mountainwestlandscaping

I hope that this post falls within the rules of what is ok to post on this group.

When I started my homeschooling journey (just a couple of years ago)this was THE last place that I thought that I would find myself. I read 1 of Cathy Duffy's books and thought that the idea of unschooling was positively ridiculous....I've come a looooong ways.

So, now I've been reading about unschooling, TJed, some of the Moore's books, and even Montessori, because let's face it...Montessori things are pretty. I've come to the conclusion that these different methods or philosophies are similar, but some of their fundamental beliefs are very different. Would anyone be willing to discuss the big differences with me?

Julie

Sandra Dodd

-=-So, now I've been reading about unschooling, TJed, some of the
Moore's books, and even Montessori, because let's face it...Montessori
things are pretty. I've come to the conclusion that these different
methods or philosophies are similar, but some of their fundamental
beliefs are very different. Would anyone be willing to discuss the big
differences with me?-=-

Julie,

What is "TJed"?

Montessori things are pretty. Waldorf things are gorgeous.

Discussing those differences on this list is a fine idea. What are
some of your initial thoughts?

Sandra

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

Vidyut Kale

TJed is Thomas Jefferson something (education?). Its basically a way of
looking at the nature of learning as evolving with age.

Don't know much about it, but it seemed like a method to encourage genius by
tempting rather than telling. Some things I remember are that they don't use
textbooks but 'classics', the idea of teacher is replaced by mentor (who can
be very demanding), excellence is valued, but its fine to break existing
standards.... Some parts of it fit the unschooling idea vaguely in the sense
that the child's interest is valued, and the standards used are very
individual. However, overall, I thought it was very different from
unschooling, since unschooling doesn't really identify talents that can be
mentored, or measures of excellence, etc. From what I understood, the
objective seemed to be to nurture (train?) outstanding talent.

If impressions have a category, in my mind, it fit next to the Schichida
method - encouraging mind boggling brilliance. A friend follows all this
stuff and told me about it, but it seems very 'training', though I may have
misunderstood. It would need me to learn to follow prescribed methods before
I could do a thing with N, and then I'd worry if he were happy. But it may
be my reaction to my hyper ambitious friend.

Vidyut


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

Mountain West Landscaping

---What is "TJed"?---

TJed= Thomas Jefferson Education

---Discussing those differences on this list is a fine idea. What are
some of your initial thoughts?---

My thoughts would be that the biggest difference between unschooling and these other types of education would be, if I understand correctly, the freedom of the child.  All of these methods or whatever you want to call them seem to empower the child to make their own choices.  I would say that in the early years they are the most similar, but as the child gets older the different methods would look further apart in their differences.

I like the mentoring aspect.  Our family really believes in helping our children to make their own choices.  I can not make my child do anything in my opinion.  Nor would I want to...most of the time.  I do have a rather testy almost 2 year old.  Eventually, any external forces or fears that would have compelled my children to make such choices will no longer be available or desired.

Back to the education part.  I think that from my reading TJed moves into a classical teaching in the older years where, if I'm correct, unschooling would only move there if the child chose to do classical schooling.

I'd love to hear any thoughts of these different learning methods.

Julie

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

Su Penn

On Apr 10, 2010, at 5:51 PM, Mountain West Landscaping wrote:

> ---Discussing those differences on this list is a fine idea. What are
> some of your initial thoughts?---
>
> My thoughts would be that the biggest difference between unschooling and these other types of education would be, if I understand correctly, the freedom of the child. All of these methods or whatever you want to call them seem to empower the child to make their own choices. I would say that in the early years they are the most similar, but as the child gets older the different methods would look further apart in their differences.

In Montessori education, children can't choose to do something with the materials that isn't the approved activity. In Waldorf education, they can't choose to read scary stories or color with black crayons. In some ways they couldn't be more different: Waldorf education focuses on imagination and delays formal academics, whereas I remember reading Maria Montessori saying that children should be discouraged from imaginative play until they were older and firmly grounded in reality. I don't know much about Thomas Jefferson education, but googling around a little reveals a whole lot of "educating tomorrow's leaders" and other stuff that focuses on a certain kind of outcome, a certain kind of achievement.

Su, mom to Eric, 8; Carl, 6; Yehva, 2.5
tapeflags.blogspot.com

k

>>>I do have a rather testy almost 2 year old.<<<

People do have individual traits that can serve as ways to refer to
them, like "testy" however using such handles is a preemptive way out
of relationship with anyone, and certainly this is true of our own
children. Such descriptors will color how we respond to our
child/ren. I'd want to avoid sliding into testy interactions as much
as possible, especially if they are being influenced by the way I
think of my child.

Consider dropping all those words and just saying "I have a 1 year
old." That explains the child well enough. If you and that child are
going through difficult times, talking about that might create ways to
think of relating to your 1 year old that would ease testy situations.

~Katherine

Claire

Here's my take on some of the educational philosophies mentioned:

Unschooling
Advantages
- fosters each child's unique interests and talents at their own pace
- prioritises relationships, learning and fun rather than externally-set outcomes
- unfolds organically and in context with the child's immediate experience

Disadvantages
- is very different from conventional parenting and schooling, and so can be misunderstood in broader mainstream circles


Montessori
Advantages
- focuses on each child's individual development
- equips children with real-life skills such as cleaning, food preparation, dressing
- demonstrates abstract concepts in a very clear, concrete way

Disadvantages
- promotes academic learning from an early age
- activities must be demonstrated before the child may attempt them
- activities are required to be done as shown


Steiner/Waldorf
Advantages
- creates a beautiful nurturing environment
- promotes creativity and imagination
- encourages connection with the natural world

Disadvantages
- restricts children's access to technology
- is suffused with religiosity
- is highly prescriptive about certain activities being done at certain stages of development


So for me, as an unschooler, the fundamental problem with the other philosophies mentioned is that they artificially control or limit children's choices in some way. I like the clarity of Montessori and the beauty of Waldorf, and I do draw on those things in our unschooling life, but only as particular resources among many that I make available to my kids. I would never insist that they do a Waldorf felt project or a Montessori number bead activity, because I believe learning happens best through choice. Unschoolers can strew all sorts of resources, without forcing their kids to utilise any of them.

Ultimately, through unschooling you turn away from all the competing and contested theories out there, and turn towards your own children right here and now.

Claire







--- In [email protected], Vidyut Kale <wide.aware@...> wrote:
>
> TJed is Thomas Jefferson something (education?). Its basically a way of
> looking at the nature of learning as evolving with age.
>
> Don't know much about it, but it seemed like a method to encourage genius by
> tempting rather than telling. Some things I remember are that they don't use
> textbooks but 'classics', the idea of teacher is replaced by mentor (who can
> be very demanding), excellence is valued, but its fine to break existing
> standards.... Some parts of it fit the unschooling idea vaguely in the sense
> that the child's interest is valued, and the standards used are very
> individual. However, overall, I thought it was very different from
> unschooling, since unschooling doesn't really identify talents that can be
> mentored, or measures of excellence, etc. From what I understood, the
> objective seemed to be to nurture (train?) outstanding talent.
>
> If impressions have a category, in my mind, it fit next to the Schichida
> method - encouraging mind boggling brilliance. A friend follows all this
> stuff and told me about it, but it seems very 'training', though I may have
> misunderstood. It would need me to learn to follow prescribed methods before
> I could do a thing with N, and then I'd worry if he were happy. But it may
> be my reaction to my hyper ambitious friend.
>
> Vidyut
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>