help, I have regressed
[email protected]
Really, "nothing".... you have no indications your child has learned
"anything"? In a year!?! Or do you mean that your child hasn't
gotten out any "school" books on his own and done what you think looks
like "school" on his own.
Unschooling, to my family is about exploring the world and learning
about what we are interested in: be it video games, coloring, hiking,
taking care of the animals, reading, watching TV, talking to people,
going to scouts, playing with LEGO, games, building forts, stuffed
animas, crafts, whatever- it's all learning about "something"! For the
kids to not learn "anything" in a year- I'd have to tie them up and put
them in a dark closet alone- of course, they would learn something
through that too, but it would be a terrible experience.
My point here is that it's "impossible" not to learn anything.
However, for unschoolers, learning doesn't always look like "school"
and that's the point! Yippie, we can learn whatever, whenever, and
however we want!
I suggest making a list of all the things you do together and see how
much learning you can find in it, I'd bet there is a lot... do you
play, go outside, watch movies, read books?-- it's all learning! Try
to remember that learning doesn't have to happen from a textbook or
workbook, in fact that kind of "learning" isn't much fun for
most kids and doesn't usually work very well (speaking from years of
experience as a special ed teacher in public school).
If your son is balking at the workbooks, he's letting you know that
type of "learning experience" is not what he's looking for. How old is
he? What does he like to do? Does HE think he's learned anything in
this year- not just schooly type stuff? Has he learned how to play a
new game, watched a movie, played a new video game, etc?
I'm sure others will have some other suggestions, but I would look at
it all as learning! Let the "school picture" in your head go...
Amanda
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
"anything"? In a year!?! Or do you mean that your child hasn't
gotten out any "school" books on his own and done what you think looks
like "school" on his own.
Unschooling, to my family is about exploring the world and learning
about what we are interested in: be it video games, coloring, hiking,
taking care of the animals, reading, watching TV, talking to people,
going to scouts, playing with LEGO, games, building forts, stuffed
animas, crafts, whatever- it's all learning about "something"! For the
kids to not learn "anything" in a year- I'd have to tie them up and put
them in a dark closet alone- of course, they would learn something
through that too, but it would be a terrible experience.
My point here is that it's "impossible" not to learn anything.
However, for unschoolers, learning doesn't always look like "school"
and that's the point! Yippie, we can learn whatever, whenever, and
however we want!
I suggest making a list of all the things you do together and see how
much learning you can find in it, I'd bet there is a lot... do you
play, go outside, watch movies, read books?-- it's all learning! Try
to remember that learning doesn't have to happen from a textbook or
workbook, in fact that kind of "learning" isn't much fun for
most kids and doesn't usually work very well (speaking from years of
experience as a special ed teacher in public school).
If your son is balking at the workbooks, he's letting you know that
type of "learning experience" is not what he's looking for. How old is
he? What does he like to do? Does HE think he's learned anything in
this year- not just schooly type stuff? Has he learned how to play a
new game, watched a movie, played a new video game, etc?
I'm sure others will have some other suggestions, but I would look at
it all as learning! Let the "school picture" in your head go...
Amanda
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Bea
--- In [email protected], bokusfam@... wrote:
daughter (she's 3 years old, and I'm 7 months pregnant), so I started
taking pictures every time we did something I thought was cool. It's
helped me realize that we do actually do a lot. And it's helped me be
more enthusiastic about offering more things to do too.
I put the photos up on my blog every week with a brief summary of what
we did.
And since I have all these cool pictures, I have started sending them
on a weekly basis to my family too. I figure if I keep them in the
loop of what we are doing, and how much Linnea is learning, they are
less likely to question me about it when we see each other.
Bea
> I suggest making a list of all the things you do together and see howI was feeling guilty about not providing enough stimulation for my
> much learning you can find in it, I'd bet there is a lot... do� you
> play, go outside, watch movies, read books?--� it's all learning!� Try
> to remember that learning doesn't have to happen from a textbook or
> workbook, in fact that kind of "learning" isn't much fun for
> most�kids�and doesn't usually work very well (speaking from years of
> experience as a special ed teacher in public school).��
>
daughter (she's 3 years old, and I'm 7 months pregnant), so I started
taking pictures every time we did something I thought was cool. It's
helped me realize that we do actually do a lot. And it's helped me be
more enthusiastic about offering more things to do too.
I put the photos up on my blog every week with a brief summary of what
we did.
And since I have all these cool pictures, I have started sending them
on a weekly basis to my family too. I figure if I keep them in the
loop of what we are doing, and how much Linnea is learning, they are
less likely to question me about it when we see each other.
Bea
Linda
OK thanks all of you, you have pointed out all my errors! This is
definitely giving me clarity! My son _is_ happy, specially when I
don't try to make him do 'schooly' things.(He is 12, BTW.) The
'concrete learning' is, in my eyes still school related, and
unfortunately in the family's eyes, too. But I can let go of that,
specially with the help of people like you guys! The family will just
have to put up with it, I guess. And I will have top put up with
them!! (eg. one member told me that children should be made to do
things they don't like because it builds character!!) Unfortunately, I
live way too far away from any Unschooling conferences- in South
Africa. There are a few unschoolers down here, and they are
wonderful, supportive people, too. Just fairly few and far between!
When I look at the things you suggest he may have learned, I see that
he is progressing every day- just not in the way our family expects
him to! So thank you for your helpful responses. I think I just have
to get MY mind right now! It is improving already!
definitely giving me clarity! My son _is_ happy, specially when I
don't try to make him do 'schooly' things.(He is 12, BTW.) The
'concrete learning' is, in my eyes still school related, and
unfortunately in the family's eyes, too. But I can let go of that,
specially with the help of people like you guys! The family will just
have to put up with it, I guess. And I will have top put up with
them!! (eg. one member told me that children should be made to do
things they don't like because it builds character!!) Unfortunately, I
live way too far away from any Unschooling conferences- in South
Africa. There are a few unschoolers down here, and they are
wonderful, supportive people, too. Just fairly few and far between!
When I look at the things you suggest he may have learned, I see that
he is progressing every day- just not in the way our family expects
him to! So thank you for your helpful responses. I think I just have
to get MY mind right now! It is improving already!