Greetings!!!
elissa kroeger <[email protected]>
Hello, everyone!! I am new to this list but not new to unschooling. I
have to admit, (with an embarassed grin) that I have, at various
times over the years been sucked into periods of using..that bad
word..structure imposed by me. Well... some people just take awhile
to learn. I have a wonderful husband, who is the opposite of some of
the husbands I've heard about on some of the unschooling message
boards. Actually, he is the die hard unschooler of the family. He and
my oldest son, who will be 18 on the first day of Spring keep
bringing me back to an unschooling mindset. From my present
perspective, I appreciate that from them. I've tried to use all kinds
of "curriculum" on him and he always politely (OK sometimes not so
politely) declined to follow it. Whenever I get on a "structure
Kick", my husband says "Why!?!" and we give it up after a few weeks
and have to detox and watch westerns or sci-fi movies for a week or
so.
I feel like one of those people who get up at an AA meeting and
say "Hello my name is Elissa, I am a Structureholic". I have known
better from the beginning, my mom read John Holt!!! She sent us to
school because she thought she would go to jail if she didn't but
encouraged us to participate as little as possible and pursue our own
interests. My sister dropped out ... I guess I get sucked into the
thinking of some of my conservative Christian friends and do not want
them to disapprove of me...actually they already do...my son is such
a non-conformist who has complete freedom...Someone advised me once
not to let him go to camp unless he got caught up on his schoolwork.
I thought Yeah...Right! I did not take that advice, needless to say.
I have finally realized that I cannot live in both worlds. As I said,
it takes some people awhile to grasp simple concepts!!!
Anyway, I am hoping this list will help me to stay committed to
what I know is right for my family...Unschooling!!! I have a 14 year
old daughter who ignores my attempts at structure, a 10 year old son
who is just getting it about reading, a 7 year old son who is also
just getting it about reading, a three year old boy and a baby girl.
I would really like to get out of my bad habit of "schoolish
thinking" and be on the same page with the rest of my family!!!
Have a great day!!
-Elissa
have to admit, (with an embarassed grin) that I have, at various
times over the years been sucked into periods of using..that bad
word..structure imposed by me. Well... some people just take awhile
to learn. I have a wonderful husband, who is the opposite of some of
the husbands I've heard about on some of the unschooling message
boards. Actually, he is the die hard unschooler of the family. He and
my oldest son, who will be 18 on the first day of Spring keep
bringing me back to an unschooling mindset. From my present
perspective, I appreciate that from them. I've tried to use all kinds
of "curriculum" on him and he always politely (OK sometimes not so
politely) declined to follow it. Whenever I get on a "structure
Kick", my husband says "Why!?!" and we give it up after a few weeks
and have to detox and watch westerns or sci-fi movies for a week or
so.
I feel like one of those people who get up at an AA meeting and
say "Hello my name is Elissa, I am a Structureholic". I have known
better from the beginning, my mom read John Holt!!! She sent us to
school because she thought she would go to jail if she didn't but
encouraged us to participate as little as possible and pursue our own
interests. My sister dropped out ... I guess I get sucked into the
thinking of some of my conservative Christian friends and do not want
them to disapprove of me...actually they already do...my son is such
a non-conformist who has complete freedom...Someone advised me once
not to let him go to camp unless he got caught up on his schoolwork.
I thought Yeah...Right! I did not take that advice, needless to say.
I have finally realized that I cannot live in both worlds. As I said,
it takes some people awhile to grasp simple concepts!!!
Anyway, I am hoping this list will help me to stay committed to
what I know is right for my family...Unschooling!!! I have a 14 year
old daughter who ignores my attempts at structure, a 10 year old son
who is just getting it about reading, a 7 year old son who is also
just getting it about reading, a three year old boy and a baby girl.
I would really like to get out of my bad habit of "schoolish
thinking" and be on the same page with the rest of my family!!!
Have a great day!!
-Elissa
[email protected]
In a message dated 2/28/03 9:25:04 AM, elissa_8@... writes:
<< Whenever I get on a "structure
Kick", my husband says "Why!?!" and we give it up after a few weeks
and have to detox and watch westerns or sci-fi movies for a week or
so. >>
Ever since I got back from the conference in Saskatoon, I've planned to read
through the e-mail I missed, and hadn't done it, but I'm at least going to
look at the Always Learning mail!!
So with apologies for being a month late, I really liked this description of
your big family, Elissa_8, and espeically the movie de-tox.
After telling my husband yesterday that I've been sleeping REALLY well
lately, I'm up at 4:00 a.m. having been awake for nearly an hour, just
restless and uncomfortable. So here I am.
I had stories to tell you all anyway.
Sandra
<< Whenever I get on a "structure
Kick", my husband says "Why!?!" and we give it up after a few weeks
and have to detox and watch westerns or sci-fi movies for a week or
so. >>
Ever since I got back from the conference in Saskatoon, I've planned to read
through the e-mail I missed, and hadn't done it, but I'm at least going to
look at the Always Learning mail!!
So with apologies for being a month late, I really liked this description of
your big family, Elissa_8, and espeically the movie de-tox.
After telling my husband yesterday that I've been sleeping REALLY well
lately, I'm up at 4:00 a.m. having been awake for nearly an hour, just
restless and uncomfortable. So here I am.
I had stories to tell you all anyway.
Sandra