Melissa

I know someone posted about this a few weeks back. I just wanted to
add another little story about it. I've talked to my dad and stepmom
a bit about how we're unschooling, but don't really bring it up with
anyone else. Primarily it's none of their dang business, and I don't
really make it an issue. Yesterday, however, at the 4th party that my
aunt has every year, my school teacher cousin brought it up. Not
hostility, but it makes me wonder what everyone is saying behind my
back ;-)

We were waiting for the fireworks to begin, and she says loudly, "So,
Melissa, I hear that you aren't using any materials to teach your
children." I smiled and agreed, and told her that the method we are
using is called unschooling. I also informed her that she was able to
google online about unschooling, John Hold and Alfie Kohn (although I
was struggling to remember anything, I tend to short circuit whenever
someone asks me questions about my kids, I'm that protective). Then I
just turned back around. I think they were surprised because they
were expecting me to get defensive and start spouting how great it
was and how much my kids were learning. But I really didn't feel the
need because I don't GIVE A FLYING F about what they think! :-P We've
come a long way baby!

I was already ticky because earlier when Breanna was having a
meltdown I saw her just staring out of the corner of my eye while I
was trying to help Bre settle back down. She told me at the last get
together that she's 'learned alot' about autism because they have an
autistic kid at their school. Sheesh. Reminds me of someone saying "I
love indians, I know one at work". KWIM? It's the whole token
minority type of thing...she still knows NOTHING about autism.

Anyway, it feels really good, and maybe immature like I'm thumbing my
nose at them, but please. My 11 year old was the only one yesterday
who knew the declaration of independence (yes, by heart, he's really
been interesting in it lately) Every one else started off with the
preamble or (God help us) Lincolns "Four score and seven years ago".
Josh was stunned that no one, on the fourth of july, knew the words,
but they all knew the latest scores from the sports. Heehee. We had
been practicing earlier, trying to 'read it with feeling'. We had a
lot of fun! He's cool that way, he's the only kid I know who's
stopped the govt candidates in their tracks to ask their opinion on
the latest case law on the second amendment. :-P
Melissa
Mom to Josh (11), Breanna (8), Emily (7), Rachel (6), Sam (4), Dan
(2), and Avari Rose

share our lives at
http://360.yahoo.com/multimomma

Michelle/Melbrigða

On 7/5/06, Melissa <autismhelp@...> wrote:

> Anyway, it feels really good, and maybe immature like I'm thumbing my
> nose at them, but please. My 11 year old was the only one yesterday
> who knew the declaration of independence (yes, by heart, he's really
> been interesting in it lately) Every one else started off with the
> preamble or (God help us) Lincolns "Four score and seven years ago".

This reminds me of two stories.

Story 1. During segregation when African Americans were told that
they had to pass tests in order to get their voter registration cards,
one gentleman went in to register (he was a friend of my grandfather).
The clerk told him that in order for him to get a voter registration
card he had to repeat the Preamble to the constitution. The gentleman
knew the Preamble, but instead decided to recite the Gettysburg
address. The clerk gave him his card. I remember him laughing and
saying, "They all thought we were stupid but here sat this man who
didn't even know the difference between the Preamble and the words of
Lincoln!"

Story 2. Last year we were somewhere and there was a reading of the
Declaration of Independence. Emily got all upset. I asked her what
was wrong and she replied, "They forgot an entire paragraph. It
doesn't start 'We declare these truths to be self evident.' It begins
'When in the Course of human events' Can't they get it right?" She's
right of course and I know I have heard many times the DoI read
without the "When in the Course...." part.

What's even sadder is that many people don't know the difference
between the DoI and the Constitution, what either is about and what
they mean. We talk about constitutional law and civil liberties all
the time and I'm constantly amazed at how much better my children
understand it than many adults I know.


--
Michelle
aka Melbrigða
http://eventualknitting.blogspot.com
[email protected] - Homeschooling for the Medieval Recreationist

Christy Mahoney

What's even sadder is that many people don't know the difference
> between the DoI and the Constitution, what either is about and what
> they mean. We talk about constitutional law and civil liberties all
> the time and I'm constantly amazed at how much better my children
> understand it than many adults I know.


Why is that sad to you? I'm just wondering from an unschooling point
of view. To me, it's just one of a zillion things that someone can
know about.

-Christy

Michelle/Melbrigða

On 7/5/06, Christy Mahoney <unschooling1@...> wrote:
> What's even sadder is that many people don't know the difference
> > between the DoI and the Constitution, what either is about and what
> > they mean. We talk about constitutional law and civil liberties all
> > the time and I'm constantly amazed at how much better my children
> > understand it than many adults I know.
>
>
> Why is that sad to you? I'm just wondering from an unschooling point
> of view. To me, it's just one of a zillion things that someone can
> know about.
>

I think because I chalk it up to apathy when people don't know the
laws of their own country. Apathy is what gets laws passed and people
elected that shouldn't be in our laws or be our lawmakers. It's my
opinion that we have a civic duty to know our laws, what they mean and
what our rights are just as I think it is our civic duty to vote and
serve on jury duty. I was talking not long ago to someone about some
subject and after I made a statement the person asked me, "Where the
heck did you get an idea like that from?" I was astounded. It was
straight out of the Bill of Rights! I meet people all the time who do
not realize that the United States is not a Christian country. IOW we
have no national religion. I can't remember who said it, but I was
watching a political talk show a year or so ago and one of the
panelists said (paraphrasing), "It is the ignorance and apathy that
allow the gates to our civil liberties to be erased from our laws."
While I don't think that everyone should be constitutional lawyers, I
do think that people should have some interest in understanding what
it means to be a citizen of their country and what those rights and
responsibilities are.

--
Michelle
aka Melbrigða
http://eventualknitting.blogspot.com
[email protected] - Homeschooling for the Medieval Recreationist

Melissa

Well, it's important to ME that my kids know their rights so that no
one else can infringe on them. If you read the DoI, it states so
clearly and eloquently all the reasons for declaring our
independence, and is an example to my children that people have the
right to say this is wrong, we need to change it. It's not important
to me that everyone have it memorized, but it is a cool document.
Melissa
Mom to Josh (11), Breanna (8), Emily (7), Rachel (6), Sam (4), Dan
(2), and Avari Rose

share our lives at
http://360.yahoo.com/multimomma



On Jul 5, 2006, at 3:38 PM, Christy Mahoney wrote:

> What's even sadder is that many people don't know the difference
> > between the DoI and the Constitution, what either is about and what
> > they mean. We talk about constitutional law and civil liberties all
> > the time and I'm constantly amazed at how much better my children
> > understand it than many adults I know.
>
> Why is that sad to you? I'm just wondering from an unschooling point
> of view. To me, it's just one of a zillion things that someone can
> know about.
>
> -Christy
>
>
>



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