New to the group with some questions about unschooling
aimeemwheeler
Hi! I am new to the group. My husband and I have begun considering unschooling for our son (he is 2). We have just begun our research. So far everything I have read really resonates with me but we have some questions that I think can only be answered by experienced unschoolers. So please look them over and answer what you can. We greatly appreciate it! BTW... we live in Los Angeles if that is helpful in anyway
Aimee
1. How does all of this work with college and the college admissions process requesting GPA, transcripts, etc?
2. I am a psychologist and while I don't want to work full time I do want the ability to work part time. For some reason I can't quite figure out how I am suppose to coordinate that. Any feed back from working moms would be fabulous.
3. What happens if our son decides later that he wants to go to school. What is the process like to get him enrolled, how would they determine what grade he would be in etc? Is it different for public and private schools?
4. Athletics....Let me preface this by saying I am sooooo not one of those over involved athletic parents. Our son is pretty athletic for a 2 yr old so I think my husband has visions of college scholarships dancing in his head. Should he want to play organized sports at HS age what are his options? Are there non-school teams that he could participate on or would he be able to participate in school athletics without attending school? Just curious as to how that would work since I guess college scouts would typically see someone at high school games.
Thanks Again!
Aimee
1. How does all of this work with college and the college admissions process requesting GPA, transcripts, etc?
2. I am a psychologist and while I don't want to work full time I do want the ability to work part time. For some reason I can't quite figure out how I am suppose to coordinate that. Any feed back from working moms would be fabulous.
3. What happens if our son decides later that he wants to go to school. What is the process like to get him enrolled, how would they determine what grade he would be in etc? Is it different for public and private schools?
4. Athletics....Let me preface this by saying I am sooooo not one of those over involved athletic parents. Our son is pretty athletic for a 2 yr old so I think my husband has visions of college scholarships dancing in his head. Should he want to play organized sports at HS age what are his options? Are there non-school teams that he could participate on or would he be able to participate in school athletics without attending school? Just curious as to how that would work since I guess college scouts would typically see someone at high school games.
Thanks Again!
Joyce Fetteroll
On Jul 29, 2009, at 9:06 PM, aimeemwheeler wrote:
used to homeschooled applicants, understand. By the time your son is
ready for college, they should understand even better
There are various ways of writing up what an unschooler has done
instead of the standard classes. It helps to look at a transcript as
a handicap rather than a deficit. A transcript only shows how well
someone has jumped through hoops. An unschooling applicant can show
what they've been doing and their passions.
Check into Wes Beach. He has a pamphlet I think about transcripts if
you need reassurance now. But by the time your son's ready, things
may have changed
to the administrator. Usually they like to keep kids close in age so
for grades before high school, he'd just go into whatever grade his
age would match. High school, it would depend.
it depends what town you're in. Some states allow homeschooled kids
to participate on school teams. Some states have an extensive
athletic system separate from schools. But what's true today may be
different by the time he's old enough.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 1. How does all of this work with college and the collegeMost colleges, especially the more selective colleges who are more
> admissions process requesting GPA, transcripts, etc?
used to homeschooled applicants, understand. By the time your son is
ready for college, they should understand even better
There are various ways of writing up what an unschooler has done
instead of the standard classes. It helps to look at a transcript as
a handicap rather than a deficit. A transcript only shows how well
someone has jumped through hoops. An unschooling applicant can show
what they've been doing and their passions.
Check into Wes Beach. He has a pamphlet I think about transcripts if
you need reassurance now. But by the time your son's ready, things
may have changed
> 3. What happens if our son decides later that he wants to go toDepends what his goal is. Depends on the school. You'd go in and talk
> school. What is the process like to get him enrolled, how would
> they determine what grade he would be in etc? Is it different for
> public and private schools?
to the administrator. Usually they like to keep kids close in age so
for grades before high school, he'd just go into whatever grade his
age would match. High school, it would depend.
> 4. Athletics....Let me preface this by saying I am sooooo not oneIt depends what state you're in. In some states (like Massachusetts)
> of those over involved athletic parents. Our son is pretty athletic
> for a 2 yr old so I think my husband has visions of college
> scholarships dancing in his head. Should he want to play organized
> sports at HS age what are his options? Are there non-school teams
> that he could participate on or would he be able to participate in
> school athletics without attending school? Just curious as to how
> that would work since I guess college scouts would typically see
> someone at high school games.
it depends what town you're in. Some states allow homeschooled kids
to participate on school teams. Some states have an extensive
athletic system separate from schools. But what's true today may be
different by the time he's old enough.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
The Coffee Goddess
>>2. I am a psychologist and while I don't want to work full time I dowant the ability to work part time. For some reason I can't quite
figure out how I am suppose to coordinate that. Any feed back from
working moms would be fabulous.>>
Part-time childcare is not a hard thing to coordinate--work out work schedules with your spouse (you work evenings when he's home, etc), get family members or friends to spend time with your child (possibly grandma would love a day with jr. once a week, and so would uncle bob), use another area unschooling mama to trade childcare hours with you (she watches your kid on Wednesday, you take hers on Thursday), hire a college student or unschooled teen...the possibilities are endless.
Dana
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Kathryn Robles
I am only currently unschooling my two daughters who are both under two (23
months and 2 months), but I had a rather untraditional schooling experience
myself, so I wanted to jump in with my own two cents....
There are so many ways to approach college beside the traditional
transcripts and GPAs. Some of the colleges had alternative admission
requirements such as portfolios. Personally I began taken a few course at
our local community college at 15 years old. By the time I was 18 and
decided to "go to college" I applied as a transfer student. Alternatively,
my younger brother is planning to take his GED.
I am suppose to coordinate that. Any feed back from working moms would be
fabulous.
I'm a working mom! My work has changed over the past two years and I'm sure
it will continue to change. I used to manage our apartment complex and kept
my first daughter with me all day. Then I switched to a call center and my
husband and I worked opposite shifts. Currently I am working part time in
the early mornings and my sister (who lives with us) gets up with the girls
in the morning. This fall my husband will be quitting his job to go back to
college (night classes) and I will move to full time. Eventually I plan to
go get my masters, but not right now.
half of 6th grade the other half of 7th and all of high school. My brother
went to a private school for 1st and 2nd, and is currently working with a
charter school for 9-12th (his courses are not necessarily in any kind of
grade order). We entered each grade based mostly on age (we also took
standardized tests some years which factored into it for our school
district).
elementary school aged my mother and some of her friends went to the school
board and had them set up a homeschooling program. That meant we could pop
in and out of school for art classes, band, sports teams etc.
Our high school district was a lot less accommodating, so after I dropped
out I just kept showing up to the classes and events I liked. The security
guards and teachers all thought I had the principals okay. ; ) I even
played some large parts in our theater productions. Sports may be a little
more stringent as they require grades and such, but that doesn't mean you
can't get creative and work with the schools and non school teams in your
area.
Anyway, I haven't lived through the parenting side of things yet, but just
wanted to share my own experiences.
-Katie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
months and 2 months), but I had a rather untraditional schooling experience
myself, so I wanted to jump in with my own two cents....
>> 1. How does all of this work with college and the college admissionsprocess requesting GPA, transcripts, etc
There are so many ways to approach college beside the traditional
transcripts and GPAs. Some of the colleges had alternative admission
requirements such as portfolios. Personally I began taken a few course at
our local community college at 15 years old. By the time I was 18 and
decided to "go to college" I applied as a transfer student. Alternatively,
my younger brother is planning to take his GED.
>>2. I am a psychologist and while I don't want to work full time I do wantthe ability to work part time. For some reason I can't quite figure out how
I am suppose to coordinate that. Any feed back from working moms would be
fabulous.
I'm a working mom! My work has changed over the past two years and I'm sure
it will continue to change. I used to manage our apartment complex and kept
my first daughter with me all day. Then I switched to a call center and my
husband and I worked opposite shifts. Currently I am working part time in
the early mornings and my sister (who lives with us) gets up with the girls
in the morning. This fall my husband will be quitting his job to go back to
college (night classes) and I will move to full time. Eventually I plan to
go get my masters, but not right now.
>>3. What happens if our son decides later that he wants to go to school.I went to 5th grade for a day, and 9th grade for a semester. My sister did
half of 6th grade the other half of 7th and all of high school. My brother
went to a private school for 1st and 2nd, and is currently working with a
charter school for 9-12th (his courses are not necessarily in any kind of
grade order). We entered each grade based mostly on age (we also took
standardized tests some years which factored into it for our school
district).
>>4. Athletics....I think this could vary a lot by your school district. When I was
elementary school aged my mother and some of her friends went to the school
board and had them set up a homeschooling program. That meant we could pop
in and out of school for art classes, band, sports teams etc.
Our high school district was a lot less accommodating, so after I dropped
out I just kept showing up to the classes and events I liked. The security
guards and teachers all thought I had the principals okay. ; ) I even
played some large parts in our theater productions. Sports may be a little
more stringent as they require grades and such, but that doesn't mean you
can't get creative and work with the schools and non school teams in your
area.
Anyway, I haven't lived through the parenting side of things yet, but just
wanted to share my own experiences.
-Katie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Betj
On the sports subject many areas now have athletics for home schooled kids. Rec and church leagues are an option too.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: Kathryn Robles <paigekitten@...>
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:57:29
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re: New to the group with some questions about unschooling
I am only currently unschooling my two daughters who are both under two (23
months and 2 months), but I had a rather untraditional schooling experience
myself, so I wanted to jump in with my own two cents....
There are so many ways to approach college beside the traditional
transcripts and GPAs. Some of the colleges had alternative admission
requirements such as portfolios. Personally I began taken a few course at
our local community college at 15 years old. By the time I was 18 and
decided to "go to college" I applied as a transfer student. Alternatively,
my younger brother is planning to take his GED.
I am suppose to coordinate that. Any feed back from working moms would be
fabulous.
I'm a working mom! My work has changed over the past two years and I'm sure
it will continue to change. I used to manage our apartment complex and kept
my first daughter with me all day. Then I switched to a call center and my
husband and I worked opposite shifts. Currently I am working part time in
the early mornings and my sister (who lives with us) gets up with the girls
in the morning. This fall my husband will be quitting his job to go back to
college (night classes) and I will move to full time. Eventually I plan to
go get my masters, but not right now.
half of 6th grade the other half of 7th and all of high school. My brother
went to a private school for 1st and 2nd, and is currently working with a
charter school for 9-12th (his courses are not necessarily in any kind of
grade order). We entered each grade based mostly on age (we also took
standardized tests some years which factored into it for our school
district).
elementary school aged my mother and some of her friends went to the school
board and had them set up a homeschooling program. That meant we could pop
in and out of school for art classes, band, sports teams etc.
Our high school district was a lot less accommodating, so after I dropped
out I just kept showing up to the classes and events I liked. The security
guards and teachers all thought I had the principals okay. ; ) I even
played some large parts in our theater productions. Sports may be a little
more stringent as they require grades and such, but that doesn't mean you
can't get creative and work with the schools and non school teams in your
area.
Anyway, I haven't lived through the parenting side of things yet, but just
wanted to share my own experiences.
-Katie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: Kathryn Robles <paigekitten@...>
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:57:29
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re: New to the group with some questions about unschooling
I am only currently unschooling my two daughters who are both under two (23
months and 2 months), but I had a rather untraditional schooling experience
myself, so I wanted to jump in with my own two cents....
>> 1. How does all of this work with college and the college admissionsprocess requesting GPA, transcripts, etc
There are so many ways to approach college beside the traditional
transcripts and GPAs. Some of the colleges had alternative admission
requirements such as portfolios. Personally I began taken a few course at
our local community college at 15 years old. By the time I was 18 and
decided to "go to college" I applied as a transfer student. Alternatively,
my younger brother is planning to take his GED.
>>2. I am a psychologist and while I don't want to work full time I do wantthe ability to work part time. For some reason I can't quite figure out how
I am suppose to coordinate that. Any feed back from working moms would be
fabulous.
I'm a working mom! My work has changed over the past two years and I'm sure
it will continue to change. I used to manage our apartment complex and kept
my first daughter with me all day. Then I switched to a call center and my
husband and I worked opposite shifts. Currently I am working part time in
the early mornings and my sister (who lives with us) gets up with the girls
in the morning. This fall my husband will be quitting his job to go back to
college (night classes) and I will move to full time. Eventually I plan to
go get my masters, but not right now.
>>3. What happens if our son decides later that he wants to go to school.I went to 5th grade for a day, and 9th grade for a semester. My sister did
half of 6th grade the other half of 7th and all of high school. My brother
went to a private school for 1st and 2nd, and is currently working with a
charter school for 9-12th (his courses are not necessarily in any kind of
grade order). We entered each grade based mostly on age (we also took
standardized tests some years which factored into it for our school
district).
>>4. Athletics....I think this could vary a lot by your school district. When I was
elementary school aged my mother and some of her friends went to the school
board and had them set up a homeschooling program. That meant we could pop
in and out of school for art classes, band, sports teams etc.
Our high school district was a lot less accommodating, so after I dropped
out I just kept showing up to the classes and events I liked. The security
guards and teachers all thought I had the principals okay. ; ) I even
played some large parts in our theater productions. Sports may be a little
more stringent as they require grades and such, but that doesn't mean you
can't get creative and work with the schools and non school teams in your
area.
Anyway, I haven't lived through the parenting side of things yet, but just
wanted to share my own experiences.
-Katie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Pam Sorooshian
On 7/29/2009 6:06 PM, aimeemwheeler wrote:
you in person. Bring your little boy - we can wander around with him and
chat.
Write to me off list and I'll give you the details of where we meet -
we're mostly unschoolers. I'm not there every week (my kids are 24, 21,
and 18), but I'll make a point of being there if you want to come!
pamsoroosh @ earthlink . net.
currently a junior at UC Irvine, and one going to Cypress College and
planning to transfer to CSU Northridge. There are just about as many
ways of handling college as there are unschoolers in college - and it
isn't at all uncommon. But, it is TOO soon for you to think about it at
all. Seriously. Just know it can be and often is done. About the time
your son is the age where he'd be entering high school, then maybe you
can think about it and consider the options at that time.
economist/statistician) on energy conservation projects for quite a few
years. Mostly I worked from home - I learned to breastfeed while typing
on the computer when I came up against some deadlines, but mostly I
worked when the kids were busy. I did hire a mothers helper to be here
with the kids for a couple of hours a day for a while. Later, I taught
community college courses - I taught weekend and evening classes so that
my husband was home with the kids while I was working.
and saying, "Here we are." <G> If he enters school before high school,
they just put him in a grade level based on his age. If he enters after
9th grade, they'll decide if they are going to give him credits or not.
Again, why don't you wait until the time comes and worry about it then.
Too soon. Anything before 9th grade doesn't matter and if you make it
that far, the chances are that you would not even consider him going to
school and, even if you did, community college might be preferable.
Private schools - they make their own rules and it all depends on the
school - there are elite ones that the kid will have to pass a test to
get into and others that take anybody who can pay and so on.
tons of club sports for him to participate in up until high school and
even then, depending on the sport. I have a very athletic child - she's
18 and plays soccer and has a black belt in karate. She now coaches
younger girls soccer and is a karate instructor. All three of mine were
on swim teams, when they were younger. If he's into swimming or
gymnastics or quite a few other sports, then clubs are more important
than high school teams. They can also play sports at community colleges
and move from there to major universities with sports scholarships. It
isn't common, but some high schools HAVE allowed homeschooled kids to
play. Sometimes homeschoolers join public school independent study
programs in order to be eligible for sports teams. There are options.
Who knows, maybe his physical coordination will turn into a love of
dance, not sports. Too early to be thinking of this (I know, I know....).
If you let me know where in LA you are, I'll put you in touch with
nearby unschoolers.
-pam
**
> Hi! I am new to the group. My husband and I have begun considering unschooling for our son (he is 2). We have just begun our research. So far everything I have read really resonates with me but we have some questions that I think can only be answered by experienced unschoolers. So please look them over and answer what you can. We greatly appreciate it! BTW... we live in Los Angeles if that is helpful in anywayIf you come to our park day in Long Beach, I'll be happy to chat with
>
you in person. Bring your little boy - we can wander around with him and
chat.
Write to me off list and I'll give you the details of where we meet -
we're mostly unschoolers. I'm not there every week (my kids are 24, 21,
and 18), but I'll make a point of being there if you want to come!
pamsoroosh @ earthlink . net.
> 1. How does all of this work with college and the college admissions process requesting GPA, transcripts, etc?We make it work. I have one graduated from college (CSULB), one
>
currently a junior at UC Irvine, and one going to Cypress College and
planning to transfer to CSU Northridge. There are just about as many
ways of handling college as there are unschoolers in college - and it
isn't at all uncommon. But, it is TOO soon for you to think about it at
all. Seriously. Just know it can be and often is done. About the time
your son is the age where he'd be entering high school, then maybe you
can think about it and consider the options at that time.
> 2. I am a psychologist and while I don't want to work full time I do want the ability to work part time. For some reason I can't quite figure out how I am suppose to coordinate that. Any feed back from working moms would be fabulous.I have worked part time all along. I worked as a consultant (I'm an
>
economist/statistician) on energy conservation projects for quite a few
years. Mostly I worked from home - I learned to breastfeed while typing
on the computer when I came up against some deadlines, but mostly I
worked when the kids were busy. I did hire a mothers helper to be here
with the kids for a couple of hours a day for a while. Later, I taught
community college courses - I taught weekend and evening classes so that
my husband was home with the kids while I was working.
> 3. What happens if our son decides later that he wants to go to school. What is the process like to get him enrolled, how would they determine what grade he would be in etc? Is it different for public and private schools?For public schools - they have to take him. You enroll him by showing up
>
and saying, "Here we are." <G> If he enters school before high school,
they just put him in a grade level based on his age. If he enters after
9th grade, they'll decide if they are going to give him credits or not.
Again, why don't you wait until the time comes and worry about it then.
Too soon. Anything before 9th grade doesn't matter and if you make it
that far, the chances are that you would not even consider him going to
school and, even if you did, community college might be preferable.
Private schools - they make their own rules and it all depends on the
school - there are elite ones that the kid will have to pass a test to
get into and others that take anybody who can pay and so on.
> 4. Athletics....Let me preface this by saying I am sooooo not one of those over involved athletic parents. Our son is pretty athletic for a 2 yr old so I think my husband has visions of college scholarships dancing in his head. Should he want to play organized sports at HS age what are his options? Are there non-school teams that he could participate on or would he be able to participate in school athletics without attending school? Just curious as to how that would work since I guess college scouts would typically see someone at high school games.Seriously? I'm giggling. He's two. Worry about this later. There are
> Thanks Again!
>
tons of club sports for him to participate in up until high school and
even then, depending on the sport. I have a very athletic child - she's
18 and plays soccer and has a black belt in karate. She now coaches
younger girls soccer and is a karate instructor. All three of mine were
on swim teams, when they were younger. If he's into swimming or
gymnastics or quite a few other sports, then clubs are more important
than high school teams. They can also play sports at community colleges
and move from there to major universities with sports scholarships. It
isn't common, but some high schools HAVE allowed homeschooled kids to
play. Sometimes homeschoolers join public school independent study
programs in order to be eligible for sports teams. There are options.
Who knows, maybe his physical coordination will turn into a love of
dance, not sports. Too early to be thinking of this (I know, I know....).
If you let me know where in LA you are, I'll put you in touch with
nearby unschoolers.
-pam
**
Meredith
--- In [email protected], Kathryn Robles <paigekitten@...> wrote:
---Meredith (Mo 7, Ray 15)
>> I'm a working mom! My work has changed over the past two years and I'm sureThis is a great point, one that could apply to so many aspects of life. There are very few "permanent" decisions in life. Sometimes its hard to find alternatives in the moment - for adults as much as kids - and it can be really helpful to remember that solutions are only solutions for right now, not forever.
> it will continue to change.
---Meredith (Mo 7, Ray 15)
JJ Ross
First, since you and your DH both are academically accomplished yourselves (me too) here's a sort of unschooling-dad curriculum I once wrote to a new unschooling mom as serious food for thought, to help you come at radical unschooling from the traditional school-research approach.
http://cockingasnook.wordpress.com/unschooling-lessons-for-school-minded-dads/
Then here are my short answers to your specific questions, that maybe you can use as jumping off points:
http://cockingasnooktoo.wordpress.com/
http://cockingasnook.wordpress.com/2007/12/01/homeschooled-into-the-heisman-espn-calls-tebow-the-right-answer/
http://cockingasnook.wordpress.com/unschooling-lessons-for-school-minded-dads/
Then here are my short answers to your specific questions, that maybe you can use as jumping off points:
> Hi! I am new to the group. My husband and I have begun considering unschooling for our son (he is 2)."HOW does it all work out? I don't know, it's a mystery!" (Shakespeare in Love quote) But it does work out, and here's what you need to know right now: it will surprise you no matter how well you think you've planned, which goes double or triple for schooling toward college, btw, so don't kid yourselves about that!
> Aimee
> 1. How does all of this work with college and the college admissions process requesting GPA, transcripts, etc?
> 3. What happens if our son decides later that he wants to go to school. What is the process like to get him enrolled, how would they determine what grade he would be in etc? Is it different for public and private schools?See answer above. But if you're curious for personal examples of how it worked out for other unschoolers, I guess it could help pass the many years before you'll learn how it all works out for your own two-year-old <grin>. My daughter started a blog as she started community college at 15 and quickly embraced traditional academics, even as she continued thinking and learning like an unschooler (recommend you go back to the earliest dated entries and read chronologically.) She also had unexpected obstacles we were able to help her overcome. Many new unschooling parents and open-minded schooling parents have enjoyed seeing these experiences through her perspective:
http://cockingasnooktoo.wordpress.com/
> 4. Athletics....Let me preface this by saying I am sooooo not one of those over involved athletic parents. Our son is pretty athletic for a 2 yr old so I think my husband has visions of college scholarships dancing in his head. Should he want to play organized sports at HS age what are his options?Easy, I have just two words for you (or should I say for your husband) -- TIM TEBOW
http://cockingasnook.wordpress.com/2007/12/01/homeschooled-into-the-heisman-espn-calls-tebow-the-right-answer/
>JJ
JJ Ross
This is good too:
http://cockingasnook.wordpress.com/an-academics-case-for-homeschooling/
http://cockingasnook.wordpress.com/an-academics-case-for-homeschooling/
--- In [email protected], "JJ Ross" <jrossedd@...> wrote:
>
>
> First, since you and your DH both are academically accomplished yourselves (me too) here's a sort of unschooling-dad curriculum I once wrote to a new unschooling mom as serious food for thought, to help you come at radical unschooling from the traditional school-research approach.
> http://cockingasnook.wordpress.com/unschooling-lessons-for-school-minded-dads/
>
>
> Then here are my short answers to your specific questions, that maybe you can use as jumping off points:
>
Meredith
--- In [email protected], "JJ Ross" <jrossedd@...> wrote:
That all being said, not all parents are willing to do that - I don't mean that in a snarky "some people" sort of way, I mean that its not a good strategy for everyone. It doesn't fit the way everyone learns. Some dads (or working moms for that matter) do better with information presented in "sound bites" or articles left in the bathroom. Others do better by taking a deep breath and deciding that they can trust this other person to make good parenting decisions and learn by observation. There are many ways for adults to learn! Others mostly need reassurance and more ways to connect with the family - beyond "what did you learn today." Just like kids, it can help a lot to think about how mom and dad learn and process information. What helps and what doesn't?
---Meredith (Mo 7, Ray 15)
>The main idea here, to educate yourself about learning and unschooling, is very much something I did when Mo was little. I even went so far as to enroll in an online Montessori course - to learn the theory and some of the practice of classical Montessori education. Some of the basic theory is close to unschooling (follow the child, observe *before* you interfere... that sort of thing). I totally recommend any parent who is worried about academics and the "how tos" of autodidactism to do a bit of your own for awhile. It helps!
>
> First, since you and your DH both are academically accomplished yourselves (me too) here's a sort of unschooling-dad curriculum I once wrote to a new unschooling mom as serious food for thought, to help you come at radical unschooling from the traditional school-research approach.
> http://cockingasnook.wordpress.com/unschooling-lessons-for-school-minded-dads/
>
That all being said, not all parents are willing to do that - I don't mean that in a snarky "some people" sort of way, I mean that its not a good strategy for everyone. It doesn't fit the way everyone learns. Some dads (or working moms for that matter) do better with information presented in "sound bites" or articles left in the bathroom. Others do better by taking a deep breath and deciding that they can trust this other person to make good parenting decisions and learn by observation. There are many ways for adults to learn! Others mostly need reassurance and more ways to connect with the family - beyond "what did you learn today." Just like kids, it can help a lot to think about how mom and dad learn and process information. What helps and what doesn't?
---Meredith (Mo 7, Ray 15)
aimeemwheeler
Thanks so much everyone! Your answers were very helpful. I know it seems silly to be concerned w/ a lot of this stuff so early on but I think we just don't want to get to that point and say oh we never thought about that. Not that is won't all change 100 times between now and then anyway. I guess we are just trying to get comfortable with trusting there are options out there as this will be a major departure from our traditional support structure. One I think we are up for but want to be prepared for.
Deborah
**There are options.
Who knows, maybe his physical coordination will turn into a love of dance, not sports. Too early to be thinking of this (I know, I know....).**
:) When Patrick was 6 I thought he might want to go to high school so he could keep wrestling. At 17, he is no longer a wrestler, and he didn't go to high school. 4 days a week he takes the train into the city, 80 minutes each way, for ballet training. Most nights he bikes 20 miles or more, just for the physical joy of it. He's also a free running/parkour enthusiast.
Deborah in IL
Who knows, maybe his physical coordination will turn into a love of dance, not sports. Too early to be thinking of this (I know, I know....).**
:) When Patrick was 6 I thought he might want to go to high school so he could keep wrestling. At 17, he is no longer a wrestler, and he didn't go to high school. 4 days a week he takes the train into the city, 80 minutes each way, for ballet training. Most nights he bikes 20 miles or more, just for the physical joy of it. He's also a free running/parkour enthusiast.
Deborah in IL
JJ Ross
Similar story here -- we wound up with an Irish dancer and solitary long-distance walker. I could've sworn when he was age 3, he'd be a killer drummer but now he plays the bagpipes.
--- In [email protected], "Deborah" <DACunefare@...> wrote:
>
> **There are options.
> Who knows, maybe his physical coordination will turn into a love of dance, not sports. Too early to be thinking of this (I know, I know....).**
>
>
> :) When Patrick was 6 I thought he might want to go to high school so he could keep wrestling. At 17, he is no longer a wrestler, and he didn't go to high school. 4 days a week he takes the train into the city, 80 minutes each way, for ballet training. Most nights he bikes 20 miles or more, just for the physical joy of it. He's also a free running/parkour enthusiast.
>
> Deborah in IL
>
JJ Ross
Aimee kindly pointed out by email that I gave the wrong link for my daughter's college blog, making the name into a link rather than the actual URL. Here's the correct link:
http://misedjj.wordpress.com/
http://misedjj.wordpress.com/
--- In [email protected], "JJ Ross" <jrossedd@...> wrote:
. . . My daughter started a blog as she started community college at 15 and quickly embraced traditional academics, even as she continued thinking and learning like an unschooler (recommend you go back to the earliest dated entries and read chronologically.) She also had unexpected obstacles we were able to help her overcome. Many new unschooling parents and open-minded schooling parents have enjoyed seeing these experiences through her perspective:
Cocking a Snook Too!
Schuyler
I think it is normal to judge a philosophy on it's outcomes. And, as it feels like parenting comes with such huge responsibilities for the grown child your child will someday become, the outcomes seem to be the whole point. So when you are taking the road less travelled it feels like you are using your child as guinea pig for some new and largely unproven method of parenting and educating. I fully understand why you've come here and asked questions about outcomes.
The truth is that even the traditional methods are largely unproven. School is a novel game and they keep changing the rules and the curriculum and the approach as they go. Hoping that somehow these institions will get it all right and will be able to guarantee that everyone has the same opportunities as everyone else and stays enchanted with compulsory learning for at least the first 16 or 18 years of their lives.
Unschooling is far more about today than it is about tomorrow. At Life is Good I bought a bumper sticker that says "Unschooling for a Better Today". I love that bumper sticker. It's really hard to trust that if you make today better tomorrow is more likely to be better than if you are aiming for a better tomorrow. But it really does seem to work that way. And as awful as it is to say, tomorrow doesn't always come. And for those parents who have had to wake up the next day without their babies knowing that each today was good is far better than having aimed for the tomorrow.
Schuyler
________________________________
From: aimeemwheeler <apmama@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, 2 August, 2009 2:04:57 AM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re: New to the group with some questions about unschooling
Thanks so much everyone! Your answers were very helpful. I know it seems silly to be concerned w/ a lot of this stuff so early on but I think we just don't want to get to that point and say oh we never thought about that. Not that is won't all change 100 times between now and then anyway. I guess we are just trying to get comfortable with trusting there are options out there as this will be a major departure from our traditional support structure. One I think we are up for but want to be prepared for.
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
The truth is that even the traditional methods are largely unproven. School is a novel game and they keep changing the rules and the curriculum and the approach as they go. Hoping that somehow these institions will get it all right and will be able to guarantee that everyone has the same opportunities as everyone else and stays enchanted with compulsory learning for at least the first 16 or 18 years of their lives.
Unschooling is far more about today than it is about tomorrow. At Life is Good I bought a bumper sticker that says "Unschooling for a Better Today". I love that bumper sticker. It's really hard to trust that if you make today better tomorrow is more likely to be better than if you are aiming for a better tomorrow. But it really does seem to work that way. And as awful as it is to say, tomorrow doesn't always come. And for those parents who have had to wake up the next day without their babies knowing that each today was good is far better than having aimed for the tomorrow.
Schuyler
________________________________
From: aimeemwheeler <apmama@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, 2 August, 2009 2:04:57 AM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re: New to the group with some questions about unschooling
Thanks so much everyone! Your answers were very helpful. I know it seems silly to be concerned w/ a lot of this stuff so early on but I think we just don't want to get to that point and say oh we never thought about that. Not that is won't all change 100 times between now and then anyway. I guess we are just trying to get comfortable with trusting there are options out there as this will be a major departure from our traditional support structure. One I think we are up for but want to be prepared for.
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Faith Void
On twitter the is a tag #msgtothepast. I just sent myself on that
addressed this.
Trust unschooling and your own inner wisdom about your children. It is
absolutely the best thing for your family.
How can I meet their needs and be in the present moment living with
them when I am fearing one possible future? Those are the moments I
end up make learning takes. Right now my 22 month old pinches people
sometimes. If I were afraid that she was going to use that tool
forever I would react much differently.
There are going to be a million things you didn't think of, plan for,
expect. Trust the process of meeting needs and respecting where your
child is.
What I prepare for is what my child is involved in a passionate about
RIGHT now. Dd12 is writing several hours per day and training for a
triathlon. I feed those passions. I embrace them. She *is* a writer.
She *is* an athlete. Ds6 skateboards, scooters, and lives Pokemon. I
feed those passions as though he already *is* a professional skater or
a pokemon trainer. Our kids don't need to wait until the grow up to
*BE* something, there *ARE* something right *now*.
Faith
Sent from my iPhone
addressed this.
Trust unschooling and your own inner wisdom about your children. It is
absolutely the best thing for your family.
How can I meet their needs and be in the present moment living with
them when I am fearing one possible future? Those are the moments I
end up make learning takes. Right now my 22 month old pinches people
sometimes. If I were afraid that she was going to use that tool
forever I would react much differently.
There are going to be a million things you didn't think of, plan for,
expect. Trust the process of meeting needs and respecting where your
child is.
What I prepare for is what my child is involved in a passionate about
RIGHT now. Dd12 is writing several hours per day and training for a
triathlon. I feed those passions. I embrace them. She *is* a writer.
She *is* an athlete. Ds6 skateboards, scooters, and lives Pokemon. I
feed those passions as though he already *is* a professional skater or
a pokemon trainer. Our kids don't need to wait until the grow up to
*BE* something, there *ARE* something right *now*.
Faith
Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 1, 2009, at 9:04 PM, "aimeemwheeler" <apmama@...> wrote:
> Thanks so much everyone! Your answers were very helpful. I know it
> seems silly to be concerned w/ a lot of this stuff so early on but I
> think we just don't want to get to that point and say oh we never
> thought about that. Not that is won't all change 100 times between
> now and then anyway. I guess we are just trying to get comfortable
> with trusting there are options out there as this will be a major
> departure from our traditional support structure. One I think we are
> up for but want to be prepared for.
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Meredith
--- In [email protected], "aimeemwheeler" <apmama@...> wrote:
There's so much pressure on parents to think about college etc early on. I have a coworker who is still in the "trying to get pregnant" stage who is already worried about what preschool to send her future children to to get them into the best private elementary school and thus into the "best" college. I'm not saying you're doing that, but those kinds of messages and pressures are such a part of the culture that its natural to start to worry early on.
In my own life, I've found that my very good education, which was designed to give me the most and best options, didn't do those things at all. I learned to be good at school, but I'm not inclined to academia. So I had to leave school and deschool before I could start to learn what I really needed to know.
---Meredith (Mo 7, Ray 15)
>*************************
> Thanks so much everyone! Your answers were very helpful. I know it seems silly to be concerned w/ a lot of this stuff so early on but I think we just don't want to get to that point and say oh we never thought about that.
There's so much pressure on parents to think about college etc early on. I have a coworker who is still in the "trying to get pregnant" stage who is already worried about what preschool to send her future children to to get them into the best private elementary school and thus into the "best" college. I'm not saying you're doing that, but those kinds of messages and pressures are such a part of the culture that its natural to start to worry early on.
In my own life, I've found that my very good education, which was designed to give me the most and best options, didn't do those things at all. I learned to be good at school, but I'm not inclined to academia. So I had to leave school and deschool before I could start to learn what I really needed to know.
---Meredith (Mo 7, Ray 15)