New to this list, New to Unschooling
hsmomof4kiddies
I thought I'd take a minute and introduce myself.
I have been homeschooling my kids for 7 years now. I have 2
daughters, 12 and 10, and 2 sons, 4 and 2 (in June). Until this year
I always used text books... YUK ! We all hated it, but I didn't know
what else to do. This year I started out like all other... bought the
books, cried the tears, constantly heard... "I hate school" "Why do I
have to do this again?" and so on. It was when I found the
words, "Why don't we just enroll them in real school" that I realized
this is a bad thing we are doing. So, I went on ebay.. sold all the
school text books (except math... please don't hate me). I don't know
if I have officially become an unschooler. We have done more unit
type things, (I think). Basically I let my girls choose a topic, at
first I had to come up with an idea... after all I have stunted there
own desire to learn. And we went out and found information. We used
the internet a lot... the book stores were fun, and the library.
Whenever I could we would go to a place, field trip. For instance we
studied Florida and since we live near St Augustine, we went there.
This year we did so much more than we have ever done any other year.
Now, near the end of the year, my girls are choosing the topics on
their own. I find them on the computer all the time, looking up
something that they saw. We got a Beta fish and my oldest daughter
can't seem to find enough information about it. This has been such a
wonderful year.
Now, my questions are... is this the way other Unschoolers approach
learning? Or can someone give me pointers. And... I know the math
issue is going to hit a nerve with many of you. I am very open and
would love to through away that book as well. Can you tell me how to
teach math without a book? I know that math is in everything we do...
cooking, sewing, and more. But I do have to have an evaluation or
testing done at the end of every year here in FL. So how would
I "prove math" in an evaluation, if we have no book? Gosh, I hope I
don't get a bunch of hate mail over this.... :)
I really want to learn and grow. So, please feel free to give advice.
Rebecca
New to Unschooling and loving every second of it...
I have been homeschooling my kids for 7 years now. I have 2
daughters, 12 and 10, and 2 sons, 4 and 2 (in June). Until this year
I always used text books... YUK ! We all hated it, but I didn't know
what else to do. This year I started out like all other... bought the
books, cried the tears, constantly heard... "I hate school" "Why do I
have to do this again?" and so on. It was when I found the
words, "Why don't we just enroll them in real school" that I realized
this is a bad thing we are doing. So, I went on ebay.. sold all the
school text books (except math... please don't hate me). I don't know
if I have officially become an unschooler. We have done more unit
type things, (I think). Basically I let my girls choose a topic, at
first I had to come up with an idea... after all I have stunted there
own desire to learn. And we went out and found information. We used
the internet a lot... the book stores were fun, and the library.
Whenever I could we would go to a place, field trip. For instance we
studied Florida and since we live near St Augustine, we went there.
This year we did so much more than we have ever done any other year.
Now, near the end of the year, my girls are choosing the topics on
their own. I find them on the computer all the time, looking up
something that they saw. We got a Beta fish and my oldest daughter
can't seem to find enough information about it. This has been such a
wonderful year.
Now, my questions are... is this the way other Unschoolers approach
learning? Or can someone give me pointers. And... I know the math
issue is going to hit a nerve with many of you. I am very open and
would love to through away that book as well. Can you tell me how to
teach math without a book? I know that math is in everything we do...
cooking, sewing, and more. But I do have to have an evaluation or
testing done at the end of every year here in FL. So how would
I "prove math" in an evaluation, if we have no book? Gosh, I hope I
don't get a bunch of hate mail over this.... :)
I really want to learn and grow. So, please feel free to give advice.
Rebecca
New to Unschooling and loving every second of it...
[email protected]
In a message dated 4/29/02 12:42:18 PM, kinkade@... writes:
<< Can you tell me how to
teach math without a book? >>
We can help you learn how to see math being learned where it's not "being
taught," but my best advice is to go to www.unschooling.com and read as much
as you can stand to--library (essays), and whatever topics on the forum
strike you as interesting.
Sandra
<< Can you tell me how to
teach math without a book? >>
We can help you learn how to see math being learned where it's not "being
taught," but my best advice is to go to www.unschooling.com and read as much
as you can stand to--library (essays), and whatever topics on the forum
strike you as interesting.
Sandra
Fetteroll
on 4/29/02 2:40 PM, hsmomof4kiddies at kinkade@... wrote:
a topic they're researching you'll only see a small portion of their
learning. Learning is in whatever interests them, regardless of how closely
it resembles something they'd do in school. It's in their favorite TV
programs, video games, pretending to be Pokemon, playing with Barbies,
discussions with you and so on.
has been asked there loads of times :-)
not in the style and order that's done in school.
To unschool math you'll need to see math in a totally different way.
Didn't we just have a math discussion on the Unschooling-dotcom list? Try
subscribing by sending a blank email to
[email protected] and go to the webpage for the
archives. Type in math and some recent posts should show up.
They have a Florida folder. And I know there are a number of Florida people
there.
Joyce
> Now, my questions are... is this the way other Unschoolers approachYes and no. Sometimes it might look like that. But by seeing the learning in
> learning?
a topic they're researching you'll only see a small portion of their
learning. Learning is in whatever interests them, regardless of how closely
it resembles something they'd do in school. It's in their favorite TV
programs, video games, pretending to be Pokemon, playing with Barbies,
discussions with you and so on.
> Or can someone give me pointers.As Sandra suggested http://www.Unschooling.com The getting started thing
has been asked there loads of times :-)
> Can you tell me how toWell you can't expect to get the math on tests from living life. At least
> teach math without a book? I know that math is in everything we do...
> cooking, sewing, and more.
not in the style and order that's done in school.
To unschool math you'll need to see math in a totally different way.
Didn't we just have a math discussion on the Unschooling-dotcom list? Try
subscribing by sending a blank email to
[email protected] and go to the webpage for the
archives. Type in math and some recent posts should show up.
> But I do have to have an evaluation orTry the Across the Continent folder at the Unschooling.com message boards.
> testing done at the end of every year here in FL. So how would
> I "prove math" in an evaluation, if we have no book? Gosh, I hope I
> don't get a bunch of hate mail over this.... :)
They have a Florida folder. And I know there are a number of Florida people
there.
Joyce