whether or not he cold spell was beside the point. Poor
spelling ability has nothing to do with intelligence, and, in my opinion, at
least, there are other qualities and skills that are far more important if
we want a meaningful and rewarding life.
--
Jenniffer in Harpers Ferry
http://octopigarden.blogspot.com
Listen, are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life? ~Mary Oliver
On 4/21/06, kbcdlovejo@... <kbcdlovejo@...> wrote:
>
> I received a question offlist from a list member about spelling. Below
> is the reponse I sent her last night. But I woke up this morning
> thinking about her question again and had more to add. I figured I'd
> post it here rather than just back to her.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> *** By the way, I couldn't take it and told my kids to do spelling
> workbooks. My oldest bawked. I'm not sure what to do. It doesn't
> make sense to me that they will learn to be good spellers by reading
> alone. What if they don't like to read? ***
>
>
> My response:
>
>
> Some people are naturally good spellers. Some are not---no matter how
> many workbooks they do! Don't you have any friends that can't spell
> after 12-16+ years of school?
>
> Ask yourself: What would happen if they couldn't spell?
>
> What's your worst fear? That they would be thought of as stupid? (It
> matters more what the CHILD thinks than what someone else thinks about
> him!!) That they would use spell-check? That they might find other ways
> to spell?
>
> What's your fear?
>
> Fear of mom and her thoughts that a child couldn't spell ----THAT's a
> much bigger worry for a child. The feeling of incompetence/inadequacy a
> child feels when his mom is pushing something he doesn't want to learn
> right now---that's stifling and can shut that chiild down for a long,
> long time. Don't do that!
>
> Please, accept each child as He Is and know that, when he's ready,
> he'll pick up what's important to him. It may never be important to
> spell. It IS important to be loved by your mom for Who You Are! THAT
> can't wait!
>
> The fastest way to turn a child off from reading and from
> spelling/math/gardening/fly-fishing is to push/force/require it. Quit
> forcing. Read TO them. Listen to books-on-CD. Spell things FOR them
> when they ask. Be their partner, not their adversary!
>
> Reading doesn't *make* good spellers, but it can make it easier...make
> words more familiar.
>
> Those that don't *like* to read will proabably still read, but for
> information, not for pleasure.
>
> They'll all learn when it's important to THEM!
>
> -=-=-=-
>
> My addition here:
>
> I was at a party a few weeks ago. I would up talking about...duh!
> *unschooling*! <g> with my husband's boss's husband.
>
> He was insisting that there were things *everyone* needed to
> know---"core" knowledge, if you will. I asked him to name ONE. ONE
> thing that *everyone* needed to know. I then refilled my plate, got
> another drink, and sat back to enjoy the show. <bwg>
>
> His first answer was....you guessed it...spelling!
>
> What a stupid answer. Stupid if he wanted to defend it! <g>
>
> I reminded him that PLENTY of people can't spell---even after years and
> years of wookbooks and spelling tests.
>
> Give me another---a better---thing that we ALL *must* know.
>
> Reading.
>
> Dope!
>
> I reminded him that blind people don't read. Not in the traditional
> sense. *But* that there are books-on-CD and friends that will read to
> them. They can learn braille instead. But not *everyone* needs to know
> how to read.
>
> Then he *knew* he had me! <g>
>
>
>
> Communication!
>
> We *all* need to communicate. We *must* be taught how to do that. We
> must! It's a necessary part of living. If we can't communicate, the
> world will go to hell in a handbasket. Yes! Yes! Communication!
>
> And he sat back, satisfied.
>
>
> <g>
>
> We're BORN communicating! A baby's cries are a form of communication.
> That's not something we must be taught! We learn as we go that crying
> is not the best way to communicate our needs. Pointing and grunting are
> better. Then talking. Sometimes we go so far as to LIE to get what we
> want! I think lying is a very evolved form of communication. And some
> children figure out *that* so easily... And boy, can it be effective!
>
> We can communicate with our hands (like the deaf. Sign
> language---wow!). With our facial expressions (many actors are great at
> this!). We can communicate in writing---in cyberspace even! In foreign
> languages. In music. In art. Math is a form of communcation. Touch can
> communicate a LOT. Animals can even communicate with us: Basia and
> SodaPop woke me up at 5:59 this morning asking to be let out and fed!
>
> Now, generally, I try to gear my rants <g> to my audience. And although
> I knew he was military (he's a retired colonel in the Air Force) and
> *probably* conservative, I couldn't be sure of his politics, so I
> didn't bring up that his own *president*---the highest office holder in
> the US and leader of the free world..........is ....um......not the
> best communicator. (I would have phrased it differently had I known for
> sure whether he was a democrat or a republican. Since I didn't know, I
> just left it out.) But obviously, his lack of communication skills did
> NOT hurt his ability to get elected. Obviously, GOOD communication is
> not a requirement for serving as president.
>
>
>
> I think it's very important to ask ourselves what it is that we fear
> will happen if our children don't excel at ________.
>
> What if he's NOT a good speller?
> What if she CAN'T do long division?
> What if he NEVER learns to cook?
> What if she decides NOT to learn to drive.
>
> What's the *worst* that could happen? Really? The WORST thing?
>
> Now, first, how bad IS that exactly?
> Second---chances are that it will never come to that!
>
> A person who is a really bad speller probably won't write for a living.
> If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or hire an
> editor.
>
> If she can't do long division, she probably won't become an accountant
> or statistics professor. But she can barter with a friend to help her
> with her taxes, buy a calculator, or hire a bookkeeper.
>
> If he hates to cook, I doubt he will become a master chef. But he could
> marry one. Or eat out. Or learn to love Ramen noodles.
>
> If she doesn't want to drive, she can live in a city with really good
> public transportation, call a cab, walk a lot, or ride a bike. (She
> might come out a lot better financially than her driving cousins!!) <g>
>
>
>
> Adults DO what they're good at and find ways around what they struggle
> with/don't like/aren't good at.
>
> Well, *smart* adults do.
>
> The ones who have learned that they are incompetent or dumb or
> inadequate---the ones whose moms and teachers have insisted that they
> learn something that is unimportant or irrelevant in their own
> lives----well, those people are the ones that find learning hard or
> sucky or stupid. They're the ones that shut down or or rebel or are
> simply unhappy and unfulfilled.
>
>
>
>
> Learning is a natural part of living. We are hard-wired to learn.
> Certainly not everything all at the same time. But each one of us will
> learn what we need *when* we need it. That's HOW humans learn. Not
> *everyone* will be a great speller or physicist or gardener. NONE of us
> *has* to. Each of us will make his own way---no matter how much our
> mom---or our husband's boss's husband <g>---thinks we *need* to know
> how to spell. When it becomes important, we will *make* it important,
> and it will BE important---to *us*. Until then, it's just superfluous
> and something someone *else* thinks is important.
>
> There's nothing everyone needs to know. Content yourself with that.
> Each person has his own set of talents---that might not be (and
> probably aren't) *your* set of talents. Each person should have the
> right to pursue those talents/passions to their logical ends--or new
> begginings.
>
> It'll make for a happier household AND a more joyful world!
>
>
> ~Kelly
>
> Kelly Lovejoy
> Conference Coordinator
> Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
> http://liveandlearnconference.org
>
> ------------------------------
> YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 4/21/2006 7:32:46 AM Eastern Standard Time,
kbcdlovejo@... writes:
A person who is a really bad speller probably won't write for a living.
If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or hire an
editor.
Or work with a bunch of equally poor spellers.
My husband is a police officer and writes a report after every call he goes
on. He is probably the worst adult speller I've known and he knows nothing
about grammar or proper use of the English language. He refuses to use the spell
check even thought I mention it everyday. I proofread his reports daily and
am shocked that his department finds them acceptable. Many of his coworkers
have the same problem. My husband took a spelling class for two semesters a few
years ago and it helped but not much. Spelling for him just will not
compute!
My biggest fear about my children not being good spellers is that others will
think they're idiots when reading something they wrote. The reality is that
some of our kids probably have the poor spelling gene already so what can we
really do about it? Live and enjoy their poor spelling and every other
wonderful thing about them. Hope they are happy people and can communicate
effectively. They already can, what a relief!
If we tested adults who were trained in school and had been exposed to/taught
the core components your hubby's boss considers important I'm sure the
majority would fail. I don't think anyone in my husband's department can use a
semicolon correctly.
Warmly,
Robin in Cape Cod, where spring is magnificent!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
kbcdlovejo@... writes:
A person who is a really bad speller probably won't write for a living.
If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or hire an
editor.
Or work with a bunch of equally poor spellers.
My husband is a police officer and writes a report after every call he goes
on. He is probably the worst adult speller I've known and he knows nothing
about grammar or proper use of the English language. He refuses to use the spell
check even thought I mention it everyday. I proofread his reports daily and
am shocked that his department finds them acceptable. Many of his coworkers
have the same problem. My husband took a spelling class for two semesters a few
years ago and it helped but not much. Spelling for him just will not
compute!
My biggest fear about my children not being good spellers is that others will
think they're idiots when reading something they wrote. The reality is that
some of our kids probably have the poor spelling gene already so what can we
really do about it? Live and enjoy their poor spelling and every other
wonderful thing about them. Hope they are happy people and can communicate
effectively. They already can, what a relief!
If we tested adults who were trained in school and had been exposed to/taught
the core components your hubby's boss considers important I'm sure the
majority would fail. I don't think anyone in my husband's department can use a
semicolon correctly.
Warmly,
Robin in Cape Cod, where spring is magnificent!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: aplan4life <aplan4life@...
Just going to be honest with myself and say 'yes', what I'm worried
about is that OTHERS will think my children are 'stupid'.
-=-=-=-
Is what others think about them more important than *they* are?
--==-=-
If the world were a bigger better nicer place then it wouldn't be a
concern...
-=-=-
But if *you* don't make it a concern,...
Plus, the world changes a little bit with each of us.
Maybe---probably--- just a tiny, infitismal amount.
But if one person were to announce, "It doesn't matter to me what
others think of my children"
You know, if one person, just one person, does it they may think she's
really sick and
they won't believe her. And if two people, two people do it, in
harmony,
they may think they're both nuts and they won't take listen to either
of them.
And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in
singing a bar of "It Doesn't Matter What Other People Think About My
Children"
and walking out? They may think it's an organization! And can you, can
you imagine
fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day, walking in singing a bar
of "It Doesn't Matter..."
and walking out? And friends they may thinks it's a movement.
The "It Doesn't Matter What Other People Think About My Children"
Movement.
They might call it unschooling.
They might start e-lists.
They might start conferences.
Conferences all over the country....
Children might become free of school! Free to think, learn, and be.
Living through life joyfully!
~Kelly, filling the bucket, one drop at a time!
From: aplan4life <aplan4life@...
Just going to be honest with myself and say 'yes', what I'm worried
about is that OTHERS will think my children are 'stupid'.
-=-=-=-
Is what others think about them more important than *they* are?
--==-=-
If the world were a bigger better nicer place then it wouldn't be a
concern...
-=-=-
But if *you* don't make it a concern,...
Plus, the world changes a little bit with each of us.
Maybe---probably--- just a tiny, infitismal amount.
But if one person were to announce, "It doesn't matter to me what
others think of my children"
You know, if one person, just one person, does it they may think she's
really sick and
they won't believe her. And if two people, two people do it, in
harmony,
they may think they're both nuts and they won't take listen to either
of them.
And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in
singing a bar of "It Doesn't Matter What Other People Think About My
Children"
and walking out? They may think it's an organization! And can you, can
you imagine
fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day, walking in singing a bar
of "It Doesn't Matter..."
and walking out? And friends they may thinks it's a movement.
The "It Doesn't Matter What Other People Think About My Children"
Movement.
They might call it unschooling.
They might start e-lists.
They might start conferences.
Conferences all over the country....
Children might become free of school! Free to think, learn, and be.
Living through life joyfully!
~Kelly, filling the bucket, one drop at a time!
aplan4life
That is true Kelly and also a very good way to look at...one at a
time. Just like the old hair shampoo commercial with Heather
Locklear..."and they'll tell two friend, and they'll tell two friends
and so on and so on."
Your positive attitude and outlook were a good boost for this morning.
:-)
~Sandy Winn
time. Just like the old hair shampoo commercial with Heather
Locklear..."and they'll tell two friend, and they'll tell two friends
and so on and so on."
Your positive attitude and outlook were a good boost for this morning.
:-)
~Sandy Winn
--- In [email protected], kbcdlovejo@... wrote:
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: aplan4life <aplan4life@...
>
> Just going to be honest with myself and say 'yes', what I'm worried
> about is that OTHERS will think my children are 'stupid'.
>
> -=-=-=-
>
> Is what others think about them more important than *they* are?
>
> --==-=-
>
> If the world were a bigger better nicer place then it wouldn't be a
> concern...
>
> -=-=-
>
> But if *you* don't make it a concern,...
>
> Plus, the world changes a little bit with each of us.
> Maybe---probably--- just a tiny, infitismal amount.
>
> But if one person were to announce, "It doesn't matter to me what
> others think of my children"
>
> You know, if one person, just one person, does it they may think she's
> really sick and
> they won't believe her. And if two people, two people do it, in
> harmony,
> they may think they're both nuts and they won't take listen to either
> of them.
> And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in
> singing a bar of "It Doesn't Matter What Other People Think About My
> Children"
> and walking out? They may think it's an organization! And can you, can
> you imagine
> fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day, walking in singing a bar
> of "It Doesn't Matter..."
> and walking out? And friends they may thinks it's a movement.
>
> The "It Doesn't Matter What Other People Think About My Children"
> Movement.
>
> They might call it unschooling.
> They might start e-lists.
> They might start conferences.
> Conferences all over the country....
>
> Children might become free of school! Free to think, learn, and be.
> Living through life joyfully!
>
>
> ~Kelly, filling the bucket, one drop at a time!
>
Deb
--- In [email protected], kbcdlovejo@... wrote:
--Deb
>walking in
> You know, if one person, just one person, does it they may think
>she's
> really sick and
> they won't believe her. And if two people, two people do it, in
> harmony,
> they may think they're both nuts and they won't take listen to
>either
> of them.
> And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people
> singing a bar of "It Doesn't Matter What Other People Think AboutUh Kelly - were you listening to the Alice's Restaurant recently? ;-)
>My
> Children"
> and walking out? They may think it's an organization! And can
>you, can
> you imagine
> fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day, walking in singing
>a bar
> of "It Doesn't Matter..."
> and walking out? And friends they may thinks it's a movement.
>
> The "It Doesn't Matter What Other People Think About My Children"
> Movement.
>
> They might call it unschooling.
> They might start e-lists.
> They might start conferences.
> Conferences all over the country....
>
> Children might become free of school! Free to think, learn, and
>be.
> Living through life joyfully!
>
>
> ~Kelly, filling the bucket, one drop at a time!
>
--Deb
Ren Allen
"A person who is a really bad speller probably won't write for a
living. If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or
hire an editor."
Absolutely!
Trevor (16) spells and writes very well, without being "taught" or
pushed. When I DID push him, around 6-9 years old, he didn't pick up
a bit of it. In fact, he shut down to writing completely. Around
12-13, after being left alone about it for a few years, he could
suddenly do it all well.
His brain is really great at picking up patterns. Spelling is just
patterns, some people see them easily while others do not. A bunch of
tests and practice and stress aren't going to make good spellers.
What is "good" spelling anyway? Language is evolving. The correct
spelling today will probably be different in another generation. The
idea of a correct way to spell is relatively new in the scope of history.
My bil (who is visiting right now) is not the best speller. He can
pull a 6 figure income though! I guess lack of spelling skills haven't
hurt him in the work world in any sense.:)
And he knew a word my sis didn't know the other night..."eschelon".
He used it in a conversation and she looked at him funny and
questioned his use of the word. He gave her a definition and she still
didn't believe him. They looked it up, and sure enough, he was RIGHT.
Next night the word was used in a television show and my sister really
NOTICED it.
Connections, connections.
She learned a new vocabulary word from a guy that spells poorly.
That's real life.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
living. If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or
hire an editor."
Absolutely!
Trevor (16) spells and writes very well, without being "taught" or
pushed. When I DID push him, around 6-9 years old, he didn't pick up
a bit of it. In fact, he shut down to writing completely. Around
12-13, after being left alone about it for a few years, he could
suddenly do it all well.
His brain is really great at picking up patterns. Spelling is just
patterns, some people see them easily while others do not. A bunch of
tests and practice and stress aren't going to make good spellers.
What is "good" spelling anyway? Language is evolving. The correct
spelling today will probably be different in another generation. The
idea of a correct way to spell is relatively new in the scope of history.
My bil (who is visiting right now) is not the best speller. He can
pull a 6 figure income though! I guess lack of spelling skills haven't
hurt him in the work world in any sense.:)
And he knew a word my sis didn't know the other night..."eschelon".
He used it in a conversation and she looked at him funny and
questioned his use of the word. He gave her a definition and she still
didn't believe him. They looked it up, and sure enough, he was RIGHT.
Next night the word was used in a television show and my sister really
NOTICED it.
Connections, connections.
She learned a new vocabulary word from a guy that spells poorly.
That's real life.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
Ren Allen
"By the way, I couldn't take it and told my kids to do spelling
workbooks. My oldest bawked."
A parent who is worried about her children's spelling, might want to
learn the word is "balked" not "bawked" (what a chicken does).:)
The word "bawked" would fall under onomatopoeia, which means a word
that describes a sound. I'm picturing a mother trying to force
spelling workbooks (YUCKY! Humans don't really learn much from
workbooks btw, they were created for review, NOT learning) and a child
jumping up and acting like a chicken shouting "bawk, bawk, bawk".
Ok, I'm having fun here. But it amuses me that parents usually tend to
focus their own perceived "weaknesses" as something to teach their
children. I think their "weakness" made their lives difficult in
school perhaps and now they want to make sure their children don't
suffer. I remember worrying so much over math (my own perceived
weakness at one time) and now we USE numbers and addition and such in
every day life and I wonder how on earth it ever worried me!:)
Unschooling is about embracing the person for exactly who they ARE,
not who we want them to be. Unschooling is about CELEBRATING each
unique individual and focusing on their beauty and strength.
Focusing on perceived weaknesses does not help it become a strength.
And that which we view as a "weakness" may very well NOT be such.
Perception is reality for us.
Change your perception of your children. Change your perception of
what real learning looks like. Change your perception of this day, and
this very moment so that you can find the JOY in it. Then unschooling
will begin to blossom in your lives and school/tests/grades/subjects
will be forgotten in the swirl of activity that is REAL life.
workbooks. My oldest bawked."
A parent who is worried about her children's spelling, might want to
learn the word is "balked" not "bawked" (what a chicken does).:)
The word "bawked" would fall under onomatopoeia, which means a word
that describes a sound. I'm picturing a mother trying to force
spelling workbooks (YUCKY! Humans don't really learn much from
workbooks btw, they were created for review, NOT learning) and a child
jumping up and acting like a chicken shouting "bawk, bawk, bawk".
Ok, I'm having fun here. But it amuses me that parents usually tend to
focus their own perceived "weaknesses" as something to teach their
children. I think their "weakness" made their lives difficult in
school perhaps and now they want to make sure their children don't
suffer. I remember worrying so much over math (my own perceived
weakness at one time) and now we USE numbers and addition and such in
every day life and I wonder how on earth it ever worried me!:)
Unschooling is about embracing the person for exactly who they ARE,
not who we want them to be. Unschooling is about CELEBRATING each
unique individual and focusing on their beauty and strength.
Focusing on perceived weaknesses does not help it become a strength.
And that which we view as a "weakness" may very well NOT be such.
Perception is reality for us.
Change your perception of your children. Change your perception of
what real learning looks like. Change your perception of this day, and
this very moment so that you can find the JOY in it. Then unschooling
will begin to blossom in your lives and school/tests/grades/subjects
will be forgotten in the swirl of activity that is REAL life.
Pampered Chef Michelle
On 4/21/06, kbcdlovejo@... <kbcdlovejo@...> wrote:
in life where they don't need to write. I believe that you CAN learn to
spell just from reading (and you would be surprised at the amount of reading
that a person does in just one day - street signs, business signs, signs at
banks, menus, utility bills, SALE! (sorry, just had to add that one),
directions for use of sunscreen, www.whatever.com, video games, recipes,
etc.) And as Kelly said there is always a spell check. I have one in my
google toolbar that will spell check forms that I fill out online (including
online community forums and e-mail) and while I believe that I am a good
speller, I also type very fast and miss mistakes. :) (Making mental note
to use spell check before I send this message!)
Dan is a verocious reader. He can "get lost" in a book for hours. He's
been known to stay up all night because he got interested in a book. Yet he
still will call me from work and say, "How do you spell precedence?" Some
days he will call me several times. It's sort of funny because now I answer
him like a spelling bee. He still uses spell check but it is that fear of
being wrong (that was ingrained in him from childhood.) And his boss (who
makes twice as much money as he does) is a horrible speller (he is also a
horrible grammarian in general!) So despite what the schools try to tell
you grammar and spelling is not what is going to cut you out of the market!
--
Michelle
Independent Kitchen Consultant #413652
The Pampered Chef
850-474-0817
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michellelr
Ask me how you can save 60% on some of our most favorite products!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>Then they most likely won't like to write either and will be in doing things
> -----Original Message-----
>
> *** By the way, I couldn't take it and told my kids to do spelling
> workbooks. My oldest bawked. I'm not sure what to do. It doesn't
> make sense to me that they will learn to be good spellers by reading
> alone. What if they don't like to read? ***
in life where they don't need to write. I believe that you CAN learn to
spell just from reading (and you would be surprised at the amount of reading
that a person does in just one day - street signs, business signs, signs at
banks, menus, utility bills, SALE! (sorry, just had to add that one),
directions for use of sunscreen, www.whatever.com, video games, recipes,
etc.) And as Kelly said there is always a spell check. I have one in my
google toolbar that will spell check forms that I fill out online (including
online community forums and e-mail) and while I believe that I am a good
speller, I also type very fast and miss mistakes. :) (Making mental note
to use spell check before I send this message!)
Dan is a verocious reader. He can "get lost" in a book for hours. He's
been known to stay up all night because he got interested in a book. Yet he
still will call me from work and say, "How do you spell precedence?" Some
days he will call me several times. It's sort of funny because now I answer
him like a spelling bee. He still uses spell check but it is that fear of
being wrong (that was ingrained in him from childhood.) And his boss (who
makes twice as much money as he does) is a horrible speller (he is also a
horrible grammarian in general!) So despite what the schools try to tell
you grammar and spelling is not what is going to cut you out of the market!
--
Michelle
Independent Kitchen Consultant #413652
The Pampered Chef
850-474-0817
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michellelr
Ask me how you can save 60% on some of our most favorite products!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
aplan4life
> Perception is reality for us.Right now I am trying so hard to do that and just when I think I've
> Change your perception of your children. Change your perception of
> what real learning looks like. Change your perception of this day, and
> this very moment so that you can find the JOY in it. Then unschooling
> will begin to blossom in your lives and school/tests/grades/subjects
> will be forgotten in the swirl of activity that is REAL life.
nipped it the bud, some STUPID thought will enter my head. This
morning, I started thinking, "Okay, your daughter could give a rats
ass about history, she only cares about animals; not wars, not dates,
not presidents, not even when it's on the tube and the entire family
is watching. Your going up north in a couple of weeks and her 8yo
cousin is going to *know* some history and your daughter had to ask
who Columbus was while playing Family Feud online the other day." I
suppose maybe these unhealthy thoughts are creeping in because of my
trip next month to Michigan and then DH's folks are coming 3 days
after I get back and they are all 'schooly' minded, panic is starting
to set in BUT I WILL NOT LET IT RUIN THE BEAUTY THAT UNSCHOOLING HAS
brought into our lives! Really, I don't care if Brooke doesn't care
to know history right now, and I probably shouldn't even have it in my
mind as if it is something that she 'must' care about ever. She'd
rather focus on animals which is both very fun and serious to her
(i.e. endangered animals, zoos, etc.) Besides, she is a good person
and kind and sweet and full of life and energy.
~Sandy Winn
Pampered Chef Michelle
On 4/21/06, Pampered Chef Michelle <pamperedmichelle@...> wrote:
--
>And wouldn't you know after all that I forgot to spell check. LOL!!
> Dan is a voracious reader.
>
--
> Michelle[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> Independent Kitchen Consultant #413652
> The Pampered Chef
> 850-474-0817
> http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michellelr
> Ask me how you can save 60% on some of our most favorite products!
>
Joanne
Hi Sandy...
who Columbus was while playing Family Feud online the other day." >>>>>
Asking is how *I* learn stuff. Just the other day I had to ask my seven
year old what the largest planet was for a crosswork puzzle that I was
doing. :-) I have no interest in space really....but she does and she
is totally self-taught.
So now your daughter knows who Columbus is because she needed to know.
That's very cool!
Just like now I know that Jupiter is the largest planet.
~ Joanne ~
Mom to Jacqueline (7), Shawna (10) & Cimion (13)
Adopted into our hearts October 30, 2003
http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/
http://foreverparents.com
>>>>>Your going up north in a couple of weeks and her 8yocousin is going to *know* some history and your daughter had to ask
who Columbus was while playing Family Feud online the other day." >>>>>
Asking is how *I* learn stuff. Just the other day I had to ask my seven
year old what the largest planet was for a crosswork puzzle that I was
doing. :-) I have no interest in space really....but she does and she
is totally self-taught.
So now your daughter knows who Columbus is because she needed to know.
That's very cool!
Just like now I know that Jupiter is the largest planet.
~ Joanne ~
Mom to Jacqueline (7), Shawna (10) & Cimion (13)
Adopted into our hearts October 30, 2003
http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/
http://foreverparents.com
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: Deb <soggyboysmom@...>
-=-=-=-
I know it by heart!
~K
From: Deb <soggyboysmom@...>
>Uh Kelly - were you listening to the Alice's Restaurant recently? ;-)
-=-=-=-
I know it by heart!
~K
[email protected]
"A person who is a really bad speller probably won't write for a
living. If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or
hire an editor."
-=-=-=-=-
And the best unschooling/gentle parenting book ever written was by
someone who didn't have a firm grasp of comma rules.
She contacted a few people she trusted to edit and proof-read, and she
got books on punctuation rules. She asked questions about how, why,
when.
As much as schools would like us to believe it, we are not islands unto
ourselves. In school it's stressed that we *need* to know all this
stuff. That if we don't and ask for help, we are cheating.
Real life isn't like that. In real life, it's called help or
collaboration or consultation.
Real life is a lot smarter than school! <g>
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://liveandlearnconference.org
living. If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or
hire an editor."
-=-=-=-=-
And the best unschooling/gentle parenting book ever written was by
someone who didn't have a firm grasp of comma rules.
She contacted a few people she trusted to edit and proof-read, and she
got books on punctuation rules. She asked questions about how, why,
when.
As much as schools would like us to believe it, we are not islands unto
ourselves. In school it's stressed that we *need* to know all this
stuff. That if we don't and ask for help, we are cheating.
Real life isn't like that. In real life, it's called help or
collaboration or consultation.
Real life is a lot smarter than school! <g>
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://liveandlearnconference.org
Pampered Chef Michelle
On 4/21/06, kbcdlovejo@... <kbcdlovejo@...> wrote:
when such things are needed (or not). :)
--
Michelle
Independent Kitchen Consultant #413652
The Pampered Chef
850-474-0817
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michellelr
Ask me how you can save 60% on some of our most favorite products!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>And there are wonderful writing programs such as MS Word that will alert you
>
>
> "A person who is a really bad speller probably won't write for a
> living. If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or
> hire an editor."
>
> -=-=-=-=-
>
> And the best unschooling/gentle parenting book ever written was by
> someone who didn't have a firm grasp of comma rules.
>
> She contacted a few people she trusted to edit and proof-read, and she
> got books on punctuation rules. She asked questions about how, why,
> when.
when such things are needed (or not). :)
--
Michelle
Independent Kitchen Consultant #413652
The Pampered Chef
850-474-0817
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michellelr
Ask me how you can save 60% on some of our most favorite products!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Lesa McMahon-Lowe
Kelly,
I loved your reply.... I always love the reinforcements of my beliefs...
anyhow I had to comment on one thing that made me laugh and laugh... you
wrote:
What if he's NOT a good speller?
What if she CAN'T do long division?
What if he NEVER learns to cook?
What if she decides NOT to learn to drive
... hahahahahahahaha.... I know how to drive but all the other things, well,
I'm not a good speller (heck it was the first class I got a C in in PS... it
was in the 3rd grade. thank God for spell check!) and I can't do long
division (I'm afraid my brain might bake right there in my head if I had to
make myself remember how to do it! it sucks!) and I HATE to cook (but my
husband LOVES it and does a wonderful job at it)! hahahahahahaha.... and I
have 13 years in the Public School system. And what I do LOVE to do wasn't
taught to me in those 13 years!
~*~*~
Lesa M.
LIFE Academy
http://lifeacademy.homeschooljournal.net/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I loved your reply.... I always love the reinforcements of my beliefs...
anyhow I had to comment on one thing that made me laugh and laugh... you
wrote:
What if he's NOT a good speller?
What if she CAN'T do long division?
What if he NEVER learns to cook?
What if she decides NOT to learn to drive
... hahahahahahahaha.... I know how to drive but all the other things, well,
I'm not a good speller (heck it was the first class I got a C in in PS... it
was in the 3rd grade. thank God for spell check!) and I can't do long
division (I'm afraid my brain might bake right there in my head if I had to
make myself remember how to do it! it sucks!) and I HATE to cook (but my
husband LOVES it and does a wonderful job at it)! hahahahahahaha.... and I
have 13 years in the Public School system. And what I do LOVE to do wasn't
taught to me in those 13 years!
~*~*~
Lesa M.
LIFE Academy
http://lifeacademy.homeschooljournal.net/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
Kelly I'm LOL at this. If you don't mind, I'm putting The "It Doesn't Matter What Other People Think About My Children"
movement up on my blog. It needs a good home. <g>
--
~Mary
http://zenmommasgarden.blogspot.com/
"The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the
green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly
alive."
~Thich Nhat Hanh
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: kbcdlovejo@...
movement up on my blog. It needs a good home. <g>
--
~Mary
http://zenmommasgarden.blogspot.com/
"The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the
green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly
alive."
~Thich Nhat Hanh
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: kbcdlovejo@...
[email protected]
Be my guest, daaahling!
~Kelly
-----Original Message-----
From: zenmomma@...
Kelly I'm LOL at this. If you don't mind, I'm putting The "It
Doesn't Matter
What Other People Think About My Children"
movement up on my blog. It needs a good home. <g>
~Kelly
-----Original Message-----
From: zenmomma@...
Kelly I'm LOL at this. If you don't mind, I'm putting The "It
Doesn't Matter
What Other People Think About My Children"
movement up on my blog. It needs a good home. <g>
Lesa McMahon-Lowe
maybe someone could set up a webring for the I Don't Care... movement. :)
I'm there!
~*~*~
Lesa M.
LIFE Academy
http://lifeacademy.homeschooljournal.net/
-------Original Message-------
From: kbcdlovejo@...
Date: 04/21/06 18:24:40
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Re: spelling and core knowledge and such
Be my guest, daaahling!
~Kelly
-----Original Message-----
From: zenmomma@...
Kelly I'm LOL at this. If you don't mind, I'm putting The "It
Doesn't Matter
What Other People Think About My Children"
movement up on my blog. It needs a good home. <g>
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I'm there!
~*~*~
Lesa M.
LIFE Academy
http://lifeacademy.homeschooljournal.net/
-------Original Message-------
From: kbcdlovejo@...
Date: 04/21/06 18:24:40
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Re: spelling and core knowledge and such
Be my guest, daaahling!
~Kelly
-----Original Message-----
From: zenmomma@...
Kelly I'm LOL at this. If you don't mind, I'm putting The "It
Doesn't Matter
What Other People Think About My Children"
movement up on my blog. It needs a good home. <g>
SPONSORED LINKS Secondary school education Graduate school education Home
school education
Graduate school education online High school education Chicago school
education
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Visit your group "unschoolingbasics" on the web.
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Lesa McMahon-Lowe
Actually, I'll set it up!!!! I'll let you know tomorrow how to join it! :)
~*~*~
Lesa M.
LIFE Academy
http://lifeacademy.homeschooljournal.net/
-------Original Message-------
From: Lesa McMahon-Lowe
Date: 04/21/06 19:26:44
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Re: spelling and core knowledge and such
maybe someone could set up a webring for the I Don't Care... movement. :)
I'm there!
-------Original Message-------
From: kbcdlovejo@...
Date: 04/21/06 18:24:40
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Re: spelling and core knowledge and such
Be my guest, daaahling!
~Kelly
-----Original Message-----
From: zenmomma@...
Kelly I'm LOL at this. If you don't mind, I'm putting The "It
Doesn't Matter
What Other People Think About My Children"
movement up on my blog. It needs a good home. <g>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
~*~*~
Lesa M.
LIFE Academy
http://lifeacademy.homeschooljournal.net/
-------Original Message-------
From: Lesa McMahon-Lowe
Date: 04/21/06 19:26:44
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Re: spelling and core knowledge and such
maybe someone could set up a webring for the I Don't Care... movement. :)
I'm there!
-------Original Message-------
From: kbcdlovejo@...
Date: 04/21/06 18:24:40
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Re: spelling and core knowledge and such
Be my guest, daaahling!
~Kelly
-----Original Message-----
From: zenmomma@...
Kelly I'm LOL at this. If you don't mind, I'm putting The "It
Doesn't Matter
What Other People Think About My Children"
movement up on my blog. It needs a good home. <g>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Maisha Khalfani
Again, thank you for this Kelly. I'll 'study' this email for when I need to talk to family members about what I'm "not doing" with my kids.
Maisha
http://www.geocities.com/maitai373/EarthSpirit.html<http://www.geocities.com/maitai373/EarthSpirit.html>
http://khalfanifamilyadventures.blogspot.com/<http://khalfanifamilyadventures.blogspot.com/>
"Don't be afraid of showing affection. Be warm and tender, thoughtful and affectionate. Mankind is more helped by sympathy than by service. Love is more than money, and a kind word will give more pleasure than a present."
~ Jean Baptiste Lacordaire
Maisha
http://www.geocities.com/maitai373/EarthSpirit.html<http://www.geocities.com/maitai373/EarthSpirit.html>
http://khalfanifamilyadventures.blogspot.com/<http://khalfanifamilyadventures.blogspot.com/>
"Don't be afraid of showing affection. Be warm and tender, thoughtful and affectionate. Mankind is more helped by sympathy than by service. Love is more than money, and a kind word will give more pleasure than a present."
~ Jean Baptiste Lacordaire
----- Original Message -----
From: kbcdlovejo@...<mailto:kbcdlovejo@...>
To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, April 21, 2006 7:31 AM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] spelling and core knowledge and such
I received a question offlist from a list member about spelling. Below
is the reponse I sent her last night. But I woke up this morning
thinking about her question again and had more to add. I figured I'd
post it here rather than just back to her.
-----Original Message-----
*** By the way, I couldn't take it and told my kids to do spelling
workbooks. My oldest bawked. I'm not sure what to do. It doesn't
make sense to me that they will learn to be good spellers by reading
alone. What if they don't like to read? ***
My response:
Some people are naturally good spellers. Some are not---no matter how
many workbooks they do! Don't you have any friends that can't spell
after 12-16+ years of school?
Ask yourself: What would happen if they couldn't spell?
What's your worst fear? That they would be thought of as stupid? (It
matters more what the CHILD thinks than what someone else thinks about
him!!) That they would use spell-check? That they might find other ways
to spell?
What's your fear?
Fear of mom and her thoughts that a child couldn't spell ----THAT's a
much bigger worry for a child. The feeling of incompetence/inadequacy a
child feels when his mom is pushing something he doesn't want to learn
right now---that's stifling and can shut that chiild down for a long,
long time. Don't do that!
Please, accept each child as He Is and know that, when he's ready,
he'll pick up what's important to him. It may never be important to
spell. It IS important to be loved by your mom for Who You Are! THAT
can't wait!
The fastest way to turn a child off from reading and from
spelling/math/gardening/fly-fishing is to push/force/require it. Quit
forcing. Read TO them. Listen to books-on-CD. Spell things FOR them
when they ask. Be their partner, not their adversary!
Reading doesn't *make* good spellers, but it can make it easier...make
words more familiar.
Those that don't *like* to read will proabably still read, but for
information, not for pleasure.
They'll all learn when it's important to THEM!
-=-=-=-
My addition here:
I was at a party a few weeks ago. I would up talking about...duh!
*unschooling*! <g> with my husband's boss's husband.
He was insisting that there were things *everyone* needed to
know---"core" knowledge, if you will. I asked him to name ONE. ONE
thing that *everyone* needed to know. I then refilled my plate, got
another drink, and sat back to enjoy the show. <bwg>
His first answer was....you guessed it...spelling!
What a stupid answer. Stupid if he wanted to defend it! <g>
I reminded him that PLENTY of people can't spell---even after years and
years of wookbooks and spelling tests.
Give me another---a better---thing that we ALL *must* know.
Reading.
Dope!
I reminded him that blind people don't read. Not in the traditional
sense. *But* that there are books-on-CD and friends that will read to
them. They can learn braille instead. But not *everyone* needs to know
how to read.
Then he *knew* he had me! <g>
Communication!
We *all* need to communicate. We *must* be taught how to do that. We
must! It's a necessary part of living. If we can't communicate, the
world will go to hell in a handbasket. Yes! Yes! Communication!
And he sat back, satisfied.
<g>
We're BORN communicating! A baby's cries are a form of communication.
That's not something we must be taught! We learn as we go that crying
is not the best way to communicate our needs. Pointing and grunting are
better. Then talking. Sometimes we go so far as to LIE to get what we
want! I think lying is a very evolved form of communication. And some
children figure out *that* so easily... And boy, can it be effective!
We can communicate with our hands (like the deaf. Sign
language---wow!). With our facial expressions (many actors are great at
this!). We can communicate in writing---in cyberspace even! In foreign
languages. In music. In art. Math is a form of communcation. Touch can
communicate a LOT. Animals can even communicate with us: Basia and
SodaPop woke me up at 5:59 this morning asking to be let out and fed!
Now, generally, I try to gear my rants <g> to my audience. And although
I knew he was military (he's a retired colonel in the Air Force) and
*probably* conservative, I couldn't be sure of his politics, so I
didn't bring up that his own *president*---the highest office holder in
the US and leader of the free world..........is ....um......not the
best communicator. (I would have phrased it differently had I known for
sure whether he was a democrat or a republican. Since I didn't know, I
just left it out.) But obviously, his lack of communication skills did
NOT hurt his ability to get elected. Obviously, GOOD communication is
not a requirement for serving as president.
I think it's very important to ask ourselves what it is that we fear
will happen if our children don't excel at ________.
What if he's NOT a good speller?
What if she CAN'T do long division?
What if he NEVER learns to cook?
What if she decides NOT to learn to drive.
What's the *worst* that could happen? Really? The WORST thing?
Now, first, how bad IS that exactly?
Second---chances are that it will never come to that!
A person who is a really bad speller probably won't write for a living.
If he does, he will use spell-check, have a friend to ask, or hire an
editor.
If she can't do long division, she probably won't become an accountant
or statistics professor. But she can barter with a friend to help her
with her taxes, buy a calculator, or hire a bookkeeper.
If he hates to cook, I doubt he will become a master chef. But he could
marry one. Or eat out. Or learn to love Ramen noodles.
If she doesn't want to drive, she can live in a city with really good
public transportation, call a cab, walk a lot, or ride a bike. (She
might come out a lot better financially than her driving cousins!!) <g>
Adults DO what they're good at and find ways around what they struggle
with/don't like/aren't good at.
Well, *smart* adults do.
The ones who have learned that they are incompetent or dumb or
inadequate---the ones whose moms and teachers have insisted that they
learn something that is unimportant or irrelevant in their own
lives----well, those people are the ones that find learning hard or
sucky or stupid. They're the ones that shut down or or rebel or are
simply unhappy and unfulfilled.
Learning is a natural part of living. We are hard-wired to learn.
Certainly not everything all at the same time. But each one of us will
learn what we need *when* we need it. That's HOW humans learn. Not
*everyone* will be a great speller or physicist or gardener. NONE of us
*has* to. Each of us will make his own way---no matter how much our
mom---or our husband's boss's husband <g>---thinks we *need* to know
how to spell. When it becomes important, we will *make* it important,
and it will BE important---to *us*. Until then, it's just superfluous
and something someone *else* thinks is important.
There's nothing everyone needs to know. Content yourself with that.
Each person has his own set of talents---that might not be (and
probably aren't) *your* set of talents. Each person should have the
right to pursue those talents/passions to their logical ends--or new
begginings.
It'll make for a happier household AND a more joyful world!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://liveandlearnconference.org<http://liveandlearnconference.org/>
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Ren Allen
"All of this is MUCH MORE DIFFICULT than people realize. They think
unschooling is easy. They think it's about letting your kids just
"go". NO, unschooling is about being the most active parent you can
possibly be. "
By jove I think she's GOT IT!!:) Great synopsis Maisha.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
unschooling is easy. They think it's about letting your kids just
"go". NO, unschooling is about being the most active parent you can
possibly be. "
By jove I think she's GOT IT!!:) Great synopsis Maisha.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
Maisha Khalfani
lol - wow, thanks! I think I'll put what I wrote on my blog today.
Maisha
http://www.geocities.com/maitai373/EarthSpirit.html<http://www.geocities.com/maitai373/EarthSpirit.html>
http://khalfanifamilyadventures.blogspot.com/<http://khalfanifamilyadventures.blogspot.com/>
"Don't be afraid of showing affection. Be warm and tender, thoughtful and affectionate. Mankind is more helped by sympathy than by service. Love is more than money, and a kind word will give more pleasure than a present."
~ Jean Baptiste Lacordaire
Maisha
http://www.geocities.com/maitai373/EarthSpirit.html<http://www.geocities.com/maitai373/EarthSpirit.html>
http://khalfanifamilyadventures.blogspot.com/<http://khalfanifamilyadventures.blogspot.com/>
"Don't be afraid of showing affection. Be warm and tender, thoughtful and affectionate. Mankind is more helped by sympathy than by service. Love is more than money, and a kind word will give more pleasure than a present."
~ Jean Baptiste Lacordaire
----- Original Message -----
From: Ren Allen<mailto:starsuncloud@...>
To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, April 23, 2006 9:48 PM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] spelling and core knowledge and such
"All of this is MUCH MORE DIFFICULT than people realize. They think
unschooling is easy. They think it's about letting your kids just
"go". NO, unschooling is about being the most active parent you can
possibly be. "
By jove I think she's GOT IT!!:) Great synopsis Maisha.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
SPONSORED LINKS Secondary school education<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Secondary+school+education&w1=Secondary+school+education&w2=Graduate+school+education&w3=Home+school+education&w4=Graduate+school+education+online&w5=High+school+education&w6=Chicago+school+education&c=6&s=185&.sig=ZmtJ9eV8jDgLVf_rQitp3g> Graduate school education<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Graduate+school+education&w1=Secondary+school+education&w2=Graduate+school+education&w3=Home+school+education&w4=Graduate+school+education+online&w5=High+school+education&w6=Chicago+school+education&c=6&s=185&.sig=_ar44lA2aVf7qUVJT2dfbA> Home school education<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Home+school+education&w1=Secondary+school+education&w2=Graduate+school+education&w3=Home+school+education&w4=Graduate+school+education+online&w5=High+school+education&w6=Chicago+school+education&c=6&s=185&.sig=igfV0UPAcfSvC6KUmUYY6w>
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