New Member Introduction
rshoulla
Hi everyone! I'm Robin, mother to Markus(12), Collin (23mos), and
Katherine (3mos).
After 7 years of frustration with administration, teachers (we saw
good ones too) and what I refer to as "useless, stupid" lesson plans,
we pulled Markus out of public school 3wks ago. We were both
pub/priv schooled and have never known homeschoolers/unschoolers so
pulling him out at all was pretty radical for us. (Not to mention we
have several teachers in the family who are quite skeptical.)
To say the least, we're hyperventilating a bit, trying to relax. We
were all 3 thinking the same thing privately for wks before it was
said aloud so I feel like this "found" us.
Frankly, if I'd known more about the subject, I probably would have
seen it coming when Markus was in 1st grd. He always said, "I'm
going to learn to read when I get to school." He started 1st grd not
knowing his alphabet, but by 2nd grd was reading the Narnia novels
and the Bible (we're not particularly devout). Anyway, once he
learned to read - in late September - he had no use for school. It
was an argument every morning for the rest of the yr. Like I
said...I should have known. Can't change the past.
Before we made our decision, we did a lot of research and that's
where we first heard of unschooling. We're trying to figure out our
path, but I bought Markus a copy of the Teenage Liberation Handbook.
We're reading it together and I'm finding it makes more and more
sense! Given that we already feel a bit radical, the idea of going
the extra step to unschool is tantalizing but terrifying.
(Brainwashed, we are, perhaps!) :)
I've spent the whole afternoon reading through posts here and I hope
no one minds if I mostly lurk for a while just listening to your
ideas, enthusiasm, successes, frustrations, and solutions.
I do have a question. Currently, Markus is reading Thomas More's
Utopia. (His pick.) I started talking to him about literary
techniques More used - he wasn't uninterested, but not really
enthralled. We've talked a lot about Thomas More's life and he watch
A Man for All Seasons today, which he found very interesting with
regards to history and social stds. My 1st inclination is to give
him some ideas to write about himself (he likes to write short
stories) - i.e. what would his own Utopia look like or how does
More's Utopia/England compare to modern America, etc. As an
UNSCHOOLER, do you let them think of these things themselves or do
you offer the list and then let it be?
Sorry this is so long.
Thanks,
Robin
Katherine (3mos).
After 7 years of frustration with administration, teachers (we saw
good ones too) and what I refer to as "useless, stupid" lesson plans,
we pulled Markus out of public school 3wks ago. We were both
pub/priv schooled and have never known homeschoolers/unschoolers so
pulling him out at all was pretty radical for us. (Not to mention we
have several teachers in the family who are quite skeptical.)
To say the least, we're hyperventilating a bit, trying to relax. We
were all 3 thinking the same thing privately for wks before it was
said aloud so I feel like this "found" us.
Frankly, if I'd known more about the subject, I probably would have
seen it coming when Markus was in 1st grd. He always said, "I'm
going to learn to read when I get to school." He started 1st grd not
knowing his alphabet, but by 2nd grd was reading the Narnia novels
and the Bible (we're not particularly devout). Anyway, once he
learned to read - in late September - he had no use for school. It
was an argument every morning for the rest of the yr. Like I
said...I should have known. Can't change the past.
Before we made our decision, we did a lot of research and that's
where we first heard of unschooling. We're trying to figure out our
path, but I bought Markus a copy of the Teenage Liberation Handbook.
We're reading it together and I'm finding it makes more and more
sense! Given that we already feel a bit radical, the idea of going
the extra step to unschool is tantalizing but terrifying.
(Brainwashed, we are, perhaps!) :)
I've spent the whole afternoon reading through posts here and I hope
no one minds if I mostly lurk for a while just listening to your
ideas, enthusiasm, successes, frustrations, and solutions.
I do have a question. Currently, Markus is reading Thomas More's
Utopia. (His pick.) I started talking to him about literary
techniques More used - he wasn't uninterested, but not really
enthralled. We've talked a lot about Thomas More's life and he watch
A Man for All Seasons today, which he found very interesting with
regards to history and social stds. My 1st inclination is to give
him some ideas to write about himself (he likes to write short
stories) - i.e. what would his own Utopia look like or how does
More's Utopia/England compare to modern America, etc. As an
UNSCHOOLER, do you let them think of these things themselves or do
you offer the list and then let it be?
Sorry this is so long.
Thanks,
Robin
rikisgirl
Hello everyone and thank you for letting my family join your group. We live in NW Tucson and are new to unschooling. For the past 2 years my 3 youngest children(10 YO twin DD with adhd and 8 YO DS with autism) have used a virtual academy. I have 3 older children ages 23 (DD who just gave me a grandson), a 14 YO DD and a 13 YO DS. I welcome all suggestions and would love to get in on some of the fun that others are having on outtings.
Jacque
Jacque
Heather
Welcome Jacque!
We are in Oro Valley, so not too far away.
My daughter, Sierra, is 10 - almost 11.
And my son, Quentin, is 13 (14 in Oct).
Hope to meet ya'll soon!
heather
We are in Oro Valley, so not too far away.
My daughter, Sierra, is 10 - almost 11.
And my son, Quentin, is 13 (14 in Oct).
Hope to meet ya'll soon!
heather
On Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 2:56 PM, rikisgirl <jacque.valdez@...> wrote:
>
>
> Hello everyone and thank you for letting my family join your group. We live
> in NW Tucson and are new to unschooling. For the past 2 years my 3 youngest
> children(10 YO twin DD with adhd and 8 YO DS with autism) have used a
> virtual academy. I have 3 older children ages 23 (DD who just gave me a
> grandson), a 14 YO DD and a 13 YO DS. I welcome all suggestions and would
> love to get in on some of the fun that others are having on outtings.
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jacque Valdez
That is not far at all Heather. Do you and your children do any outtings
that you have scheduled? My husband helps out at the Papa Johns in that
area occasionally on the weekends so we find ourselves up there......thanks
for the welcome.
Jacque
that you have scheduled? My husband helps out at the Papa Johns in that
area occasionally on the weekends so we find ourselves up there......thanks
for the welcome.
Jacque
On Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 4:20 PM, Heather <heather@...>wrote:
>
>
> Welcome Jacque!
>
> We are in Oro Valley, so not too far away.
> My daughter, Sierra, is 10 - almost 11.
> And my son, Quentin, is 13 (14 in Oct).
>
> Hope to meet ya'll soon!
>
> heather
>
> On Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 2:56 PM, rikisgirl <jacque.valdez@...<jacque.valdez%40gmail.com>>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Hello everyone and thank you for letting my family join your group. We
> live
> > in NW Tucson and are new to unschooling. For the past 2 years my 3
> youngest
> > children(10 YO twin DD with adhd and 8 YO DS with autism) have used a
> > virtual academy. I have 3 older children ages 23 (DD who just gave me a
> > grandson), a 14 YO DD and a 13 YO DS. I welcome all suggestions and would
> > love to get in on some of the fun that others are having on outtings.
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]