Hello there
Jorgen & Ann
Hi,
I'm Ann and I joined this list a little while ago. Been too busy to participate (I work as a cook in a candy shop and December is insanely busy), but wanted to send an intro and say how much I appreciate this list when I have had time to read some.
Husband and I have a son, Jorgen, 12, daughter, Grethe, 10, and daughter, Solvij, 7. We live in a pretty small town in coastal northern California (about 1400 people). Kids have never been to school and we are unschoolers. Although I have had some brain farts about math along the way.
Seems like there used to be more unschoolers around here in years past, but now we mostly encounter c-uh-rriculum-lovers. An example. We were at a craft/board game/social day gathering for homeschoolers this month. A woman was telling that some reading teacher in our area has designed a curriculum to teach any kid to read and would like make a free presentation to homeschoolers (you prolly know the drill on this). Then she asked some of us what materials we like to use to teach our kids to read. When she asked me, I asked if my daughter would share how she learned to read. She explained how we read to her, she looked at books and magazines she liked, asked questions, figured out words, etc. After she spoke, there was silence. Complete and utter silence. Until someone changed the subject. Sometimes I feel like a freak! Which is not necessarily a bad thing...
Thanks for being here,
Ann
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I'm Ann and I joined this list a little while ago. Been too busy to participate (I work as a cook in a candy shop and December is insanely busy), but wanted to send an intro and say how much I appreciate this list when I have had time to read some.
Husband and I have a son, Jorgen, 12, daughter, Grethe, 10, and daughter, Solvij, 7. We live in a pretty small town in coastal northern California (about 1400 people). Kids have never been to school and we are unschoolers. Although I have had some brain farts about math along the way.
Seems like there used to be more unschoolers around here in years past, but now we mostly encounter c-uh-rriculum-lovers. An example. We were at a craft/board game/social day gathering for homeschoolers this month. A woman was telling that some reading teacher in our area has designed a curriculum to teach any kid to read and would like make a free presentation to homeschoolers (you prolly know the drill on this). Then she asked some of us what materials we like to use to teach our kids to read. When she asked me, I asked if my daughter would share how she learned to read. She explained how we read to her, she looked at books and magazines she liked, asked questions, figured out words, etc. After she spoke, there was silence. Complete and utter silence. Until someone changed the subject. Sometimes I feel like a freak! Which is not necessarily a bad thing...
Thanks for being here,
Ann
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
Hi, Ann.
In a message dated 12/29/01 10:42:17 AM, stargate@... writes:
<< A woman was telling that some reading teacher in our area has designed a
curriculum to teach any kid to read and would like make a free presentation
to homeschoolers (you prolly know the drill on this). >>
I get calls for being listed as a group leader, for Albuquerque Unschoolers.
There actually did used to be a group, but two years ago I got tired of it
and took a year off, and now there are two other groups not at all pressing
unschooling, but each with some unschoolers, and some varied "other."
So when I take the calls I'm just speaking for myself and a former group.
These are the answers I gave years ago and that I still do now:
"I'd like to put an ad in your group's newsletter."
"We don't have a newsletter."
Silence.
What's a group without a newsletter?
"What services does your group provide?"
"None."
Silence, followed by "But you're homeschoolers?"
"Yes."
"And you have a group?"
"A playgroup only."
Silence.
Or my favorite, when I say the people in our group don't WANT to buy any
educational materials, the salesperson will say "Can I make a presentation at
your next meeting?"
"No. It wouldn't do you any good."
They just don't get those answers. Their options are to converse and hear
about John Holt and the open classroom or they just say okay, bye.
Sandra
In a message dated 12/29/01 10:42:17 AM, stargate@... writes:
<< A woman was telling that some reading teacher in our area has designed a
curriculum to teach any kid to read and would like make a free presentation
to homeschoolers (you prolly know the drill on this). >>
I get calls for being listed as a group leader, for Albuquerque Unschoolers.
There actually did used to be a group, but two years ago I got tired of it
and took a year off, and now there are two other groups not at all pressing
unschooling, but each with some unschoolers, and some varied "other."
So when I take the calls I'm just speaking for myself and a former group.
These are the answers I gave years ago and that I still do now:
"I'd like to put an ad in your group's newsletter."
"We don't have a newsletter."
Silence.
What's a group without a newsletter?
"What services does your group provide?"
"None."
Silence, followed by "But you're homeschoolers?"
"Yes."
"And you have a group?"
"A playgroup only."
Silence.
Or my favorite, when I say the people in our group don't WANT to buy any
educational materials, the salesperson will say "Can I make a presentation at
your next meeting?"
"No. It wouldn't do you any good."
They just don't get those answers. Their options are to converse and hear
about John Holt and the open classroom or they just say okay, bye.
Sandra
Jorgen & Ann
<<I get calls for being listed as a group leader, for Albuquerque Unschoolers.
There actually did used to be a group, but two years ago I got tired of it
and took a year off, and now there are two other groups not at all pressing
unschooling, but each with some unschoolers, and some varied "other.">>
Our local group (never an unschooling group) has been going through wild turmoil supposedly revolving around charter schools. It originally was a sort ofloose association of folks with no membership or formal leaders, and open to all homeschoolers who could behave themselves. Then some real uptight folks got involved and things changed a lot. Membership forms, mandatory volunteering, no chartites allowed, prayer circles to save heathen families. The group was "disbanded" by some who then formed their own group just the way they like it. Some folks said no way are we done, and the original group staggers on. An interesting way to create two groups. I have hope that some kind of unschooling circle (maybe of 2 or 3) will emerge from all this.
I can understand why salesfolk would be speechless at the prospect of no prospective buyers for their educational thingies, but I have a hard time wrapping my mind around homeschoolers who seem to have no interest in different ways kids learn. I consider that the starting point of a conversation, not the end.
I forgot to mention that the reading teacher in my anecdote has a 2-year-old she is homeschooling and wants to "join" the group.;-)
Ann
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
There actually did used to be a group, but two years ago I got tired of it
and took a year off, and now there are two other groups not at all pressing
unschooling, but each with some unschoolers, and some varied "other.">>
Our local group (never an unschooling group) has been going through wild turmoil supposedly revolving around charter schools. It originally was a sort ofloose association of folks with no membership or formal leaders, and open to all homeschoolers who could behave themselves. Then some real uptight folks got involved and things changed a lot. Membership forms, mandatory volunteering, no chartites allowed, prayer circles to save heathen families. The group was "disbanded" by some who then formed their own group just the way they like it. Some folks said no way are we done, and the original group staggers on. An interesting way to create two groups. I have hope that some kind of unschooling circle (maybe of 2 or 3) will emerge from all this.
I can understand why salesfolk would be speechless at the prospect of no prospective buyers for their educational thingies, but I have a hard time wrapping my mind around homeschoolers who seem to have no interest in different ways kids learn. I consider that the starting point of a conversation, not the end.
I forgot to mention that the reading teacher in my anecdote has a 2-year-old she is homeschooling and wants to "join" the group.;-)
Ann
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 12/30/01 9:32:27 AM, stargate@... writes:
<< I have a hard time wrapping my mind around homeschoolers who seem to have
no interest in different ways kids learn >>
There used to be people come to AOL when that was the hoppin, happenin
homeschooling place and ask this question, over and over people would ask:
"How much time will it take?" They really wanted a small and definite
number, like "four hours a day" or "they can be done and in college at
fifteen."
They weren't looking to change their lives. They were looking NOT to. To
have homeschooling somehow take less time and effort than getting people
ready for school and then picking them up was taking.
Now I personally think that unschooling takes less effort than getting to and
back from school, but that's only AFTER you change your entire life and
philosophy. <bwg>
Sandra
<< I have a hard time wrapping my mind around homeschoolers who seem to have
no interest in different ways kids learn >>
There used to be people come to AOL when that was the hoppin, happenin
homeschooling place and ask this question, over and over people would ask:
"How much time will it take?" They really wanted a small and definite
number, like "four hours a day" or "they can be done and in college at
fifteen."
They weren't looking to change their lives. They were looking NOT to. To
have homeschooling somehow take less time and effort than getting people
ready for school and then picking them up was taking.
Now I personally think that unschooling takes less effort than getting to and
back from school, but that's only AFTER you change your entire life and
philosophy. <bwg>
Sandra
meghan anderson
<<<<I forgot to mention that the reading teacher in my
anecdote has a
2-year-old she is homeschooling and wants to "join"
the group.;-)
Ann>>>>
Oh my Dodd!!
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anecdote has a
2-year-old she is homeschooling and wants to "join"
the group.;-)
Ann>>>>
Oh my Dodd!!
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