[email protected]

In a message dated 1/31/2004 9:08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
Are we to reject all that is school related?<<<<<<<<<<


Reject it. Yes, for now. Banish ALL school-think now. Every bit of it. You
need to DEschool FIRST, then you can start looking at some "schooly" things as
OK. More experienced unschoolers: ignore my school-speak.

Because you're looking at things in a "schooly" way, I want you to do this
for me. You've just been enrolled in "The Church of John Holt School". The
headmistress/guru is Sandra Dodd (it's her list, after all). Your "teachers" are
all the experienced posters on this e-list (It's an internet based school.).
They each have different "specalties, but they all "get it", so we're all on the
same page.

Joyce is our voice of reason--she has a brilliant way of breaking things down
for beginners and her anaolgies are spot-on!
pam (little p) is our math wiz, who will make sure you know that you are
surrounded by math daily and how best to *see* it.
Deb L can get a little loud about rights of children, so she's our children's
advocate; she's also my comic relief.
Ren is our "spiritual leader" and a perfect example of someone who struggled
to get here (her whole, strange trip is available in the archives of
unschooling.com boards) .
Kathryn's our new unschooling conference coordinator, enabling you to meet
all these fine folks IRL.
Pam H had understood unschooling before her oldest could even walk!
Mary (Zenmomma) understands kids who are "labeled" and can move you away from
labels quickly.
My husband last night called me the "Billy Graham of UNschooling". I am the
evangelist---I scream the loudest! And I want to convert you! <BWG>.

Others of you "teachers", please write in and tell me your specialties----I'm
busy typing, and although I don't want to exclude anyone, I'm on a
rollllllll.....



But right now, you're in UNschooling kindergarten. We want you to
PLAY----just like in "old-time kindergarten". We need for you to understand that PLAYING
is LEARNING.

This is the first "rule" of unschooling. PLAY!

Second rule. Everything counts. Everything you learn----on purpose or
accidentally----counts. You WILL eventually make a connection with that tiny bit of
information you discovered yesterday. Give it time. Connect the dots.

Third Rule. You will only remember what is important to Y-O-U! And that can
change over time. The best way to learn things is through immersion IN those
things. Passions.

Rule four. ALL things are connected. ALL THINGS! You know the "Seven Degrees
of Separation of Kevin Bacon? I promise that there are fewer than seven
degrees between all things in the universe. Try us! <G>

Rule five. There is NO division in UNschooling. Now before pam (little p)
chimes in with 6/3, let me clarify. We do NOT divide the world into "subjects".
Math is art is science is history is music is literature. It's all related and
inter-related. YOUR school makes these divisions; The Church of John Holt
School does not.

Rule six. Well-roundedness is over-rated. At the same time, by immersing
yourself into a passion, you automatically cover all the "badschool subjects". You
can't help it!

Rule seven. Ban Book Worship! You need to see all methods of getting
knowledge into the brain as equal. Books may take a back-seat in a child's learning
for a while. That's OK. There are MANY ways to obtain information: TV, games,
eating out/eating IN, movies, vacations, talking,----yeah! just plain old
enagaging each other in conversation!

Rule eight. The only times we cannot learn are 1) when we are in a coma (and
I don't know that for sure). 2) when we are frightened. Learning stops when we
are scared. and 3) when we are forced. Coersion is not conducive to true
learning. Regurgitation, maybe. Learning, NO.

I'm sure there are some more "school rules" that some of our other "teachers"
can add, but....I'm on a rollllll....


AFTER you ban the school-think and school-speak from your mind, THEN you can
slowly start adding it in. But as unschooling "teachers", our first lesson is
to get you to leave those words and acts behind. We *have to* get you to see
that you are surrounded by opportunities to learn. You can't escape it. You're
hard-wired to learn.

DEschooling is the healing process that takes place after school----for YOU
and the child. You can't rush it any more than you can rush a broken leg to
heal. You *can* do things to relieve that pain though. Offer to read to him. Take
him out to the new Korean restaurant. Most importantly, stay away from
"classes and lessons" until he's ready to accept them as "just another option". Our
culture puts too much emphasis on classes and lessons and teachers and
requirements and such. You'll need to keep that at arm's length for a while until you
are comfortable with the idea that you CAN learn without them.

>>>>>>>>Isn't part of it having the choice to choose what you want to learn
and how you learn it?>>>>>

Once you're comfortable with the idea that classes aren't the be-all-end-all,
then you can offer some kind of specialty class---like karate or riding
lessons or piano (Consider that John Holt High School). AFTER you know in your
heart of hearts that ALL learning is equal, that ALL learning can be obtained
from *living*, THEN classes may eke into your unschooling life (College of John
Holt).

OK. I'm going to send this before I lose it! <G> The rest of the faculty can
join in. Maybe we can make it into a booklet for de-/unschooling! <BWG>

~Kelly


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Jon and Rue Kream

Kelly - That was a fun post to read :0). I wanna be someone too! ~Rue


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

Billy Graham for sure! Wow. That was a heck of a sermon. Weird, but fun.

<< >>>>>>>>Isn't part of it having the choice to choose what you want to
learn
and how you learn it?>>>>> >>

Util you really understand that formal instruction is not necessary, you
won't be making a choice. You'll be acting from fear and habit.

-=-Are we to reject all that is school related?<<<<<<<<<<

-=-Reject it. Yes, for now. Banish ALL school-think now. Every bit of it. -=-

It's truly worth doing, as an exercise.
And it becomes NOT just an exercise, soon after you start. It becomes a
shift in thinking and a new awareness. You don't even have to leave your chair,
just start hearing your own words and your own thoughts.

Here's something to maybe help:

http://sandradodd.com/wordswords
and
http://sandradodd.com/deschooling

Sandra

Joanna Wilkinson

>
> OK. I'm going to send this before I lose it! <G> The rest of the
faculty can
> join in. Maybe we can make it into a booklet for de-/unschooling!
<BWG>
>
> ~Kelly


That was awesome Kelly!
I copied the rules and am posting it to my local unschooers list.
It's a boring little list, but i keep it alive by throwing them gems
like this one everyone once in a while.
Joanna

one4oneness

Let me give you an "AMEN!" Play I can definately do. And do it we
will! I printed this post out twice. One to hang by my mirror and
the other to keep in my planner.

Just reading this just brought to my attention although you didn't
say it, that right now I'm acting like a control freak. The sad
thing is I'm trying to control something that not only does not need
my overbearing control but also will be hindered if I don't loosen
up. Just call me Lenny. ;->

Taunya


--- In [email protected], kbcdlovejo@a... wrote:
> In a message dated 1/31/2004 9:08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> [email protected] writes:
> Are we to reject all that is school related?<<<<<<<<<<
>
>
> Reject it. Yes, for now. Banish ALL school-think now. Every bit of
it. You
> need to DEschool FIRST, then you can start looking at
some "schooly" things as
> OK. More experienced unschoolers: ignore my school-speak.
>
> Because you're looking at things in a "schooly" way, I want you to
do this
> for me. You've just been enrolled in "The Church of John Holt
School". The
> headmistress/guru is Sandra Dodd (it's her list, after all).
Your "teachers" are
> all the experienced posters on this e-list (It's an internet based
school.).
> They each have different "specalties, but they all "get it", so
we're all on the
> same page.
>
> Joyce is our voice of reason--she has a brilliant way of breaking
things down
> for beginners and her anaolgies are spot-on!
> pam (little p) is our math wiz, who will make sure you know that
you are
> surrounded by math daily and how best to *see* it.
> Deb L can get a little loud about rights of children, so she's our
children's
> advocate; she's also my comic relief.
> Ren is our "spiritual leader" and a perfect example of someone who
struggled
> to get here (her whole, strange trip is available in the archives
of
> unschooling.com boards) .
> Kathryn's our new unschooling conference coordinator, enabling you
to meet
> all these fine folks IRL.
> Pam H had understood unschooling before her oldest could even walk!
> Mary (Zenmomma) understands kids who are "labeled" and can move
you away from
> labels quickly.
> My husband last night called me the "Billy Graham of UNschooling".
I am the
> evangelist---I scream the loudest! And I want to convert you!
<BWG>.
>
> Others of you "teachers", please write in and tell me your
specialties----I'm
> busy typing, and although I don't want to exclude anyone, I'm on a
> rollllllll.....
>
>
>
> But right now, you're in UNschooling kindergarten. We want you to
> PLAY----just like in "old-time kindergarten". We need for you to
understand that PLAYING
> is LEARNING.
>
> This is the first "rule" of unschooling. PLAY!
>
> Second rule. Everything counts. Everything you learn----on purpose
or
> accidentally----counts. You WILL eventually make a connection with
that tiny bit of
> information you discovered yesterday. Give it time. Connect the
dots.
>
> Third Rule. You will only remember what is important to Y-O-U! And
that can
> change over time. The best way to learn things is through
immersion IN those
> things. Passions.
>
> Rule four. ALL things are connected. ALL THINGS! You know
the "Seven Degrees
> of Separation of Kevin Bacon? I promise that there are fewer than
seven
> degrees between all things in the universe. Try us! <G>
>
> Rule five. There is NO division in UNschooling. Now before pam
(little p)
> chimes in with 6/3, let me clarify. We do NOT divide the world
into "subjects".
> Math is art is science is history is music is literature. It's all
related and
> inter-related. YOUR school makes these divisions; The Church of
John Holt
> School does not.
>
> Rule six. Well-roundedness is over-rated. At the same time, by
immersing
> yourself into a passion, you automatically cover all
the "badschool subjects". You
> can't help it!
>
> Rule seven. Ban Book Worship! You need to see all methods of
getting
> knowledge into the brain as equal. Books may take a back-seat in a
child's learning
> for a while. That's OK. There are MANY ways to obtain information:
TV, games,
> eating out/eating IN, movies, vacations, talking,----yeah! just
plain old
> enagaging each other in conversation!
>
> Rule eight. The only times we cannot learn are 1) when we are in a
coma (and
> I don't know that for sure). 2) when we are frightened. Learning
stops when we
> are scared. and 3) when we are forced. Coersion is not conducive
to true
> learning. Regurgitation, maybe. Learning, NO.
>
> I'm sure there are some more "school rules" that some of our
other "teachers"
> can add, but....I'm on a rollllll....
>
>
> AFTER you ban the school-think and school-speak from your mind,
THEN you can
> slowly start adding it in. But as unschooling "teachers", our
first lesson is
> to get you to leave those words and acts behind. We *have to* get
you to see
> that you are surrounded by opportunities to learn. You can't
escape it. You're
> hard-wired to learn.
>
> DEschooling is the healing process that takes place after school---
-for YOU
> and the child. You can't rush it any more than you can rush a
broken leg to
> heal. You *can* do things to relieve that pain though. Offer to
read to him. Take
> him out to the new Korean restaurant. Most importantly, stay away
from
> "classes and lessons" until he's ready to accept them as "just
another option". Our
> culture puts too much emphasis on classes and lessons and teachers
and
> requirements and such. You'll need to keep that at arm's length
for a while until you
> are comfortable with the idea that you CAN learn without them.
>
> >>>>>>>>Isn't part of it having the choice to choose what you want
to learn
> and how you learn it?>>>>>
>
> Once you're comfortable with the idea that classes aren't the be-
all-end-all,
> then you can offer some kind of specialty class---like karate or
riding
> lessons or piano (Consider that John Holt High School). AFTER you
know in your
> heart of hearts that ALL learning is equal, that ALL learning can
be obtained
> from *living*, THEN classes may eke into your unschooling life
(College of John
> Holt).
>
> OK. I'm going to send this before I lose it! <G> The rest of the
faculty can
> join in. Maybe we can make it into a booklet for de-/unschooling!
<BWG>
>
> ~Kelly
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]