Creating a non-judgemental unschooling list
Joyce Fetteroll
> This is the sort of thing I would like to participate in on listsI just had a revelation. Many people have said over the years that
> like this.. You tell me how it is for you, I tell you how it is for
> me, we share ideas, compare notes and leave the elitism and
> judgment out of it.
they want a list where everyone shares what they do and no one is
judged. Obviously it's a need being unmet.
The problem with creating such a list is that, after an initial
flurry, people won't write! I've seen it happen over and over from
lists that branched off from UnschoolingDiscussion when people wanted
to create that kind of list. It *sounds* like a great idea. It sounds
like meeting regularly with friends to just share and swap stories.
Cool!
(And if you *do* have a viable list please post it! So people can get
that need met! *No one* wants people to stay on the list because they
think this is the only option beginners have. Regular contributors
*do* want people to "get" unschooling because we think it's a great
idea! We would like people to be able to find a resource that works
for them.)
When was the last time you wrote a letter to a friend just telling
about the things going on in your life? Could you do that several
times a week?
The problem is that when we invest time in something, we need to
receive something of equal value in return. This is true of anything
we invest time in in our lives. The return might be a feeling of
satisfaction. It might be feeling good about having helped someone.
It might be information. It might be sharing time with friends. It
might be accomplishing a task. It might be ... whatever floats your
boat :-)
The problem with the type of list many people have said they want is
that it doesn't return as much as it takes *from the writers*. For
people to spend time writing -- so there's something for others to
read! --, the writers must have a need that gets fulfilled *by
writing*. The need can't be fulfilled just from reading. If that need
can be met just by reading, when they're done reading their internal
prioritizer starts sending out red alerts about things that would be
offering better returns for the time invested. ;-) "Laundry ... Take
kids to park ... Read a book ... Watch TV ... Go pick up furnace
filters ..." (And if you don't have a pile of other things you could
be doing then you're probably not a mom and probably not an
unschooler! ;-)
I spend a lot of time writing. I *could* spend that time reading, or
drawing, or cleaning, or exercising, or sleeping. (I get up very
early to avoid stealing family time.) I *choose* to spend that time
writing because I get something valuable back from it. I love
writing. I love crafting words. I love trying to make complex things
simple. I could spend the time writing for magazines and get
paid! :-) But I choose to write answers for posts because the return
I get is a sense that my thinking is getting clearer and I don't get
that same satisfaction from other things or even other types of
writing. I don't know why others write. But whatever they're getting
back, it's something that's important enough to set aside time for.
It's a great idea to think of people trading stories about what's
going on in their lives, but it takes time to write up stories. And
the people writing the stories need to get something back for the
time it takes to write that they can't get if they don't write.
I think what people are wanting in a list is a coffee klatch, a get-
together with people of like mind to swap bits of their lives. Sounds
cool. In real life people can get together to swap bits of their
lives because they have some connection with each other. The point
isn't the stories, the point is sharing with friends or others you
share a bond with. But people can't just jump onto a list and find
that, unfortunately. It's going to be a rare confluence of people who
all click and all feel a passion for writing about their lives to the
point where they're willing to set aside an hour or more of their
lives several times a week.
Pam Sorooshian started a really cool list a couple of years ago. It's
called UnschoolingStories. It's just, as it says in the description,
"stories of how unschooling works. We'll learn from each other by
sharing experiences and observations. It is not a discussion list,
not a debate list, and not really even a "support" or "advice" list."
Cool! And yet there were a total of 5 posts last year. Not because
the idea is bad. It's a great idea. It's that there isn't enough
return for the time invested in writing. In fact there isn't enough
return to even forward a post written for another list. (If there
were, people would do it!)
The reason discussion lists like UnschoolingDiscussion and
UnschoolingBasics (and I assume AlwaysUnschooled) is that the writers
are getting back something they feel is valuable to them for the time
they invest in writing. Part is they're helping build something they
passionately believe in. The other part is undoubtedly personal to
each person. People *will* find it a valuable use of time writing
about their problems. People *will* find it a valuable use of time to
answer when they feel their answer is helping to build something
they're passionate about.
For those who want the coffee klatch type of list you need to create
something that people *need* to write for. Not just read! Not just
want to write for! *Need* to write for. Something they're willing to
set an hour or so of their life aside to contribute to.
Sandra Dodd has sort of a coffee klatch list: AlwaysLearning, for
those who already get unschooling to just talk about their lives. A
fair number of the posts are similar to UnschoolingDiscussion: people
bringing in problems they're having getting unschooling. If you take
away those there wouldn't be many posts left. The rest is mostly
Sandra and occasionally others offering "Here's something that's
cool." It might be a slice of life or philosophy or idea or website
and some discussion afterwards. But it works not because it's a
coffee klatch but because the people there like Sandra and the
atmosphere she can create. They come for that. If they don't like
Sandra or the atmosphere they shouldn't come! The list works not
because it's a trading of ideas but because of Sandra.
They say if you build it, they will come ;-) But it takes more than
just creating a list to build something that people want to come to.
It needs to provide something people want to read. That part might
come from a strong personality who just likes to write that people
enjoy reading :-) (Blogs!) It needs to provide something people want
to write for. And that's harder.
I think a list like that could work if there were a strong
personality behind a list (or message board) like that. Someone who
felt passionate enough about it to write even when no one was
responding. Creating something that others would not only love to
read but love to contribute to.
I think it could work *maybe* if there were a weekly topic. Maybe
people would overcome the downsides of a mish mosh of philosophies if
there were a specific topic to write about. But again I think it
would take someone with a passion about the project and a strong
personality to drum up interest to keep it going. That's just a guess.
This list works because of the passion of Ren and Kelly and the
passion of the people willing to set aside time to write for
something they believe in. If the list is changed to something they
don't believe in -- eg, swapping solutions to problems from different
perspectives -- most of the writers would leave. Not because they're
snooty! But because it's no longer a project they believe in. It
*seems* like if you'd get rid of the so called "elitists" and those
who have a strangle hold on ideas then lots more people would be able
to speak up and then you'd have the lovely open community for people
to share freely in. :-)
But it doesn't work. Why? People *have* created lists for people to
share.
To create a vibrant list, you need to think about what makes people
want -- no, *need* as in put at the top of their priority list -- to
write things that others find worth reading.
How can someone create an open community for people to share that
others *need* to write something others want to read? That's the
question you need to answer to create a non-judgemental unschooling
list that works.
*I* don't know the answer! But I do know how to create a list around
a very specific philosophy that people feel passionate about ;-)
> No two families are going to run exactly the same way. Why notIn real life I accept differences -- within my comfort level --
> embrace our commonalities and accept our differences respectfully?
respectfully. Most people I know in real life parent traditionally
and send their kids to school. My purpose in interacting with them is
to be friendly, not proselytize.
But here on this list are people who've come asking "I want to
unschool, but I've got these problems." That's what this list is
*for*. And that's something I feel strongly enough about to help
contribute to. It's a valuable use of my time. It's not a gathering
place for beginning unschoolers to swap what they're trying out.
Though I understand why people would like to have that.
I don't feel passionate about helping to build a place that's a mish
mosh of philosophies. And in order to create a viable open forum like
that, you need people passionate enough about that idea to write for it.
> When folks ask for it and do my best to be understanding and not toI think that's great for creating peace and harmony in our social lives.
> pass judgment on them when they say things I whole-heartedly
> disagree with like, "well I don't recycle because it's really a
> waste of time and it makes no difference anyways." I have found I
> have reached more people this way. I feel far more people have
> considered my notions on these topics because I have not copped an
> overly confident (elitist) attitude.
But peace and harmony don't light a big enough fire under people to
spend their valuable time writing about it. ;-) And lists need writers!
Joyce
Ren Allen
I loved your entire post Joyce. Great insight on what makes the lists
tick.
What I've found from several of these spin-off lists that struggle to
create a "non-judgemental" haven, is they exist mostly to bash other
lists, like this one. Not so non-judgemental in the end...just THEIR
version of judgement.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
tick.
What I've found from several of these spin-off lists that struggle to
create a "non-judgemental" haven, is they exist mostly to bash other
lists, like this one. Not so non-judgemental in the end...just THEIR
version of judgement.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
Joyce Fetteroll
On Jul 1, 2006, at 10:19 AM, Ren Allen wrote:
so happy and relieved to find a place where there are people who have
had similar problems with Christianity (usually) that the atmosphere
becomes anti-Christian. That becomes the tie that binds people
together :-/ The passion that drives them to write is their common
dislike.
But then what? That's where the lists (and UU congregations ;-) seem
to flounder. They can't find a common passion in just writing and
reading about how hard it is to unschool and parent and their little
baby steps and bits about their lives.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> What I've found from several of these spin-off lists that struggle toThat's similar to what happens in some UU congregations. People are
> create a "non-judgemental" haven, is they exist mostly to bash other
> lists, like this one. Not so non-judgemental in the end...just THEIR
> version of judgement.
so happy and relieved to find a place where there are people who have
had similar problems with Christianity (usually) that the atmosphere
becomes anti-Christian. That becomes the tie that binds people
together :-/ The passion that drives them to write is their common
dislike.
But then what? That's where the lists (and UU congregations ;-) seem
to flounder. They can't find a common passion in just writing and
reading about how hard it is to unschool and parent and their little
baby steps and bits about their lives.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Pamela Sorooshian
*******
[email protected]
Description: This is a place to exchange stories from our unschooling
lives. Describe how your child learned to read. Tell us anecdotes of
how your child made unexpected connections. How does your child learn
math through play and everyday activities?
Unschooling is "not schooling." This list is for stories of how
unschooling works. We'll learn from each other by sharing experiences
and observations. It is not a discussion list, not a debate list,
and not really even an "advice" list.
********
Highly underutilized. People RARELY post to it. But it is there and
this is exactly what it is for. There are 149 people on the list, but
they don't post anything.
I can only conclude that many people like the idea, but they really
prefer to post on the discuss and debate style lists.
As list owner, I might be able to encourage more posting on the
UnschoolingStories list, I suppose. But I, personally, don't feel
passionately about regularly sharing anecdotes about our lives just
for the sake of sharing anecdotes - I'd rather share them in the
context of making a philosophical point about unschooling.
If anybody else would really like to make that list more active,
write to me offlist and we'll talk about how to do it.
-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]
[email protected]
Description: This is a place to exchange stories from our unschooling
lives. Describe how your child learned to read. Tell us anecdotes of
how your child made unexpected connections. How does your child learn
math through play and everyday activities?
Unschooling is "not schooling." This list is for stories of how
unschooling works. We'll learn from each other by sharing experiences
and observations. It is not a discussion list, not a debate list,
and not really even an "advice" list.
********
Highly underutilized. People RARELY post to it. But it is there and
this is exactly what it is for. There are 149 people on the list, but
they don't post anything.
I can only conclude that many people like the idea, but they really
prefer to post on the discuss and debate style lists.
As list owner, I might be able to encourage more posting on the
UnschoolingStories list, I suppose. But I, personally, don't feel
passionately about regularly sharing anecdotes about our lives just
for the sake of sharing anecdotes - I'd rather share them in the
context of making a philosophical point about unschooling.
If anybody else would really like to make that list more active,
write to me offlist and we'll talk about how to do it.
-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]
Momma
Can someone send a link to unschooling discussion? For some reason I can't
seem to find it.
Thanks, Dawn
_____
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Joyce Fetteroll
Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2006 7:44 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Creating a non-judgemental unschooling list
they want a list where everyone shares what they do and no one is
judged. Obviously it's a need being unmet.
The problem with creating such a list is that, after an initial
flurry, people won't write! I've seen it happen over and over from
lists that branched off from UnschoolingDiscussion when people wanted
to create that kind of list. It *sounds* like a great idea. It sounds
like meeting regularly with friends to just share and swap stories.
Cool!
(And if you *do* have a viable list please post it! So people can get
that need met! *No one* wants people to stay on the list because they
think this is the only option beginners have. Regular contributors
*do* want people to "get" unschooling because we think it's a great
idea! We would like people to be able to find a resource that works
for them.)
When was the last time you wrote a letter to a friend just telling
about the things going on in your life? Could you do that several
times a week?
The problem is that when we invest time in something, we need to
receive something of equal value in return. This is true of anything
we invest time in in our lives. The return might be a feeling of
satisfaction. It might be feeling good about having helped someone.
It might be information. It might be sharing time with friends. It
might be accomplishing a task. It might be ... whatever floats your
boat :-)
The problem with the type of list many people have said they want is
that it doesn't return as much as it takes *from the writers*. For
people to spend time writing -- so there's something for others to
read! --, the writers must have a need that gets fulfilled *by
writing*. The need can't be fulfilled just from reading. If that need
can be met just by reading, when they're done reading their internal
prioritizer starts sending out red alerts about things that would be
offering better returns for the time invested. ;-) "Laundry ... Take
kids to park ... Read a book ... Watch TV ... Go pick up furnace
filters ..." (And if you don't have a pile of other things you could
be doing then you're probably not a mom and probably not an
unschooler! ;-)
I spend a lot of time writing. I *could* spend that time reading, or
drawing, or cleaning, or exercising, or sleeping. (I get up very
early to avoid stealing family time.) I *choose* to spend that time
writing because I get something valuable back from it. I love
writing. I love crafting words. I love trying to make complex things
simple. I could spend the time writing for magazines and get
paid! :-) But I choose to write answers for posts because the return
I get is a sense that my thinking is getting clearer and I don't get
that same satisfaction from other things or even other types of
writing. I don't know why others write. But whatever they're getting
back, it's something that's important enough to set aside time for.
It's a great idea to think of people trading stories about what's
going on in their lives, but it takes time to write up stories. And
the people writing the stories need to get something back for the
time it takes to write that they can't get if they don't write.
I think what people are wanting in a list is a coffee klatch, a get-
together with people of like mind to swap bits of their lives. Sounds
cool. In real life people can get together to swap bits of their
lives because they have some connection with each other. The point
isn't the stories, the point is sharing with friends or others you
share a bond with. But people can't just jump onto a list and find
that, unfortunately. It's going to be a rare confluence of people who
all click and all feel a passion for writing about their lives to the
point where they're willing to set aside an hour or more of their
lives several times a week.
Pam Sorooshian started a really cool list a couple of years ago. It's
called UnschoolingStories. It's just, as it says in the description,
"stories of how unschooling works. We'll learn from each other by
sharing experiences and observations. It is not a discussion list,
not a debate list, and not really even a "support" or "advice" list."
Cool! And yet there were a total of 5 posts last year. Not because
the idea is bad. It's a great idea. It's that there isn't enough
return for the time invested in writing. In fact there isn't enough
return to even forward a post written for another list. (If there
were, people would do it!)
The reason discussion lists like UnschoolingDiscussion and
UnschoolingBasics (and I assume AlwaysUnschooled) is that the writers
are getting back something they feel is valuable to them for the time
they invest in writing. Part is they're helping build something they
passionately believe in. The other part is undoubtedly personal to
each person. People *will* find it a valuable use of time writing
about their problems. People *will* find it a valuable use of time to
answer when they feel their answer is helping to build something
they're passionate about.
For those who want the coffee klatch type of list you need to create
something that people *need* to write for. Not just read! Not just
want to write for! *Need* to write for. Something they're willing to
set an hour or so of their life aside to contribute to.
Sandra Dodd has sort of a coffee klatch list: AlwaysLearning, for
those who already get unschooling to just talk about their lives. A
fair number of the posts are similar to UnschoolingDiscussion: people
bringing in problems they're having getting unschooling. If you take
away those there wouldn't be many posts left. The rest is mostly
Sandra and occasionally others offering "Here's something that's
cool." It might be a slice of life or philosophy or idea or website
and some discussion afterwards. But it works not because it's a
coffee klatch but because the people there like Sandra and the
atmosphere she can create. They come for that. If they don't like
Sandra or the atmosphere they shouldn't come! The list works not
because it's a trading of ideas but because of Sandra.
They say if you build it, they will come ;-) But it takes more than
just creating a list to build something that people want to come to.
It needs to provide something people want to read. That part might
come from a strong personality who just likes to write that people
enjoy reading :-) (Blogs!) It needs to provide something people want
to write for. And that's harder.
I think a list like that could work if there were a strong
personality behind a list (or message board) like that. Someone who
felt passionate enough about it to write even when no one was
responding. Creating something that others would not only love to
read but love to contribute to.
I think it could work *maybe* if there were a weekly topic. Maybe
people would overcome the downsides of a mish mosh of philosophies if
there were a specific topic to write about. But again I think it
would take someone with a passion about the project and a strong
personality to drum up interest to keep it going. That's just a guess.
This list works because of the passion of Ren and Kelly and the
passion of the people willing to set aside time to write for
something they believe in. If the list is changed to something they
don't believe in -- eg, swapping solutions to problems from different
perspectives -- most of the writers would leave. Not because they're
snooty! But because it's no longer a project they believe in. It
*seems* like if you'd get rid of the so called "elitists" and those
who have a strangle hold on ideas then lots more people would be able
to speak up and then you'd have the lovely open community for people
to share freely in. :-)
But it doesn't work. Why? People *have* created lists for people to
share.
To create a vibrant list, you need to think about what makes people
want -- no, *need* as in put at the top of their priority list -- to
write things that others find worth reading.
How can someone create an open community for people to share that
others *need* to write something others want to read? That's the
question you need to answer to create a non-judgemental unschooling
list that works.
*I* don't know the answer! But I do know how to create a list around
a very specific philosophy that people feel passionate about ;-)
respectfully. Most people I know in real life parent traditionally
and send their kids to school. My purpose in interacting with them is
to be friendly, not proselytize.
But here on this list are people who've come asking "I want to
unschool, but I've got these problems." That's what this list is
*for*. And that's something I feel strongly enough about to help
contribute to. It's a valuable use of my time. It's not a gathering
place for beginning unschoolers to swap what they're trying out.
Though I understand why people would like to have that.
I don't feel passionate about helping to build a place that's a mish
mosh of philosophies. And in order to create a viable open forum like
that, you need people passionate enough about that idea to write for it.
But peace and harmony don't light a big enough fire under people to
spend their valuable time writing about it. ;-) And lists need writers!
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
seem to find it.
Thanks, Dawn
_____
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Joyce Fetteroll
Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2006 7:44 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Creating a non-judgemental unschooling list
> This is the sort of thing I would like to participate in on listsI just had a revelation. Many people have said over the years that
> like this.. You tell me how it is for you, I tell you how it is for
> me, we share ideas, compare notes and leave the elitism and
> judgment out of it.
they want a list where everyone shares what they do and no one is
judged. Obviously it's a need being unmet.
The problem with creating such a list is that, after an initial
flurry, people won't write! I've seen it happen over and over from
lists that branched off from UnschoolingDiscussion when people wanted
to create that kind of list. It *sounds* like a great idea. It sounds
like meeting regularly with friends to just share and swap stories.
Cool!
(And if you *do* have a viable list please post it! So people can get
that need met! *No one* wants people to stay on the list because they
think this is the only option beginners have. Regular contributors
*do* want people to "get" unschooling because we think it's a great
idea! We would like people to be able to find a resource that works
for them.)
When was the last time you wrote a letter to a friend just telling
about the things going on in your life? Could you do that several
times a week?
The problem is that when we invest time in something, we need to
receive something of equal value in return. This is true of anything
we invest time in in our lives. The return might be a feeling of
satisfaction. It might be feeling good about having helped someone.
It might be information. It might be sharing time with friends. It
might be accomplishing a task. It might be ... whatever floats your
boat :-)
The problem with the type of list many people have said they want is
that it doesn't return as much as it takes *from the writers*. For
people to spend time writing -- so there's something for others to
read! --, the writers must have a need that gets fulfilled *by
writing*. The need can't be fulfilled just from reading. If that need
can be met just by reading, when they're done reading their internal
prioritizer starts sending out red alerts about things that would be
offering better returns for the time invested. ;-) "Laundry ... Take
kids to park ... Read a book ... Watch TV ... Go pick up furnace
filters ..." (And if you don't have a pile of other things you could
be doing then you're probably not a mom and probably not an
unschooler! ;-)
I spend a lot of time writing. I *could* spend that time reading, or
drawing, or cleaning, or exercising, or sleeping. (I get up very
early to avoid stealing family time.) I *choose* to spend that time
writing because I get something valuable back from it. I love
writing. I love crafting words. I love trying to make complex things
simple. I could spend the time writing for magazines and get
paid! :-) But I choose to write answers for posts because the return
I get is a sense that my thinking is getting clearer and I don't get
that same satisfaction from other things or even other types of
writing. I don't know why others write. But whatever they're getting
back, it's something that's important enough to set aside time for.
It's a great idea to think of people trading stories about what's
going on in their lives, but it takes time to write up stories. And
the people writing the stories need to get something back for the
time it takes to write that they can't get if they don't write.
I think what people are wanting in a list is a coffee klatch, a get-
together with people of like mind to swap bits of their lives. Sounds
cool. In real life people can get together to swap bits of their
lives because they have some connection with each other. The point
isn't the stories, the point is sharing with friends or others you
share a bond with. But people can't just jump onto a list and find
that, unfortunately. It's going to be a rare confluence of people who
all click and all feel a passion for writing about their lives to the
point where they're willing to set aside an hour or more of their
lives several times a week.
Pam Sorooshian started a really cool list a couple of years ago. It's
called UnschoolingStories. It's just, as it says in the description,
"stories of how unschooling works. We'll learn from each other by
sharing experiences and observations. It is not a discussion list,
not a debate list, and not really even a "support" or "advice" list."
Cool! And yet there were a total of 5 posts last year. Not because
the idea is bad. It's a great idea. It's that there isn't enough
return for the time invested in writing. In fact there isn't enough
return to even forward a post written for another list. (If there
were, people would do it!)
The reason discussion lists like UnschoolingDiscussion and
UnschoolingBasics (and I assume AlwaysUnschooled) is that the writers
are getting back something they feel is valuable to them for the time
they invest in writing. Part is they're helping build something they
passionately believe in. The other part is undoubtedly personal to
each person. People *will* find it a valuable use of time writing
about their problems. People *will* find it a valuable use of time to
answer when they feel their answer is helping to build something
they're passionate about.
For those who want the coffee klatch type of list you need to create
something that people *need* to write for. Not just read! Not just
want to write for! *Need* to write for. Something they're willing to
set an hour or so of their life aside to contribute to.
Sandra Dodd has sort of a coffee klatch list: AlwaysLearning, for
those who already get unschooling to just talk about their lives. A
fair number of the posts are similar to UnschoolingDiscussion: people
bringing in problems they're having getting unschooling. If you take
away those there wouldn't be many posts left. The rest is mostly
Sandra and occasionally others offering "Here's something that's
cool." It might be a slice of life or philosophy or idea or website
and some discussion afterwards. But it works not because it's a
coffee klatch but because the people there like Sandra and the
atmosphere she can create. They come for that. If they don't like
Sandra or the atmosphere they shouldn't come! The list works not
because it's a trading of ideas but because of Sandra.
They say if you build it, they will come ;-) But it takes more than
just creating a list to build something that people want to come to.
It needs to provide something people want to read. That part might
come from a strong personality who just likes to write that people
enjoy reading :-) (Blogs!) It needs to provide something people want
to write for. And that's harder.
I think a list like that could work if there were a strong
personality behind a list (or message board) like that. Someone who
felt passionate enough about it to write even when no one was
responding. Creating something that others would not only love to
read but love to contribute to.
I think it could work *maybe* if there were a weekly topic. Maybe
people would overcome the downsides of a mish mosh of philosophies if
there were a specific topic to write about. But again I think it
would take someone with a passion about the project and a strong
personality to drum up interest to keep it going. That's just a guess.
This list works because of the passion of Ren and Kelly and the
passion of the people willing to set aside time to write for
something they believe in. If the list is changed to something they
don't believe in -- eg, swapping solutions to problems from different
perspectives -- most of the writers would leave. Not because they're
snooty! But because it's no longer a project they believe in. It
*seems* like if you'd get rid of the so called "elitists" and those
who have a strangle hold on ideas then lots more people would be able
to speak up and then you'd have the lovely open community for people
to share freely in. :-)
But it doesn't work. Why? People *have* created lists for people to
share.
To create a vibrant list, you need to think about what makes people
want -- no, *need* as in put at the top of their priority list -- to
write things that others find worth reading.
How can someone create an open community for people to share that
others *need* to write something others want to read? That's the
question you need to answer to create a non-judgemental unschooling
list that works.
*I* don't know the answer! But I do know how to create a list around
a very specific philosophy that people feel passionate about ;-)
> No two families are going to run exactly the same way. Why notIn real life I accept differences -- within my comfort level --
> embrace our commonalities and accept our differences respectfully?
respectfully. Most people I know in real life parent traditionally
and send their kids to school. My purpose in interacting with them is
to be friendly, not proselytize.
But here on this list are people who've come asking "I want to
unschool, but I've got these problems." That's what this list is
*for*. And that's something I feel strongly enough about to help
contribute to. It's a valuable use of my time. It's not a gathering
place for beginning unschoolers to swap what they're trying out.
Though I understand why people would like to have that.
I don't feel passionate about helping to build a place that's a mish
mosh of philosophies. And in order to create a viable open forum like
that, you need people passionate enough about that idea to write for it.
> When folks ask for it and do my best to be understanding and not toI think that's great for creating peace and harmony in our social lives.
> pass judgment on them when they say things I whole-heartedly
> disagree with like, "well I don't recycle because it's really a
> waste of time and it makes no difference anyways." I have found I
> have reached more people this way. I feel far more people have
> considered my notions on these topics because I have not copped an
> overly confident (elitist) attitude.
But peace and harmony don't light a big enough fire under people to
spend their valuable time writing about it. ;-) And lists need writers!
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
It's not a yahoo group any longer it's now a google group. Sorry i dont
have the link but maybe that will help you find it.
In a message dated 7/1/2006 1:04:26 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
southernbelle@... writes:
Can someone send a link to unschooling discussion? For some reason I can't
seem to find it.
~Alyssa
"Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and
dance like you do when nobody's watching."
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
have the link but maybe that will help you find it.
In a message dated 7/1/2006 1:04:26 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
southernbelle@... writes:
Can someone send a link to unschooling discussion? For some reason I can't
seem to find it.
~Alyssa
"Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and
dance like you do when nobody's watching."
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Pamela Sorooshian
It is now a "googlegroup" not a yahoogroup.
Here is the link:
<http://groups.google.com/group/UnschoolingDiscussion>
-pam
Here is the link:
<http://groups.google.com/group/UnschoolingDiscussion>
-pam
On Jul 1, 2006, at 10:21 AM, Momma wrote:
> Can someone send a link to unschooling discussion? For some reason
> I can't
> seem to find it.
>
> Thanks, Dawn
Unschooling shirts, cups, bumper stickers, bags...
Live Love Learn
UNSCHOOL!
<http://www.cafepress.com/livelovelearn>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Joyce Fetteroll
On Jul 1, 2006, at 1:21 PM, Momma wrote:
http://groups.google.com/group/UnschoolingDiscussion
To unsubscribe, email: UnschoolingDiscussion-
unsubscribe@...
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> Can someone send a link to unschooling discussion? For some reasonProbably because it moved to Google Groups:
> I can't
> seem to find it.
http://groups.google.com/group/UnschoolingDiscussion
To unsubscribe, email: UnschoolingDiscussion-
unsubscribe@...
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
katerina.anikeev
> Pam Sorooshian started a really cool list a couple of years ago. It'sThese reasons are very clear and understandable, at the same time
> called UnschoolingStories. It's just, as it says in the description,
> "stories of how unschooling works. We'll learn from each other by
> sharing experiences and observations. It is not a discussion list,
> not a debate list, and not really even a "support" or "advice" list."
> Cool! And yet there were a total of 5 posts last year. Not because
> the idea is bad. It's a great idea. It's that there isn't enough
> return for the time invested in writing. In fact there isn't enough
> return to even forward a post written for another list. (If there
> were, people would do it!)
there were those 5 people who wrote stories :). When I will have
personal unschooling stories, I am sure I'll be happy to share them.
Although, I understand that there can always be such reasons, like
quoted below :) = "things got busy and I haven't posted there".
Deb Lewis, hating homeschooling and unparenting
( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingbasics/message/14014 )
> Pam Sorooshian started a list awhile back, Unschooling Storiesgoing
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolingStories/. I knew it was
> to be my favorite list because I LOVE to tell our unschooling stories,The reason I am writing this message right now is my hope that as
> but things got busy and I haven't posted there. I'm plugging it now
> because I think it's a great idea to have a collection of unschooling
> stories all in one place from all kinds of people - people with lots of
> kids, people with one kid, people leaping... <g>
>
> If some of you have time maybe you could put some stories there and we
> could send new people the link and maybe the stories would be comforting
> on the days when the discussion lists aren't. <g>
>
> Deb Lewis
>
people read this topic again, there might be a couple more stories
appear on the UnschoolingStories list :).
It is not very easy to find such stories here, in UnschoolingBasics,
among a huge pile of messages, where people are telling about their
problems, asking for help, meeting each other, etc. It is not that
easy to extract such short personal stories from books, websites and
even blogs about unschooling and by unschoolers. But such stories do
help! Do help to understand better how unschooling works :).
I hope that such stories would also help me to convince my dh to
unschool our daughter (now almost 18 months) and our future children.
Please, share your stories in UnschoolingStories Group if you have
time and wish! Thank you very very much!
Nadya
mom to Katerina (May 10, 2005)