Sarah Thompson

I am responding to a questionnaire asking me to "describe my family's homeschooling style." I want to make sure I am as honest and thoughtful as possible about the answer, and I am hoping that if I explore it out loud here, others can point out areas where my thinking could stretch.

"The principles of unschooling are the ones I try to apply to all aspects of my life with my children. If I have an objective in my unschooling, it is to encourage an environment for my children to live a life so passionate and joy-filled that they will not know it could be any other way. The operational words about *everything* we do are agency and choice; they are individuals in the world with as many options open to them as we can imagine and create in all avenues, and it's my job to give them as many opportunities as possible to shine, while helping them learn to navigate the world they live in with compassion and discernment."

Is that too big, too vague, too froofy? Is it clear about what those principles embody? I love the bit on Sandradodd.com about how the "un" in "unschooling" is a negation of a negative, but I want to capture this in a positive way because this is part of an exercise within a homeschooling community that is mostly not unschoolers.

Sarah

Alex & Brian Polikowsky

Well I guess the answer will depend on why you are being asked that question.

Why are you filling up the questionnaire??
It would make a difference.


Alex


Sandra Dodd

-=-"The principles of unschooling are the ones I try to apply to all aspects of my life with my children. If I have an objective in my unschooling, it is to encourage an environment for my children to live a life so passionate and joy-filled that they will not know it could be any other way. The operational words about *everything* we do are agency and choice; they are individuals in the world with as many options open to them as we can imagine and create in all avenues, and it's my job to give them as many opportunities as possible to shine, while helping them learn to navigate the world they live in with compassion and discernment.”-=-

For a questionnaire it’s great. For an elevator speech, too long—but you didn’t ask for an elevator speech. :-)

I like “…with compassion and discernment” lots.

Sandra

Sarah Thompson

I'm involved in a group of homeschoolers that I joined because I felt like my younger son, in particular, needed something social that I was failing to find elsewhere. But I joined with trepidation because I felt like maybe there was some dogma and authoritarianism involved in the organization and the leadership (and a clear bias toward Waldorf methodology and anti-tech), and I wasn't (and still am not) sure that this could be a home for my family.

 I am on the advisory council so I am involved in the direction we go, but I need to find out if I fit or if I should focus my attention elsewhere. Since I perceive that many other families have some of these concerns (it's a new group that is an offshoot of an existing group), I have been working with some folks to develop ways to find out how people homeschool and what they want from a coop. Another member of the council developed this questionnaire as a way to open up a discussion on that topic. I want to use it as an opportunity to clarify things for myself and to communicate them effectively. That's why I'm filling it out. 

Sarah

Kelly Callahan

I think in that case, while what you wrote is beautiful and conceptually nice, perhaps being a bit more pragmatic would help. I think theoretically, many parents would agree with what you wrote, and think steering their children toward exciting (to the parent) extracurricular activities or an 'engaging' curriculum would be in line with that. Unless, of course, they had been doing a lot of reading and investigating into unschooling. But my guess is many of these parents have not (who aren't unschoolers. but even many who claim 'unschooling' really haven't dug into it. it's just a way to label not using curriculum). 

For the purposes of a co-op and sharing what you do, it may be more beneficial to discussions and more clarifying to everyone to be specific. Kids choose. You don't curate or deny their interests, but help them explore what they are drawn to because you trust they know themselves and there are opportunities for learning in everything- including 'screen time,' dress up, comic books, etc etc. You believe kids will learn what they need in their own time, at their own pace, in their own way. etc etc 

Having been in a coop with a similar make up to what you describe, it was *very difficult* to pin-point where we diverged without just being straight up specific. Because everyone wanted "choice' and "empowerment" and "kid-led" (read: from adult approved choices), and "creativity" (within certain bounds). 

On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 8:16 AM, Sarah Thompson thompsonisland@... [AlwaysLearning] <[email protected]> wrote:
 

I'm involved in a group of homeschoolers that I joined because I felt like my younger son, in particular, needed something social that I was failing to find elsewhere. But I joined with trepidation because I felt like maybe there was some dogma and authoritarianism involved in the organization and the leadership (and a clear bias toward Waldorf methodology and anti-tech), and I wasn't (and still am not) sure that this could be a home for my family.

 I am on the advisory council so I am involved in the direction we go, but I need to find out if I fit or if I should focus my attention elsewhere. Since I perceive that many other families have some of these concerns (it's a new group that is an offshoot of an existing group), I have been working with some folks to develop ways to find out how people homeschool and what they want from a coop. Another member of the council developed this questionnaire as a way to open up a discussion on that topic. I want to use it as an opportunity to clarify things for myself and to communicate them effectively. That's why I'm filling it out. 

Sarah




--
Kelly Callahan CCH 
Concentric Healing Classical Homeopathy

(207) 691-6798



Sandra Dodd

This is true if she only has one chance ever to clarify:

-=-For the purposes of a co-op and sharing what you do, it may be more beneficial to discussions and more clarifying to everyone to be specific. Kids choose. You don't curate or deny their interests, but help them explore what they are drawn to because you trust they know themselves and there are opportunities for learning in everything- including 'screen time,' dress up, comic books, etc etc. You believe kids will learn what they need in their own time, at their own pace, in their own way. etc etc -=-

It’s not a deposition in court, though. It’s an intro. So the original, even if it can be misinterpreted, might serve well for breaking the ice in some people’s thoughts so that they can begin to see unschooling. Too much too soon could shut them down completely.

When people ask what they could provide for a spouse or grandparent wanting to know more about unschooling, I recommend Free to Learn by Pam Laricchia, but NOT (i seem to specify with near panic) Free to Live.
If they like the first one, they might after a year or two be prepared for the second one. If they reject the second one, they will never be able to perceive the first one.

Sandra

Sarah Thompson

So, I may need more of an elevator speech after all. I think we are going to present our responses in a meeting.


How about this?

If my kids value something, it is of value. I see learning everywhere, even in unconventional places. I want them to have as many choices as we can think of, and to live joyfully and passionately in the world. I try not to curate or manage their options, but I do see a role for myself as helping them engage with other people with compassion and discernment. Sometimes people refer to this as radical unschooling.



On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 9:58 AM, Sandra Dodd Sandra@... [AlwaysLearning] <[email protected]> wrote:
 

This is true if she only has one chance ever to clarify:

-=-For the purposes of a co-op and sharing what you do, it may be more beneficial to discussions and more clarifying to everyone to be specific. Kids choose. You don't curate or deny their interests, but help them explore what they are drawn to because you trust they know themselves and there are opportunities for learning in everything- including 'screen time,' dress up, comic books, etc etc. You believe kids will learn what they need in their own time, at their own pace, in their own way. etc etc -=-

It’s not a deposition in court, though. It’s an intro. So the original, even if it can be misinterpreted, might serve well for breaking the ice in some people’s thoughts so that they can begin to see unschooling. Too much too soon could shut them down completely.

When people ask what they could provide for a spouse or grandparent wanting to know more about unschooling, I recommend Free to Learn by Pam Laricchia, but NOT (i seem to specify with near panic) Free to Live.
If they like the first one, they might after a year or two be prepared for the second one. If they reject the second one, they will never be able to perceive the first one.

Sandra