Use of journal
Katherinev
Hi All,
I'm not new to homeschooling but I am new to unschooling. I feel a bit nervous with unschooling because I have pulled Heidi out of school mid-year, and so I know she needs detox time. Right now she feels her new freedom and spends a lot of time on computer games -- something that I used to limit quite a bit. I'm nervous because if I do have to put her back in school in a year or so, I don't want her to be horribly behind, but I understand that she needs time to experience her freedom.
I have been having her keep a learning journal where she records her activities and plans her learning for the day. She keeps a journal so I don't think this is painful for her. We talked about the need to keep some record for the sake of having a kind of legal record. I also would like her to think about her day and what she might consider learning in it. My fear is that I am putting a little policeman in her head that suggests that living must be validated with learning. I'm also concerned because I am reminding her each day, and it hasn't evolved from her ownership.
What does everyone think?
Thanks, Kathy
I'm not new to homeschooling but I am new to unschooling. I feel a bit nervous with unschooling because I have pulled Heidi out of school mid-year, and so I know she needs detox time. Right now she feels her new freedom and spends a lot of time on computer games -- something that I used to limit quite a bit. I'm nervous because if I do have to put her back in school in a year or so, I don't want her to be horribly behind, but I understand that she needs time to experience her freedom.
I have been having her keep a learning journal where she records her activities and plans her learning for the day. She keeps a journal so I don't think this is painful for her. We talked about the need to keep some record for the sake of having a kind of legal record. I also would like her to think about her day and what she might consider learning in it. My fear is that I am putting a little policeman in her head that suggests that living must be validated with learning. I'm also concerned because I am reminding her each day, and it hasn't evolved from her ownership.
What does everyone think?
Thanks, Kathy
Sandra Dodd
-=- I'm nervous because if I do have to put her back in school in a
year or so,-=-
Why would you "have to" do that?
Please think about "have to":
http://sandradodd.com/haveto
If you try to homeschool with the idea that your pickup truck should
keep up with the speeding train in case she needs to jump from one to
the other, that's kind of how homeschooling goes.
Unschooling doesn't speed alongside the school tracks at all, though.
-=-I have been having her keep a learning journal where she records
her activities and plans her learning for the day. -=-
This is your new unschooling plan, or that's what you have been doing
as part of the structured homeschooling?
Oh... Robyn has responded and her ideas are good.
Thinking that your daughter "plans her learning for the day" is quite
opposite of unschooling, in which you create a rich life and learning
happens all the time.
http://sandradodd.com/nest
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
year or so,-=-
Why would you "have to" do that?
Please think about "have to":
http://sandradodd.com/haveto
If you try to homeschool with the idea that your pickup truck should
keep up with the speeding train in case she needs to jump from one to
the other, that's kind of how homeschooling goes.
Unschooling doesn't speed alongside the school tracks at all, though.
-=-I have been having her keep a learning journal where she records
her activities and plans her learning for the day. -=-
This is your new unschooling plan, or that's what you have been doing
as part of the structured homeschooling?
Oh... Robyn has responded and her ideas are good.
Thinking that your daughter "plans her learning for the day" is quite
opposite of unschooling, in which you create a rich life and learning
happens all the time.
http://sandradodd.com/nest
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
Hi Kathy;
Like you, we're new to unschooling but not to homeschooling. I found it so hard to let go, but am amazed as I look back on our first 3 weeks & see all the things they did. Sometimes I can't help but but put my 2 cents in to make sure they remember they need a quality education, but they really have surprised me. My 13 yr old has been reading about the war of 1812, got library books on how to cut hair & make skirts. My 8 yr old wanted to know how to make fire works & where they come from. Today for math & history we're taking a trip to the bank to take out money (& redeposit after) to learn whose on what bill & coin. In the process, my older daughter will learn to balance a checkbook. Both girls have the challenge of figuring out how much we need to withdraw in order to solve the mysteries of whose on what? Also, my younger daughter gets blood work done, so we'll be discussing what's happening to her regarding that appointment. These activities will surely draw out more curiosities & I'm looking forward to it. She actually gets her blood drawn often, but I never thought to discuss it in detail....until now, being an unscooler. I think over time you will be able to look back & rest assured that your daughter is learning. Since everyone has strengths & weaknesses, there's no need to fret if she will be behind or not. School & Education doesn't qualify us for anything really....I know very little about being a postal worker, park ranger, store manager, seamstress, painter, gardening, etc, etc. No matter what field of work or career we choose, we usually learn about it just prior to doing it. Whatever skills are needed for the position will be addressed as needed. I hope I've been able to encourage you. :) Oh yea, by allowing her to focus on her strengths & areas of interest will greatly enable her to become the beautiful genius that she naturally is. :) No one knows everything & we're all behind in some areas.
Have a blessed day.
Linnea.
Like you, we're new to unschooling but not to homeschooling. I found it so hard to let go, but am amazed as I look back on our first 3 weeks & see all the things they did. Sometimes I can't help but but put my 2 cents in to make sure they remember they need a quality education, but they really have surprised me. My 13 yr old has been reading about the war of 1812, got library books on how to cut hair & make skirts. My 8 yr old wanted to know how to make fire works & where they come from. Today for math & history we're taking a trip to the bank to take out money (& redeposit after) to learn whose on what bill & coin. In the process, my older daughter will learn to balance a checkbook. Both girls have the challenge of figuring out how much we need to withdraw in order to solve the mysteries of whose on what? Also, my younger daughter gets blood work done, so we'll be discussing what's happening to her regarding that appointment. These activities will surely draw out more curiosities & I'm looking forward to it. She actually gets her blood drawn often, but I never thought to discuss it in detail....until now, being an unscooler. I think over time you will be able to look back & rest assured that your daughter is learning. Since everyone has strengths & weaknesses, there's no need to fret if she will be behind or not. School & Education doesn't qualify us for anything really....I know very little about being a postal worker, park ranger, store manager, seamstress, painter, gardening, etc, etc. No matter what field of work or career we choose, we usually learn about it just prior to doing it. Whatever skills are needed for the position will be addressed as needed. I hope I've been able to encourage you. :) Oh yea, by allowing her to focus on her strengths & areas of interest will greatly enable her to become the beautiful genius that she naturally is. :) No one knows everything & we're all behind in some areas.
Have a blessed day.
Linnea.
--- In [email protected], "Katherinev" <kvonduyke@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
> I'm not new to homeschooling but I am new to unschooling. I feel a bit nervous with unschooling because I have pulled Heidi out of school mid-year, and so I know she needs detox time. Right now she feels her new freedom and spends a lot of time on computer games -- something that I used to limit quite a bit. I'm nervous because if I do have to put her back in school in a year or so, I don't want her to be horribly behind, but I understand that she needs time to experience her freedom.
>
> I have been having her keep a learning journal where she records her activities and plans her learning for the day. She keeps a journal so I don't think this is painful for her. We talked about the need to keep some record for the sake of having a kind of legal record. I also would like her to think about her day and what she might consider learning in it. My fear is that I am putting a little policeman in her head that suggests that living must be validated with learning. I'm also concerned because I am reminding her each day, and it hasn't evolved from her ownership.
>
> What does everyone think?
>
> Thanks, Kathy
>
Sandra Dodd
-=-. Sometimes I can't help but but put my 2 cents in to make sure
they remember they need a quality education=-
Eeek! Try to help it. <g>
Neither "quality" nor "education" are ideas that will get you nearer
to natural learning.
-=-Today for math & history we're...-=-
Until you stop doing anything particularly "for math" or "for
history," unschooling will elude you.
-=-Today for math & history we're taking a trip to the bank to take
out money (& redeposit after) to learn whose on what bill & coin. In-=-
Can't you go to the bank for normal reasons?
There are pictures of money on the internet. You don't need to
trouble the people at the bank to show you real money to find out who
is on what bill and coin.
-=- Both girls have the challenge of figuring out how much we need to
withdraw in order to solve the mysteries of whose on what?-=-
Are they not allowed to figure it out together? Are they not allowed
to ask? Sounds like homework.
-=-School & Education doesn't qualify us for anything really....-=-
Learning does, though.
-=I know very little about being a postal worker, park ranger, store
manager, seamstress, painter, gardening, etc, etc. No matter what
field of work or career we choose, we usually learn about it just
prior to doing it. Whatever skills are needed for the position will be
addressed as needed.-=-
Most jobs are learned on the job. Even when someone has to have an
engineering degree to get a job, he will have NO idea what the
projects will be about in advance of his acceptance interview.
Medical school only qualifies people to be residents, where they learn
to be doctors on the job.
As much as I REALLY love enthusiasm, those who are new to unschooling
and inexperienced should read a whole lot and post just a little.
That experience will come and the stories will flow, for sure.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
they remember they need a quality education=-
Eeek! Try to help it. <g>
Neither "quality" nor "education" are ideas that will get you nearer
to natural learning.
-=-Today for math & history we're...-=-
Until you stop doing anything particularly "for math" or "for
history," unschooling will elude you.
-=-Today for math & history we're taking a trip to the bank to take
out money (& redeposit after) to learn whose on what bill & coin. In-=-
Can't you go to the bank for normal reasons?
There are pictures of money on the internet. You don't need to
trouble the people at the bank to show you real money to find out who
is on what bill and coin.
-=- Both girls have the challenge of figuring out how much we need to
withdraw in order to solve the mysteries of whose on what?-=-
Are they not allowed to figure it out together? Are they not allowed
to ask? Sounds like homework.
-=-School & Education doesn't qualify us for anything really....-=-
Learning does, though.
-=I know very little about being a postal worker, park ranger, store
manager, seamstress, painter, gardening, etc, etc. No matter what
field of work or career we choose, we usually learn about it just
prior to doing it. Whatever skills are needed for the position will be
addressed as needed.-=-
Most jobs are learned on the job. Even when someone has to have an
engineering degree to get a job, he will have NO idea what the
projects will be about in advance of his acceptance interview.
Medical school only qualifies people to be residents, where they learn
to be doctors on the job.
As much as I REALLY love enthusiasm, those who are new to unschooling
and inexperienced should read a whole lot and post just a little.
That experience will come and the stories will flow, for sure.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Robyn L. Coburn
<<<<I found it so hard to let go, but am amazed as I look back on our first
3 weeks & see all the things they did. Sometimes I can't help but but put my
2 cents in to make sure they remember they need a quality education, but
they really have surprised me.>>>
3 weeks is not very long. Your 2 cents is probably not actually helping them
to deschool.
<<<< Today for math & history we're taking a trip to the bank to take out
money (& redeposit after) to learn whose on what bill & coin. In the
process, my older daughter will learn to balance a checkbook. Both girls
have the challenge of figuring out how much we need to withdraw in order to
solve the mysteries of whose on what? >>>>
As you continue to deschool and delve into unschooling, you will be able to
let go of these subject distinctions, which are irrelelvant to unschooling.
I hope you will be able to let go of setting up these contrived
"educational" situations and trust that they will learn all the arithmetic
they need in the course of real activities.
I don't think they "have the challenge" - I think you are assigning school
work. Are your daughters interested today in who's on the bills?
Unschooling is about learning, not a "quality education". Worrying about
externally defined success and the undetermined distant future could get in
the way of seeing real learning and passion today.
I just submitted our tax return. We expect a much, much needed refund. Jayn
is still owed a doll from her birthday to replace her present that she
decided to return as defective, so we decided to allocate a small portion of
our tax return to her purchase.
She spent some time with a pencil and paper working out how much some
different combinations of dolls would cost her. Doing "big" sums has never
come up for her before, only finger counting sums.
She announced how much a paticular pair would cost her, and I have to admit
I was skeptical and wanted to check her math. On the back of an envelope she
had written:
20 + 20 = 40
9 + 9 = 18
100 + 100 = 200
40 + 18 = 58
AT = 258 (AT means "all together")
129 + 129 = 258
Now if that doesn't show a complete understanding of how the numbers work,
how tens and hundreds etc work, I don't know what does.
Then she told me that she would need an extra $8 over her budget if she went
this particular way.
I am so impressed with that piece of paper, and her understanding that has
blossomed from just playing around with numbers at different times.
Robyn L. Coburn
www.Iggyjingles.etsy.com
www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
www.allthingsdoll.blogspot.com
3 weeks & see all the things they did. Sometimes I can't help but but put my
2 cents in to make sure they remember they need a quality education, but
they really have surprised me.>>>
3 weeks is not very long. Your 2 cents is probably not actually helping them
to deschool.
<<<< Today for math & history we're taking a trip to the bank to take out
money (& redeposit after) to learn whose on what bill & coin. In the
process, my older daughter will learn to balance a checkbook. Both girls
have the challenge of figuring out how much we need to withdraw in order to
solve the mysteries of whose on what? >>>>
As you continue to deschool and delve into unschooling, you will be able to
let go of these subject distinctions, which are irrelelvant to unschooling.
I hope you will be able to let go of setting up these contrived
"educational" situations and trust that they will learn all the arithmetic
they need in the course of real activities.
I don't think they "have the challenge" - I think you are assigning school
work. Are your daughters interested today in who's on the bills?
Unschooling is about learning, not a "quality education". Worrying about
externally defined success and the undetermined distant future could get in
the way of seeing real learning and passion today.
I just submitted our tax return. We expect a much, much needed refund. Jayn
is still owed a doll from her birthday to replace her present that she
decided to return as defective, so we decided to allocate a small portion of
our tax return to her purchase.
She spent some time with a pencil and paper working out how much some
different combinations of dolls would cost her. Doing "big" sums has never
come up for her before, only finger counting sums.
She announced how much a paticular pair would cost her, and I have to admit
I was skeptical and wanted to check her math. On the back of an envelope she
had written:
20 + 20 = 40
9 + 9 = 18
100 + 100 = 200
40 + 18 = 58
AT = 258 (AT means "all together")
129 + 129 = 258
Now if that doesn't show a complete understanding of how the numbers work,
how tens and hundreds etc work, I don't know what does.
Then she told me that she would need an extra $8 over her budget if she went
this particular way.
I am so impressed with that piece of paper, and her understanding that has
blossomed from just playing around with numbers at different times.
Robyn L. Coburn
www.Iggyjingles.etsy.com
www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
www.allthingsdoll.blogspot.com
lalow66
>I think one of my favorite things about unschooling is to see how kids who havnt been taught math,come up with figures like that.
> 20 + 20 = 40
> 9 + 9 = 18
> 100 + 100 = 200
> 40 + 18 = 58
> AT = 258 (AT means "all together")
> 129 + 129 = 258
>
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY
My 7 year old likes does a lot of thinking about numbers and then turns to me
and say things like:
"YOu know 125 plus 125 is 250"
When he was six we were driving to Cub Scouts and he was like:
"Oh I know now. IT goes like 10,20,30-100. THen it goes like 100,200,300..."
Making connections just by living life and playing.
I know it does not matter to us but just this last month he did take
the annual testing required here in MN.
He "scored" at 3rd grade level in Math concepts.
He has never been to nay kind of school or pre-school and had any formal
math classes.
But he can understand how numbers work at a higher level than most the kids his age
that have gone to school or had math lessons.
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
_
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
and say things like:
"YOu know 125 plus 125 is 250"
When he was six we were driving to Cub Scouts and he was like:
"Oh I know now. IT goes like 10,20,30-100. THen it goes like 100,200,300..."
Making connections just by living life and playing.
I know it does not matter to us but just this last month he did take
the annual testing required here in MN.
He "scored" at 3rd grade level in Math concepts.
He has never been to nay kind of school or pre-school and had any formal
math classes.
But he can understand how numbers work at a higher level than most the kids his age
that have gone to school or had math lessons.
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
_
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
Well, like I said, we're new to unschooling & obviously have a lot to learn, especially now that I know I'm way off base. Thank you Sandra for your guidance & redirection. By the way, I listened to a pod cast interview that you were in & you really inspired me further to attempt this way of life. However, as you can see, I'm a work in progress.
#1. I'm currently reading, The Everything Homeschooling Book, by Sherri Linsenbach. It mentions (pg 108), that the unschooler is aware that part of his responsibility as a youngster in the household is to get a good education & is usually encouraged to pursue things they're interested in, etc, etc. *That's where I got the education statement from....But as I recall, a baby is not educated to learn to walk. They just learn by doing & doing again. So, I'll get that word out of my vocabulary. :) lol.
Math & History: I only called it math & history for the sake of the reader. The girls & I just went to do what they wanted.
The bank trip: my daughter wanted to do the matching game & I just thought it would be more fun to go than researching online. The girls agreed. We just withdrew from an online school & want to get out of the house to be free from this ol' ball & chain style of living on the internet. We just withdrew the money & went to the car to do our activities. Then put it back. Yes, we do go to the bank for normal reasons, but it just seemed like a fun thing to do. They really loved hanging out with the $186.91 & even got to keep a quarter each for a gumball. They were happy.
The girls & I all worked together.
When I said, "Whatever skills are needed for the position will be
addressed as needed". I just meant that they'd be learned on the job.
Being so new, I wasn't sure if I should post a response this morning but wasn't sure if someone else would & I wanted her to feel encouraged, so I did. I have been reading a lot & have a lot of questions too, but I usually refrain from asking them because I figure I'll get the answers as I learn more about it. We only know one unschooling family in the area & we've never met in person, only via a meetup group online. I feel like the lone ranger here at times & can't wait to meet up with others in person.
I have to admit, I feel like I spent some time under a microscope today when I was just trying to be helpful. However, I'm also aware that you're just guiding & directing as necessary to help as well. So, in the future, I'll do my best to only post what I'm sure to be good advice regarding unschooling. :)
Thanks again.
Linnea.
#1. I'm currently reading, The Everything Homeschooling Book, by Sherri Linsenbach. It mentions (pg 108), that the unschooler is aware that part of his responsibility as a youngster in the household is to get a good education & is usually encouraged to pursue things they're interested in, etc, etc. *That's where I got the education statement from....But as I recall, a baby is not educated to learn to walk. They just learn by doing & doing again. So, I'll get that word out of my vocabulary. :) lol.
Math & History: I only called it math & history for the sake of the reader. The girls & I just went to do what they wanted.
The bank trip: my daughter wanted to do the matching game & I just thought it would be more fun to go than researching online. The girls agreed. We just withdrew from an online school & want to get out of the house to be free from this ol' ball & chain style of living on the internet. We just withdrew the money & went to the car to do our activities. Then put it back. Yes, we do go to the bank for normal reasons, but it just seemed like a fun thing to do. They really loved hanging out with the $186.91 & even got to keep a quarter each for a gumball. They were happy.
The girls & I all worked together.
When I said, "Whatever skills are needed for the position will be
addressed as needed". I just meant that they'd be learned on the job.
Being so new, I wasn't sure if I should post a response this morning but wasn't sure if someone else would & I wanted her to feel encouraged, so I did. I have been reading a lot & have a lot of questions too, but I usually refrain from asking them because I figure I'll get the answers as I learn more about it. We only know one unschooling family in the area & we've never met in person, only via a meetup group online. I feel like the lone ranger here at times & can't wait to meet up with others in person.
I have to admit, I feel like I spent some time under a microscope today when I was just trying to be helpful. However, I'm also aware that you're just guiding & directing as necessary to help as well. So, in the future, I'll do my best to only post what I'm sure to be good advice regarding unschooling. :)
Thanks again.
Linnea.
--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...> wrote:
>
> -=-. Sometimes I can't help but but put my 2 cents in to make sure
> they remember they need a quality education=-
>
> Eeek! Try to help it. <g>
>
> Neither "quality" nor "education" are ideas that will get you nearer
> to natural learning.
>
> -=-Today for math & history we're...-=-
>
> Until you stop doing anything particularly "for math" or "for
> history," unschooling will elude you.
>
> -=-Today for math & history we're taking a trip to the bank to take
> out money (& redeposit after) to learn whose on what bill & coin. In-=-
>
> Can't you go to the bank for normal reasons?
> There are pictures of money on the internet. You don't need to
> trouble the people at the bank to show you real money to find out who
> is on what bill and coin.
>
> -=- Both girls have the challenge of figuring out how much we need to
> withdraw in order to solve the mysteries of whose on what?-=-
>
> Are they not allowed to figure it out together? Are they not allowed
> to ask? Sounds like homework.
>
> -=-School & Education doesn't qualify us for anything really....-=-
>
> Learning does, though.
>
> -=I know very little about being a postal worker, park ranger, store
> manager, seamstress, painter, gardening, etc, etc. No matter what
> field of work or career we choose, we usually learn about it just
> prior to doing it. Whatever skills are needed for the position will be
> addressed as needed.-=-
>
> Most jobs are learned on the job. Even when someone has to have an
> engineering degree to get a job, he will have NO idea what the
> projects will be about in advance of his acceptance interview.
> Medical school only qualifies people to be residents, where they learn
> to be doctors on the job.
>
> As much as I REALLY love enthusiasm, those who are new to unschooling
> and inexperienced should read a whole lot and post just a little.
> That experience will come and the stories will flow, for sure.
>
> Sandra
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
Jenny Cyphers
***I'm nervous because if I do have to put her back in school in a year or so, I don't want her to be horribly behind, but I understand that she needs time to experience her freedom.***
How old is Heidi and why does she need to go back to school in a year or so?
As far as journaling for record keeping to be legal: First, is it necessary? Second, do you know your laws? and, Third, Why aren't you, the mom, doing the record keeping if it's necessary?
If it's not necessary, then journaling should be up to the person doing the journaling.
As to being behind, well depending on how old she is, much of what goes on in school is repetition. If she is high school age and wanting a diploma, that's different and will usually require some sort of credit hours.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
How old is Heidi and why does she need to go back to school in a year or so?
As far as journaling for record keeping to be legal: First, is it necessary? Second, do you know your laws? and, Third, Why aren't you, the mom, doing the record keeping if it's necessary?
If it's not necessary, then journaling should be up to the person doing the journaling.
As to being behind, well depending on how old she is, much of what goes on in school is repetition. If she is high school age and wanting a diploma, that's different and will usually require some sort of credit hours.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=-#1. I'm currently reading, The Everything Homeschooling Book, by
Sherri Linsenbach. It mentions (pg 108), that the unschooler is aware
that part of his responsibility as a youngster in the household is to
get a good education & is usually encouraged to pursue things they're
interested in, etc, etc. *That's where I got the education statement
from....-=-
I've never heard of that book.
It's rare for anyone who isn't an unschooler to even begin understand
unschooling.
If you decide to unschool, it would be better to read what unschoolers
have collected of the best of other unschoolers:
http://sandradodd.com/unschool/definition.html
-=I have to admit, I feel like I spent some time under a microscope
today when I was just trying to be helpful. -=-
I know you were, but if someone new comes to a list this old and this
large and gets help from someone also really very new, what are the
rest of us supposed to do? :-)
Seriously, there's not a more serious unschooling list out there. The
quality of suggestions has the potential to be the best anywhere. And
anything posted on this list is under the microscope. That's how the
list works. We put ideas out and other people poke at them and turn
them over.
-=-Being so new, I wasn't sure if I should post a response this
morning but wasn't sure if someone else would & I wanted her to feel
encouraged, so I did.-=-
Encouragement isn't the purpose of the list, though encouragement is
the result of participation on the list. That might sound crazy, I
know, but here's some more information about the list:
http://sandradodd.com/lists/alwayslearning
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sherri Linsenbach. It mentions (pg 108), that the unschooler is aware
that part of his responsibility as a youngster in the household is to
get a good education & is usually encouraged to pursue things they're
interested in, etc, etc. *That's where I got the education statement
from....-=-
I've never heard of that book.
It's rare for anyone who isn't an unschooler to even begin understand
unschooling.
If you decide to unschool, it would be better to read what unschoolers
have collected of the best of other unschoolers:
http://sandradodd.com/unschool/definition.html
-=I have to admit, I feel like I spent some time under a microscope
today when I was just trying to be helpful. -=-
I know you were, but if someone new comes to a list this old and this
large and gets help from someone also really very new, what are the
rest of us supposed to do? :-)
Seriously, there's not a more serious unschooling list out there. The
quality of suggestions has the potential to be the best anywhere. And
anything posted on this list is under the microscope. That's how the
list works. We put ideas out and other people poke at them and turn
them over.
-=-Being so new, I wasn't sure if I should post a response this
morning but wasn't sure if someone else would & I wanted her to feel
encouraged, so I did.-=-
Encouragement isn't the purpose of the list, though encouragement is
the result of participation on the list. That might sound crazy, I
know, but here's some more information about the list:
http://sandradodd.com/lists/alwayslearning
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
Re: my 2 cents not helping....yes, I know now that it wasn't helpful by way of unschooling or deschooling. I'll get the hang of this soon enough...I hope.
Re: The $ game thing; I too was surprised when my 8 yr old chose that activity out of a library book. When her sister saw it, she wanted to do it too. It was just a simple matching game that we didn't know the answers too & I thought it would be way cooler with real money. I didn't assign it but I did spend a miserable hour trying to force my 7 yr old to write about her day....which I won't do again, since I've been reading more about how this unschooling works. Being forced to do anything really does more harm than good.
Well, I'm sure glad I have this group where people tell it to ya straight! :)
Thanks!
Linnea.
Re: The $ game thing; I too was surprised when my 8 yr old chose that activity out of a library book. When her sister saw it, she wanted to do it too. It was just a simple matching game that we didn't know the answers too & I thought it would be way cooler with real money. I didn't assign it but I did spend a miserable hour trying to force my 7 yr old to write about her day....which I won't do again, since I've been reading more about how this unschooling works. Being forced to do anything really does more harm than good.
Well, I'm sure glad I have this group where people tell it to ya straight! :)
Thanks!
Linnea.
--- In [email protected], "Robyn L. Coburn" <dezigna@...> wrote:
>
> <<<<I found it so hard to let go, but am amazed as I look back on our first
> 3 weeks & see all the things they did. Sometimes I can't help but but put my
> 2 cents in to make sure they remember they need a quality education, but
> they really have surprised me.>>>
>
> 3 weeks is not very long. Your 2 cents is probably not actually helping them
> to deschool.
>
> <<<< Today for math & history we're taking a trip to the bank to take out
> money (& redeposit after) to learn whose on what bill & coin. In the
> process, my older daughter will learn to balance a checkbook. Both girls
> have the challenge of figuring out how much we need to withdraw in order to
> solve the mysteries of whose on what? >>>>
>
> As you continue to deschool and delve into unschooling, you will be able to
> let go of these subject distinctions, which are irrelelvant to unschooling.
> I hope you will be able to let go of setting up these contrived
> "educational" situations and trust that they will learn all the arithmetic
> they need in the course of real activities.
>
> I don't think they "have the challenge" - I think you are assigning school
> work. Are your daughters interested today in who's on the bills?
>
> Unschooling is about learning, not a "quality education". Worrying about
> externally defined success and the undetermined distant future could get in
> the way of seeing real learning and passion today.
>
> I just submitted our tax return. We expect a much, much needed refund. Jayn
> is still owed a doll from her birthday to replace her present that she
> decided to return as defective, so we decided to allocate a small portion of
> our tax return to her purchase.
>
> She spent some time with a pencil and paper working out how much some
> different combinations of dolls would cost her. Doing "big" sums has never
> come up for her before, only finger counting sums.
>
> She announced how much a paticular pair would cost her, and I have to admit
> I was skeptical and wanted to check her math. On the back of an envelope she
> had written:
>
> 20 + 20 = 40
> 9 + 9 = 18
> 100 + 100 = 200
> 40 + 18 = 58
> AT = 258 (AT means "all together")
> 129 + 129 = 258
>
> Now if that doesn't show a complete understanding of how the numbers work,
> how tens and hundreds etc work, I don't know what does.
>
> Then she told me that she would need an extra $8 over her budget if she went
> this particular way.
>
> I am so impressed with that piece of paper, and her understanding that has
> blossomed from just playing around with numbers at different times.
>
> Robyn L. Coburn
> www.Iggyjingles.etsy.com
> www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
> www.allthingsdoll.blogspot.com
>
melissamariemichael
> She announced how much a paticular pair would cost her, and I have to admitYesterday I was driving home with my 4 year old and we were discussing the Polly Pocket doll she's saving up to buy. She wanted to go to the store to buy it right away, and I said that the Polly Pocket she wanted cost about $10, but she only had about $8 saved up. Instantly she replied, "Only two more dollars!"
> I was skeptical and wanted to check her math. On the back of an envelope she
> had written:
>
> 20 + 20 = 40
> 9 + 9 = 18
> 100 + 100 = 200
> 40 + 18 = 58
> AT = 258 (AT means "all together")
> 129 + 129 = 258
>
> Now if that doesn't show a complete understanding of how the numbers work,
> how tens and hundreds etc work, I don't know what does.
>
> Then she told me that she would need an extra $8 over her budget if she went
> this particular way.
>
> I am so impressed with that piece of paper, and her understanding that has
> blossomed from just playing around with numbers at different times.
I was surprised because she had never demonstrated that kind of subtraction in her head before, and so quickly too - not using her fingers or anything. It was pretty cool. In the past, I had the bad habit of "quizzing" her intentionally to test her math ability. This was MUCH cooler. Now if I could only get our relatives to stop quizzing her in that patronizing way adults have...
d.lewis
***I have been having her keep a learning journal where she records her
activities and plans her learning for the day. She keeps a journal so I
don't think this is painful for her. ***
Not painful does not equal good.<g>
If she keeps her own journal because she wants to, she's learning more form
writing about life, feelings, politics -whatever she's writing about - (even
if she's doodling hearts around the names of cute famous people) than she
will learn from keeping a journal someone has assigned. The work we do
because we want to is what feeds our thoughts and builds connections to
other ideas and to other learning.
Maybe you should keep a journal.<g> (It's not an assignment, you can say no)
Write about what she does during the day. Make a big effort to write with a
positive spin. If she's on the computer resist the temptation to write
"spends a lot of time on computer games" and instead write something like, "
She's really enjoying using the computer."
If you view the things she's doing as just "spending time" (which some
people feel is the same as wasting time) your focus might be a little
negative. Brighten it up! See if you can look at the things she does
during the day in the most positive light. She wouldn't be doing them if
she wasn't getting something positive from them, right?
***We talked about the need to keep some record for the sake of having a
kind of legal record.***
Do you even need a legal record? In my state there was no such requirement.
If you do need some record it's really your responsibility to keep it. You
are the person who exempted her from compulsory attendance at school.
***I also would like her to think about her day and what she might consider
learning in it.***
If you find out what she'd like to do and then help her find a way to do it
she'll be learning all kinds of things.
***My fear is that I am putting a little policeman in her head that suggests
that living must be validated with learning. I'm also concerned because I am
reminding her each day, and it hasn't evolved from her ownership.***
So, you already know that making her keep a journal won't contribute to
natural learning and will probably foul it up. <g>
***I'm nervous because if I do have to put her back in school in a year or
so, I don't want her to be horribly behind...***
She wouldn't be "horribly behind." If you're imagining kids make some
great leap from one year to the next, they don't. They spend the first part
of the next year trying to memorize the same stuff they were supposed to
memorize the year before. If she frolicked with squirrels for a year she
wouldn't be "horribly behind" people who sat in a classroom "reviewing."
Deb Lewis
activities and plans her learning for the day. She keeps a journal so I
don't think this is painful for her. ***
Not painful does not equal good.<g>
If she keeps her own journal because she wants to, she's learning more form
writing about life, feelings, politics -whatever she's writing about - (even
if she's doodling hearts around the names of cute famous people) than she
will learn from keeping a journal someone has assigned. The work we do
because we want to is what feeds our thoughts and builds connections to
other ideas and to other learning.
Maybe you should keep a journal.<g> (It's not an assignment, you can say no)
Write about what she does during the day. Make a big effort to write with a
positive spin. If she's on the computer resist the temptation to write
"spends a lot of time on computer games" and instead write something like, "
She's really enjoying using the computer."
If you view the things she's doing as just "spending time" (which some
people feel is the same as wasting time) your focus might be a little
negative. Brighten it up! See if you can look at the things she does
during the day in the most positive light. She wouldn't be doing them if
she wasn't getting something positive from them, right?
***We talked about the need to keep some record for the sake of having a
kind of legal record.***
Do you even need a legal record? In my state there was no such requirement.
If you do need some record it's really your responsibility to keep it. You
are the person who exempted her from compulsory attendance at school.
***I also would like her to think about her day and what she might consider
learning in it.***
If you find out what she'd like to do and then help her find a way to do it
she'll be learning all kinds of things.
***My fear is that I am putting a little policeman in her head that suggests
that living must be validated with learning. I'm also concerned because I am
reminding her each day, and it hasn't evolved from her ownership.***
So, you already know that making her keep a journal won't contribute to
natural learning and will probably foul it up. <g>
***I'm nervous because if I do have to put her back in school in a year or
so, I don't want her to be horribly behind...***
She wouldn't be "horribly behind." If you're imagining kids make some
great leap from one year to the next, they don't. They spend the first part
of the next year trying to memorize the same stuff they were supposed to
memorize the year before. If she frolicked with squirrels for a year she
wouldn't be "horribly behind" people who sat in a classroom "reviewing."
Deb Lewis
Sandra Dodd
-=-Brighten it up! See if you can look at the things she does
during the day in the most positive light. She wouldn't be doing them if
she wasn't getting something positive from them, right?-=-
Schuyler Waynforth did two descriptions of the same day, and that
might help you see what Deb's suggesting. It's in the left column of
this page, but there are links to descriptions of dozens of
unschooling days.
http://sandradodd.com/typical
-=-My fear is that I am putting a little policeman in her head that
suggests
that living must be validated with learning. -=-
Deschooling involves shushing the little policemen that are in YOUR
head.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
during the day in the most positive light. She wouldn't be doing them if
she wasn't getting something positive from them, right?-=-
Schuyler Waynforth did two descriptions of the same day, and that
might help you see what Deb's suggesting. It's in the left column of
this page, but there are links to descriptions of dozens of
unschooling days.
http://sandradodd.com/typical
-=-My fear is that I am putting a little policeman in her head that
suggests
that living must be validated with learning. -=-
Deschooling involves shushing the little policemen that are in YOUR
head.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Schuyler
Not me. It's Ginny's day: http://sandradodd.com/unschool/ginnyday.html
Schuyler
________________________________
From: Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, 2 March, 2010 16:30:13
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Use of journal
-=-Brighten it up! See if you can look at the things she does
during the day in the most positive light. She wouldn't be doing them if
she wasn't getting something positive from them, right?-=-
Schuyler Waynforth did two descriptions of the same day, and that
might help you see what Deb's suggesting. It's in the left column of
this page, but there are links to descriptions of dozens of
unschooling days.
http://sandradodd.com/typical
-
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Schuyler
________________________________
From: Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, 2 March, 2010 16:30:13
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Use of journal
-=-Brighten it up! See if you can look at the things she does
during the day in the most positive light. She wouldn't be doing them if
she wasn't getting something positive from them, right?-=-
Schuyler Waynforth did two descriptions of the same day, and that
might help you see what Deb's suggesting. It's in the left column of
this page, but there are links to descriptions of dozens of
unschooling days.
http://sandradodd.com/typical
-
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Heather
You do have a great unschooling day by Schuyler on that page, but the - two
days, described two ways - post is by Ginny.
"The Ginny's Unschooling Day
<http://sandradodd.com/unschool/ginnyday.html>is told two ways, one
the plain way it would appear to someone not at all
aware of unschooling. Then the same day, through the eyes of one who sees
all the learning that's happening"
heather
days, described two ways - post is by Ginny.
"The Ginny's Unschooling Day
<http://sandradodd.com/unschool/ginnyday.html>is told two ways, one
the plain way it would appear to someone not at all
aware of unschooling. Then the same day, through the eyes of one who sees
all the learning that's happening"
heather
On Tue, Mar 2, 2010 at 9:30 AM, Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...> wrote:
>
>
> -=-Brighten it up! See if you can look at the things she does
>
> during the day in the most positive light. She wouldn't be doing them if
> she wasn't getting something positive from them, right?-=-
>
> Schuyler Waynforth did two descriptions of the same day, and that
> might help you see what Deb's suggesting. It's in the left column of
> this page, but there are links to descriptions of dozens of
> unschooling days.
>
> http://sandradodd.com/typical
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=-Not me. It's Ginny's day: http://sandradodd.com/unschool/ginnyday.html-=-
Doh! Sorry, Ginny.
Lately I've been giving Schuyler all otherwise unclaimed credit. <g>
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Doh! Sorry, Ginny.
Lately I've been giving Schuyler all otherwise unclaimed credit. <g>
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]