Horrible Histories , Literacy, reading for fun.
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY
So on a post on the Facebook group Radical Unschooling Info I
learned about the books Horrible History:
http://horrible-histories.co.uk/%c2%a0
and there are also videos put out by BBC that are super funny.
Just go on Youtube, here is one:|
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNwLDsOcG_0&feature=colike
So I started searching an looking this up and went to the author's webiste.
http://www.terry-deary.com/%c2%a0
In his home page he talks about himself and writes:
"If you have a question then I can be contacted by email at THIS PAGE . (NOTE: I am campaigning to have all schools closed down and children set free, so email messages from schools are auto-deleted - see what I think about schools HERE. and HERE) I try to answer all messages from genuine fans within a week of receiving them. "
Here is from the links:|
"In the main, he believes, schools "teach what people in government tell them to teach. And people in government are complete twonks. What they hell do they know? School is an utter waste of 12 years of your life. It should be a preparation for life, teaching the skills you're going to need, finding what you're good at and developing it. Instead, it's trigonometry, chemistry, French … Never been any use to me. My skill was writing. I was clearly good at it, getting good marks, but no teacher ever said to me: you should try to do something with this.""
and the whole second link is about schools and he talks about Literacy:
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/orrible-ofsted-puts-children-off-enjoying-stories-claims-author-terry-deary-7630397.html%c2%a0
"Describing schools watchdog Ofsted as “Ofstapo”, he said: “Ofstapo say children are illiterate because they are not achieving standards — but what standards? Some muppets in Whitehall say they can’t spell. But the standards are arbitrary.
“Children have never been more literate. They are always on Facebook and are texting. One 15-year-old girl told me she had reached the limit of her texts for the month — she had sent 10,000. She is doing the most important human activity of all, communicating with someone else, and it is condemned."
Alex Polikowsky
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
learned about the books Horrible History:
http://horrible-histories.co.uk/%c2%a0
and there are also videos put out by BBC that are super funny.
Just go on Youtube, here is one:|
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNwLDsOcG_0&feature=colike
So I started searching an looking this up and went to the author's webiste.
http://www.terry-deary.com/%c2%a0
In his home page he talks about himself and writes:
"If you have a question then I can be contacted by email at THIS PAGE . (NOTE: I am campaigning to have all schools closed down and children set free, so email messages from schools are auto-deleted - see what I think about schools HERE. and HERE) I try to answer all messages from genuine fans within a week of receiving them. "
Here is from the links:|
"In the main, he believes, schools "teach what people in government tell them to teach. And people in government are complete twonks. What they hell do they know? School is an utter waste of 12 years of your life. It should be a preparation for life, teaching the skills you're going to need, finding what you're good at and developing it. Instead, it's trigonometry, chemistry, French … Never been any use to me. My skill was writing. I was clearly good at it, getting good marks, but no teacher ever said to me: you should try to do something with this.""
and the whole second link is about schools and he talks about Literacy:
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/orrible-ofsted-puts-children-off-enjoying-stories-claims-author-terry-deary-7630397.html%c2%a0
"Describing schools watchdog Ofsted as “Ofstapo”, he said: “Ofstapo say children are illiterate because they are not achieving standards — but what standards? Some muppets in Whitehall say they can’t spell. But the standards are arbitrary.
“Children have never been more literate. They are always on Facebook and are texting. One 15-year-old girl told me she had reached the limit of her texts for the month — she had sent 10,000. She is doing the most important human activity of all, communicating with someone else, and it is condemned."
Alex Polikowsky
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tam
The Horrible Histories stage shows are also fantastic: funny, engaging, lively and informative. Would thoroughly recommend them if anyone ever gets a chance!
Tam
http://sprout-and-squidge.blogspot.com/
________________________________
From: BRIAN POLIKOWSKY <polykowholsteins@...>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, 19 August 2012, 15:57
Subject: [AlwaysLearning] Horrible Histories , Literacy, reading for fun.
So on a post on the Facebook group Radical Unschooling Info I
learned about the books Horrible History:
http://horrible-histories.co.uk/%c2%a0
and there are also videos put out by BBC that are super funny.
Just go on Youtube, here is one:|
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNwLDsOcG_0&feature=colike
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tam
http://sprout-and-squidge.blogspot.com/
________________________________
From: BRIAN POLIKOWSKY <polykowholsteins@...>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, 19 August 2012, 15:57
Subject: [AlwaysLearning] Horrible Histories , Literacy, reading for fun.
So on a post on the Facebook group Radical Unschooling Info I
learned about the books Horrible History:
http://horrible-histories.co.uk/%c2%a0
and there are also videos put out by BBC that are super funny.
Just go on Youtube, here is one:|
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNwLDsOcG_0&feature=colike
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=-The Horrible Histories stage shows are also fantastic: funny, engaging, lively and informative. Would thoroughly recommend them if anyone ever gets a chance!-=-
YES, but...
(the problem comes now, because "yeah but" means "oh, no...")
YES, if the mom gets a chance she should watch some of that for her own self.
Maybe the kids will hear and get interested. Maybe they won't.
No mom should bring them home and tell her children to watch them because they're good for them, and then go in the other room. Anyone who does that is teaching history. And badly. And not unschooling. Not well.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
YES, but...
(the problem comes now, because "yeah but" means "oh, no...")
YES, if the mom gets a chance she should watch some of that for her own self.
Maybe the kids will hear and get interested. Maybe they won't.
No mom should bring them home and tell her children to watch them because they're good for them, and then go in the other room. Anyone who does that is teaching history. And badly. And not unschooling. Not well.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tam
-=-The Horrible Histories stage shows are also fantastic: funny, engaging, lively and informative. Would thoroughly recommend them if anyone ever gets a chance!-=-
--YES, but...
(the problem comes now, because "yeah but" means "oh, no...")
YES, if the mom gets a chance she should watch some of that for her own self.
Maybe the kids will hear and get interested. Maybe they won't.--
Most definitely! I loved the Awful Egyptians one I saw, which the two of us went to as it happily coincided with Finn being interested in Ancient Egypt. He wasn't interested in the next one that toured here so we didn't go, and Jay wasn't interested in either at this point, whereas he loves the television shows and the online games (especially the Gong Farmer game! http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/games/gong-farmer-game%c2%a0). I'd say (and I've heard other adults say the same) that the theatre shows are just as enjoyable for adults, so one to check out purely for oneself :)
Tam
http://sprout-and-squidge.blogspot.com/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY
YES, if the mom gets a chance she should watch some of that for her own self.
Maybe the kids will hear and get interested. Maybe they won't.
No mom should bring them home and tell her children to watch them because they're good for them, and then go in the other room. Anyone who does that is teaching history. And badly. And not unschooling. Not well.
-=-=-=-=-=-=
And that is what I read the author says about school! He wants the kids to find and want to read for themselves and not because a teacher told them to.
So far I have watched a videos on youtube and laughed a bunch!!
Alex Polikowsky
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Maybe the kids will hear and get interested. Maybe they won't.
No mom should bring them home and tell her children to watch them because they're good for them, and then go in the other room. Anyone who does that is teaching history. And badly. And not unschooling. Not well.
-=-=-=-=-=-=
And that is what I read the author says about school! He wants the kids to find and want to read for themselves and not because a teacher told them to.
So far I have watched a videos on youtube and laughed a bunch!!
Alex Polikowsky
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jo Isaac
We get Horrible Histories on TV here in Australia, the series, and Kai (6) went through a phase of absolutely loving it, and would make sure he got to see it every night (yes, it's on every night!). But he's over that now, and while he still watches occasionally if it comes on, he's not that bothered - and there do seem to be a lot of re-runs! He doesn't love the books - too many words and not enough gory pictures - he liked the visuals of the TV show better.
Jo
To: [email protected]
From: polykowholsteins@...
Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2012 10:15:00 -0700
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Horrible Histories , Literacy, reading for fun.
YES, if the mom gets a chance she should watch some of that for her own self.
Maybe the kids will hear and get interested. Maybe they won't.
No mom should bring them home and tell her children to watch them because they're good for them, and then go in the other room. Anyone who does that is teaching history. And badly. And not unschooling. Not well.
-=-=-=-=-=-=
And that is what I read the author says about school! He wants the kids to find and want to read for themselves and not because a teacher told them to.
So far I have watched a videos on youtube and laughed a bunch!!
Alex Polikowsky
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jo
To: [email protected]
From: polykowholsteins@...
Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2012 10:15:00 -0700
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Horrible Histories , Literacy, reading for fun.
YES, if the mom gets a chance she should watch some of that for her own self.
Maybe the kids will hear and get interested. Maybe they won't.
No mom should bring them home and tell her children to watch them because they're good for them, and then go in the other room. Anyone who does that is teaching history. And badly. And not unschooling. Not well.
-=-=-=-=-=-=
And that is what I read the author says about school! He wants the kids to find and want to read for themselves and not because a teacher told them to.
So far I have watched a videos on youtube and laughed a bunch!!
Alex Polikowsky
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
Language alert!
-=-. But he's over that now, and while he still watches occasionally if it comes on, he's not that bothered - -=-
American usage of "bothered" means irritated.
This phrase ("not that bothered") in the UK (and apparently Australia) means not as interested, or has no strong preference one way or the other.
She's not saying he used to be irritated by it and now he's not. As far as I know. I think. :-)
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
-=-. But he's over that now, and while he still watches occasionally if it comes on, he's not that bothered - -=-
American usage of "bothered" means irritated.
This phrase ("not that bothered") in the UK (and apparently Australia) means not as interested, or has no strong preference one way or the other.
She's not saying he used to be irritated by it and now he's not. As far as I know. I think. :-)
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jo Isaac
==means not as interested==
Yes, that's exactly what I meant! Sorry!
To: [email protected]
From: Sandra@...
Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2012 19:42:18 -0600
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Horrible Histories , Literacy, reading for fun.
Language alert!
-=-. But he's over that now, and while he still watches occasionally if it comes on, he's not that bothered - -=-
American usage of "bothered" means irritated.
This phrase ("not that bothered") in the UK (and apparently Australia) means not as interested, or has no strong preference one way or the other.
She's not saying he used to be irritated by it and now he's not. As far as I know. I think. :-)
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yes, that's exactly what I meant! Sorry!
To: [email protected]
From: Sandra@...
Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2012 19:42:18 -0600
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Horrible Histories , Literacy, reading for fun.
Language alert!
-=-. But he's over that now, and while he still watches occasionally if it comes on, he's not that bothered - -=-
American usage of "bothered" means irritated.
This phrase ("not that bothered") in the UK (and apparently Australia) means not as interested, or has no strong preference one way or the other.
She's not saying he used to be irritated by it and now he's not. As far as I know. I think. :-)
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
freerangemum
Another format we've really enjoyed from time to time (especially on car trips) has been the audio books for the Horrible Histories series. They are lots of fun! Complete with all sorts of gory sound effects, music, dramatisation, etc. You can download them from www.audible.co.uk (the US audible site doesn't seem to have them). The way I most easily found them was by putting Terry Deary into the author in the advanced search. For instance they have Vicious Vikings, Rotten Romans etc.
I really enjoyed reading Terry Deary's comments on his website and the newspaper articles he links to, where he talks about not wanting school teachers to turn his materials into lessons. Sometimes I think unschooling parents can do a similar thing! When I have at times invited my children to listen to a Horrible Histories audio CD with me, my children have jumped at the opportunity. Other times they're happier listening to the radio in the car or playing their iPods etc.
It took me quite awhile to realise that in our early unschooling days I often attached a type of subtle expectation or pressure to these types of audio books. My children sensed the subtlety and resisted the pressure. They were well aware of it, but it sadly took me some time to realise I was doing it. Now of course I totally know that there is just as much opportunity for learning and pleasure in listening to a contemporary radio station (or anything else) as there is in listening to Horrible Histories audio books. In fact, there is probably more, if listening to the radio station is done for pure pleasure and out of genuine interest, and listening to Horrible Histories has a particular pressure and "should-ness" attached to it.
I really enjoyed reading Terry Deary's comments on his website and the newspaper articles he links to, where he talks about not wanting school teachers to turn his materials into lessons. Sometimes I think unschooling parents can do a similar thing! When I have at times invited my children to listen to a Horrible Histories audio CD with me, my children have jumped at the opportunity. Other times they're happier listening to the radio in the car or playing their iPods etc.
It took me quite awhile to realise that in our early unschooling days I often attached a type of subtle expectation or pressure to these types of audio books. My children sensed the subtlety and resisted the pressure. They were well aware of it, but it sadly took me some time to realise I was doing it. Now of course I totally know that there is just as much opportunity for learning and pleasure in listening to a contemporary radio station (or anything else) as there is in listening to Horrible Histories audio books. In fact, there is probably more, if listening to the radio station is done for pure pleasure and out of genuine interest, and listening to Horrible Histories has a particular pressure and "should-ness" attached to it.
Sandra Dodd
-=-Now of course I totally know that there is just as much opportunity for learning and pleasure in listening to a contemporary radio station (or anything else) as there is in listening to Horrible Histories audio books. In fact, there is probably more, if listening to the radio station is done for pure pleasure and out of genuine interest, and listening to Horrible Histories has a particular pressure and "should-ness" attached to it.-=-
Yes, and "should-ness" (nice term!) should be avoided, but if a family only listens to the contemporary radio and has no other options or "listens" EVER, then that's bad, too.
There were things I'm glad my kids listened to and liked. "Sounds Like Fun" gave them counting by tens, and the months of the year. The Reduced Shakespeare Company gave them a great web to attach all their Shakespeare knowledge to. But those things were as important as knowing about The Beach Boys and Ninja Turtles.
I know it's hard for some parents to find that balance, and maybe it's most important to find it in themselves, so that they can honestly and enthusiastically discuss and connect and appreciate all those things themselves, too.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yes, and "should-ness" (nice term!) should be avoided, but if a family only listens to the contemporary radio and has no other options or "listens" EVER, then that's bad, too.
There were things I'm glad my kids listened to and liked. "Sounds Like Fun" gave them counting by tens, and the months of the year. The Reduced Shakespeare Company gave them a great web to attach all their Shakespeare knowledge to. But those things were as important as knowing about The Beach Boys and Ninja Turtles.
I know it's hard for some parents to find that balance, and maybe it's most important to find it in themselves, so that they can honestly and enthusiastically discuss and connect and appreciate all those things themselves, too.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]