Essential John Holt Recommendation?
violetwren23
Could someone please recommend the most essential John Holt book(s) for someone just coming to unschooling? He has such a huge canon, and I have two kids under 5 years old so precious little time to read. Eventually, I'd like to read as much as I can, but for now can someone direct me to one or two of his books that would provide the best foundation?
I've only recently learned about unschooling and have been a member of this group for only a month or so, but already I am so grateful for it. I'm amazed at how much I learn from each daily digest that is helping me to be a better parent and a kinder, more thoughtful person generally. Sandra, Joyce, Meredith, Pam, etc--thank you so very much for taking the time to share your incredible wealth of expertise here and elsewhere with those of us just coming to unschooling.
Thank you,
Jen
I've only recently learned about unschooling and have been a member of this group for only a month or so, but already I am so grateful for it. I'm amazed at how much I learn from each daily digest that is helping me to be a better parent and a kinder, more thoughtful person generally. Sandra, Joyce, Meredith, Pam, etc--thank you so very much for taking the time to share your incredible wealth of expertise here and elsewhere with those of us just coming to unschooling.
Thank you,
Jen
Pam Sorooshian
I think you might use your time better by reading Pam Laricchia's two books
and Sandra's two books and Rue Kream's book. Also, subscribe to Pam
Laricchia's email series - it is wonderful.
But if I was going to read only one John Holt book, it would be "Learning
All the Time."
-pam
and Sandra's two books and Rue Kream's book. Also, subscribe to Pam
Laricchia's email series - it is wonderful.
But if I was going to read only one John Holt book, it would be "Learning
All the Time."
-pam
On Sun, Mar 24, 2013 at 9:10 AM, violetwren23 <hharinc@...> wrote:
> Could someone please recommend the most essential John Holt book(s) for
> someone just coming to unschooling? He has such a huge canon, and I have
> two kids under 5 years old so precious little time to read. Eventually, I'd
> like to read as much as I can, but for now can someone direct me to one or
> two of his books that would provide the best foundation?
>
> I've only recently learned about unschooling and have been a member of
> this group for only a month or so, but already I am so grateful for it. I'm
> amazed at how much I learn from each daily digest that is helping me to be
> a better parent and a kinder, more thoughtful person generally. Sandra,
> Joyce, Meredith, Pam, etc--thank you so very much for taking the time to
> share your incredible wealth of expertise here and elsewhere with those of
> us just coming to unschooling.
>
> Thank you,
> Jen
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
I agree with Pam. John Holt's been dead longer than my now-grown son has been alive. He was giving people the idea that maybe school isn't the only way to learn, and then (later) that maybe people could keep their kids home.
Those things are well known now.
If you want to read some John Holt, there are lots of quotes and links here:
http://sandradodd.com/johnholt
and Deb Lewis has written about some of his books.
But that's historical background now.
Read what people who have unschooled have done, if you don't have much time.
Sandra
Those things are well known now.
If you want to read some John Holt, there are lots of quotes and links here:
http://sandradodd.com/johnholt
and Deb Lewis has written about some of his books.
But that's historical background now.
Read what people who have unschooled have done, if you don't have much time.
Sandra
Angeline Taylor
What turned me on to unschooling was John Holt and I read 2 of his books
- Learning all the time
- Teach your Own
Both are excellent. The Learning all the time is more geared to how young children learn and I'd suggest that one definitely. His basic thoughts and opinions are in Teach Your Own and I loved reading more about his stance on education in fact I read it first.
I would also suggest that you get Sandra Dodds - Big Book of Unschooling.
She takes a lot of the mystery out of unschooling and makes it clearer in your head. Plus you can skip around or read it from cover to cover (which I did).
I had a 4yr old at the time and all 3 were very helpful to making the journey and decision to unschool!
Good luck and best wishes!
- Angie :)
Sent from my iPhone
- Learning all the time
- Teach your Own
Both are excellent. The Learning all the time is more geared to how young children learn and I'd suggest that one definitely. His basic thoughts and opinions are in Teach Your Own and I loved reading more about his stance on education in fact I read it first.
I would also suggest that you get Sandra Dodds - Big Book of Unschooling.
She takes a lot of the mystery out of unschooling and makes it clearer in your head. Plus you can skip around or read it from cover to cover (which I did).
I had a 4yr old at the time and all 3 were very helpful to making the journey and decision to unschool!
Good luck and best wishes!
- Angie :)
Sent from my iPhone
On Mar 24, 2013, at 9:10 AM, "violetwren23" <hharinc@...> wrote:
> Could someone please recommend the most essential John Holt book(s) for someone just coming to unschooling? He has such a huge canon, and I have two kids under 5 years old so precious little time to read. Eventually, I'd like to read as much as I can, but for now can someone direct me to one or two of his books that would provide the best foundation?
>
> I've only recently learned about unschooling and have been a member of this group for only a month or so, but already I am so grateful for it. I'm amazed at how much I learn from each daily digest that is helping me to be a better parent and a kinder, more thoughtful person generally. Sandra, Joyce, Meredith, Pam, etc--thank you so very much for taking the time to share your incredible wealth of expertise here and elsewhere with those of us just coming to unschooling.
>
> Thank you,
> Jen
>
>
> Reply via web post Reply to sender Reply to group Start a New Topic
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Meredith
It isn't actually necessary to read Holt to understand unschooling. Somewhere along the way I read "How Children Fail" - I think his earliest book, the only one in my local library - which is a decent critique of public schools and a somewhat hopeful look at how they might be improved, but otherwise not terribly useful and I wasn't impressed with him.
A better place to start might be to think about the sorts of questions you have about your own kids and also about the sort of writing which appeals to you. If you're interested in how learning works in a sort of general way, you might like Frank Smith's the Book of Learning and Forgetting. If you're worried about technology and commercialism, you might benefit from Everything Bad is Good for You. If you're interested in the idea that children can learn without rewards or punishments you might like Maria Montessori's original The Montessori Method, as well as Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards and Rue Kream's Raising a Free Child. If you're looking for nuts-and-bolts, how unschooling acutally works, read Sandra's book. In fact, read Sandra's book period. It's easy to pick up and put down, you can jump around, and it has a little of everything. I haven't read Pam L's book, so I don't know what to say about it except other unschoolers I trust have recommended it, and that's saying something.
Something I did when Mo was little was to set my Yahoo Group message delivery to Digest and then print out the daily digests to read during the day. It isn't such a big deal now, since there aren't often dozens of posts in a day, but it was a nice way to carry other unschoolers around in my pocket, as it were. In my spare moments I could pull out my pages and read a little and make notes in the margins and on the back if I had questions or comments of my own. It was a good exercise in editing! I could write and go back and read what I wrote an hour later without having posted, and see the holes in my own thinking better for it. It was Great for shifting my thinking to something more positive - reading my own words and wincing over them "do I really think that? eeeeew!" helped me change.
---Meredith
A better place to start might be to think about the sorts of questions you have about your own kids and also about the sort of writing which appeals to you. If you're interested in how learning works in a sort of general way, you might like Frank Smith's the Book of Learning and Forgetting. If you're worried about technology and commercialism, you might benefit from Everything Bad is Good for You. If you're interested in the idea that children can learn without rewards or punishments you might like Maria Montessori's original The Montessori Method, as well as Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards and Rue Kream's Raising a Free Child. If you're looking for nuts-and-bolts, how unschooling acutally works, read Sandra's book. In fact, read Sandra's book period. It's easy to pick up and put down, you can jump around, and it has a little of everything. I haven't read Pam L's book, so I don't know what to say about it except other unschoolers I trust have recommended it, and that's saying something.
Something I did when Mo was little was to set my Yahoo Group message delivery to Digest and then print out the daily digests to read during the day. It isn't such a big deal now, since there aren't often dozens of posts in a day, but it was a nice way to carry other unschoolers around in my pocket, as it were. In my spare moments I could pull out my pages and read a little and make notes in the margins and on the back if I had questions or comments of my own. It was a good exercise in editing! I could write and go back and read what I wrote an hour later without having posted, and see the holes in my own thinking better for it. It was Great for shifting my thinking to something more positive - reading my own words and wincing over them "do I really think that? eeeeew!" helped me change.
---Meredith
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY
while I agree that reading Holts books is interesting and you read about how his thought process evolved I really
think that Pam Laricchia's email series and books together with Sandra's would be a much better resource for anyone new to unschooling.
I also like Rue Kream's book and read it many years ago when it came out. There are some other good reads but
start with Pam's email series if you do not have time!
Alex Polikowsky
________________________________
From: Angeline Taylor <RainbowSkyArts@...>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2013 2:09 PM
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Essential John Holt Recommendation?
What turned me on to unschooling was John Holt and I read 2 of his books
- Learning all the time
- Teach your Own
Both are excellent. The Learning all the time is more geared to how young children learn and I'd suggest that one definitely. His basic thoughts and opinions are in Teach Your Own and I loved reading more about his stance on education in fact I read it first.
I would also suggest that you get Sandra Dodds - Big Book of Unschooling.
She takes a lot of the mystery out of unschooling and makes it clearer in your head. Plus you can skip around or read it from cover to cover (which I did).
I had a 4yr old at the time and all 3 were very helpful to making the journey and decision to unschool!
Good luck and best wishes!
- Angie :)
Sent from my iPhone
think that Pam Laricchia's email series and books together with Sandra's would be a much better resource for anyone new to unschooling.
I also like Rue Kream's book and read it many years ago when it came out. There are some other good reads but
start with Pam's email series if you do not have time!
Alex Polikowsky
________________________________
From: Angeline Taylor <RainbowSkyArts@...>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2013 2:09 PM
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Essential John Holt Recommendation?
What turned me on to unschooling was John Holt and I read 2 of his books
- Learning all the time
- Teach your Own
Both are excellent. The Learning all the time is more geared to how young children learn and I'd suggest that one definitely. His basic thoughts and opinions are in Teach Your Own and I loved reading more about his stance on education in fact I read it first.
I would also suggest that you get Sandra Dodds - Big Book of Unschooling.
She takes a lot of the mystery out of unschooling and makes it clearer in your head. Plus you can skip around or read it from cover to cover (which I did).
I had a 4yr old at the time and all 3 were very helpful to making the journey and decision to unschool!
Good luck and best wishes!
- Angie :)
Sent from my iPhone
On Mar 24, 2013, at 9:10 AM, "violetwren23" <hharinc@...> wrote:
> Could someone please recommend the most essential John Holt book(s) for someone just coming to unschooling? He has such a huge canon, and I have two kids under 5 years old so precious little time to read. Eventually, I'd like to read as much as I can, but for now can someone direct me to one or two of his books that would provide the best foundation?
>
> I've only recently learned about unschooling and have been a member of this group for only a month or so, but already I am so grateful for it. I'm amazed at how much I learn from each daily digest that is helping me to be a better parent and a kinder, more thoughtful person generally. Sandra, Joyce, Meredith, Pam, etc--thank you so very much for taking the time to share your incredible wealth of expertise here and elsewhere with those of us just coming to unschooling.
>
> Thank you,
> Jen
>
>
> Reply via web post Reply to sender Reply to group Start a New Topic
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Alex Polikowsky
"""". If you're looking for nuts-and-bolts, how unschooling acutally works, read Sandra's book. In fact, read Sandra's book period. It's easy to pick up and put down, you can jump around, and it has a little of everything. """""
It was my bedside table book for months until friends and family started borrowing it !
Alex Polikowsky
Sent from my iPhone
It was my bedside table book for months until friends and family started borrowing it !
Alex Polikowsky
Sent from my iPhone
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> Reply via web post Reply to sender Reply to group Start a New Topic
>
>
Deb Lewis
I really love John Holt but if you have limited reading time right now, I recommend this list, and Sandra’s website.
If you like holding a book in your hands, Sandra’s two books, “Moving a Puddle” and “The Big Book of Unschooling” are really good. Also, Rue Kream’s book “Parenting a Free Child: An Unschooled Life is wonderful as is Pam Laricchia’s “Free To Learn: Five Ideas for a Joyful Unschooling Life.” Pam now has a second book I haven’t read yet, but would feel confident suggesting it based on her other writings. Her website is very nice, too.
John Holt’s Learning All The Time is a light and short little book if you’re already sold on the ideas of unschooling. It doesn’t go too deep, mostly revisiting some of his ideas from earlier writings. He was working on a new book when he died and Learning All The Time was put together after his death from that work he left unfinished, and his notes. It’s not the best of his writing, but it’s brief and could be sweet reinforcement and reassurance if you’ve already decided to unschool.
I really like John Holt and I think each of his books had insights into children and learning and schooling that apply even today, but that would be a lot of reading and I think you’d find the more current writers more useful for your daily life. Later, when you have more time you could read Holt’s stuff, maybe. I especially enjoyed reading his books in the order he wrote them and seeing the evolution of his ideas as the years went by. Several of his books were updated and revised in his lifetime and those have his notes where he changed his mind or reconsidered and that’s really interesting. He was a wonderful, clear writer and I still sometimes pick up one of his books and read a chapter or two. I have at different times boxed them up and put them under the eves but they always make their way back to my night stand. He was brilliant. I feel like he was invaluable to my understanding of human learning. But while your time is limited this list will probably help you more than anything. You can’t ask John Holt questions anymore but you can ask Sandra, Pam and Joyce. They’re not only unschooling advocates and great writers, they’re parents of children who grew up without schooling.
Deb Lewis
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
If you like holding a book in your hands, Sandra’s two books, “Moving a Puddle” and “The Big Book of Unschooling” are really good. Also, Rue Kream’s book “Parenting a Free Child: An Unschooled Life is wonderful as is Pam Laricchia’s “Free To Learn: Five Ideas for a Joyful Unschooling Life.” Pam now has a second book I haven’t read yet, but would feel confident suggesting it based on her other writings. Her website is very nice, too.
John Holt’s Learning All The Time is a light and short little book if you’re already sold on the ideas of unschooling. It doesn’t go too deep, mostly revisiting some of his ideas from earlier writings. He was working on a new book when he died and Learning All The Time was put together after his death from that work he left unfinished, and his notes. It’s not the best of his writing, but it’s brief and could be sweet reinforcement and reassurance if you’ve already decided to unschool.
I really like John Holt and I think each of his books had insights into children and learning and schooling that apply even today, but that would be a lot of reading and I think you’d find the more current writers more useful for your daily life. Later, when you have more time you could read Holt’s stuff, maybe. I especially enjoyed reading his books in the order he wrote them and seeing the evolution of his ideas as the years went by. Several of his books were updated and revised in his lifetime and those have his notes where he changed his mind or reconsidered and that’s really interesting. He was a wonderful, clear writer and I still sometimes pick up one of his books and read a chapter or two. I have at different times boxed them up and put them under the eves but they always make their way back to my night stand. He was brilliant. I feel like he was invaluable to my understanding of human learning. But while your time is limited this list will probably help you more than anything. You can’t ask John Holt questions anymore but you can ask Sandra, Pam and Joyce. They’re not only unschooling advocates and great writers, they’re parents of children who grew up without schooling.
Deb Lewis
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=- If you're looking for nuts-and-bolts, how unschooling acutally works, read Sandra's book. In fact, read Sandra's book period. It's easy to pick up and put down, you can jump around, and it has a little of everything.-=-
Thanks. :-)
http://sandradodd.com/bigbook
Pam Laricchia's books are shorter and very clear, but not in detail about particular areas. For people's relatives, I think Pam Laricchia's books are better than anything ever imagined. The first one, Free to Learn, especially. The second one is more about parenting, and in a similar tone and style�very easy to read and to understand.
Mine is more for people who know for sure that they do want to unschool.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Thanks. :-)
http://sandradodd.com/bigbook
Pam Laricchia's books are shorter and very clear, but not in detail about particular areas. For people's relatives, I think Pam Laricchia's books are better than anything ever imagined. The first one, Free to Learn, especially. The second one is more about parenting, and in a similar tone and style�very easy to read and to understand.
Mine is more for people who know for sure that they do want to unschool.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=- There are some other good reads but
start with Pam's email series if you do not have time!-=-
http://www.livingjoyfully.ca
(I just love the main page of her site�Treasure map!)
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
start with Pam's email series if you do not have time!-=-
http://www.livingjoyfully.ca
(I just love the main page of her site�Treasure map!)
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
violetwren23
Thanks everyone for all these suggestions. After I stumbled across the concept of unschooling through Sandra Dodd and Astra Taylor's youtube videos, I literally spent DAYS poring over Sandra's and Joyce's websites (Sandra and Joyce--thanks to both of you for all the hard work you put into these voluminous sites). The level of support and information the unschooling community provides is truly astounding, and I am sincerely grateful for the recommendations.
Cheers,
Jen
Cheers,
Jen