Melinda

explain unschooling to me??
an you give me an example of your day? Or week maybe. I use a textbook
aproach which is getting expensive, I want them to learn what NY wants
them to as well as teach them what they will really need to know. I
want to learn about all the styles out there so that we can find one
that will match us better. Seat work is ok but oh so boring. LOL

Thank you!

Ren Allen

"I want them to learn what NY wants
them to as well as teach them what they will really need to know. "

If what you want is more important than what your child wants, then
unschooling isn't going to work for you. What NY wants is neither here
nor there. I know plenty of unschoolers that follow the law just fine,
yet allow their children the freedom to learn what they want.

What you're doing is shutting off the joy of learning. We're here to
tell you that any coercion is detrimental to the learning process. You
can choose to take a permanent vacation today. You can choose
unschooling and joy in learning that doesn't get squelched. Please
spend some time to read our links section for tons of great reading.

Ren
learninginfreedom.com

Vanessa

Hi,

We are still new to this (last week was our first week of
unschooling), but we spent last week doing some gardening/yard work,
went garage saling, watched movies, and played some games. We've
tried to keep busy doing things that they like. We were also able to
meet their dad for a picnic during his lunch break from work.

This week, we've not done alot, so far, because the weather has been
rainy, but we were able to go for a walk through the neighborhood, and
look at how many houses were just like ours, and how many were for
sale. Yesterday, I played a video game with my daughter, and she did
some basic math in it, while my son went back to bed and slept for a
while. Because we are still new to this, we are doing what is called
deschooling-which I've been told is a month for every year they were
in school. Mine just were pulled out of school at the end of the last
school year-3rd and 4th grade, so I am taking the time to reconnect
with my kids, and find out what their interests are, and the things
that they like. It's a whole new world with lots more freedom than
they have ever had in public schools. We have gone exploring into
different store, and will hopefully go into a couple of businesses
this week, that we've never been before. Life has changed for the
better, and we are truly enjoying ourselves for the first time in a
very long time. We chose unschooling, because it lets the kids learn
about the things they like, and it fits our lifestyle better. I guess
I haven't really told you much, but if you look into some Sandra Dodd
websites, they are loaded with alot of information, and also a local
library should have some books too. I hope this helps some--good luck
on your decision- I just knew that it wouldn't be good to make my kids
sit at a table, and make them do work, after they have been doing that
at public schools. It would be no different from what I just took
them out of.

----Vanessa




--- In [email protected], "Melinda" <Melinda14094@...>
wrote:
>
> explain unschooling to me??
> an you give me an example of your day? Or week maybe. I use a
textbook
> aproach which is getting expensive, I want them to learn what NY
wants
> them to as well as teach them what they will really need to know. I
> want to learn about all the styles out there so that we can find one
> that will match us better. Seat work is ok but oh so boring. LOL
>
> Thank you!
>

Deb

--- In [email protected], "Melinda" <Melinda14094@...>
wrote:
>
> explain unschooling to me??
> I want them to learn what NY >wants
> them to as well as teach them what they will really need to know.

Why do you want them to learn what "NY wants"? How can you be sure
of "what they really need to know"? Unschooling is about removing the
locus of control from an external source (the state, the parents) and
putting it back where it really belongs, within the learner. It is
possible to unschool and satisfy the state legalities (cause I know
there are unschoolers in NY) without requiring the kids to do x or y
or z a certain way at a certain time. Rather, it's about framing what
they are doing of their own accord in a manner that is what the state
looks for just to keep the state happy and out of your hair. That's
your part of the situation - keeping track of stuff and wordsmithing
things so that the state is happy and interferes minimally with your
kids' lives. And, too, your role is to facilitate their interests, not
direct them.

--Deb

Melinda Teal

thank you both so much!!

On 9/13/06, Vanessa <psychomom95@...> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> We are still new to this (last week was our first week of
> unschooling), but we spent last week doing some gardening/yard work,
> went garage saling, watched movies, and played some games. We've
> tried to keep busy doing things that they like. We were also able to
> meet their dad for a picnic during his lunch break from work.
>
> This week, we've not done alot, so far, because the weather has been
> rainy, but we were able to go for a walk through the neighborhood, and
> look at how many houses were just like ours, and how many were for
> sale. Yesterday, I played a video game with my daughter, and she did
> some basic math in it, while my son went back to bed and slept for a
> while. Because we are still new to this, we are doing what is called
> deschooling-which I've been told is a month for every year they were
> in school. Mine just were pulled out of school at the end of the last
> school year-3rd and 4th grade, so I am taking the time to reconnect
> with my kids, and find out what their interests are, and the things
> that they like. It's a whole new world with lots more freedom than
> they have ever had in public schools. We have gone exploring into
> different store, and will hopefully go into a couple of businesses
> this week, that we've never been before. Life has changed for the
> better, and we are truly enjoying ourselves for the first time in a
> very long time. We chose unschooling, because it lets the kids learn
> about the things they like, and it fits our lifestyle better. I guess
> I haven't really told you much, but if you look into some Sandra Dodd
> websites, they are loaded with alot of information, and also a local
> library should have some books too. I hope this helps some--good luck
> on your decision- I just knew that it wouldn't be good to make my kids
> sit at a table, and make them do work, after they have been doing that
> at public schools. It would be no different from what I just took
> them out of.
>
> ----Vanessa
>
>
>
>
> --- In [email protected], "Melinda" <Melinda14094@...>
> wrote:
> >
> > explain unschooling to me??
> > an you give me an example of your day? Or week maybe. I use a
> textbook
> > aproach which is getting expensive, I want them to learn what NY
> wants
> > them to as well as teach them what they will really need to know. I
> > want to learn about all the styles out there so that we can find one
> > that will match us better. Seat work is ok but oh so boring. LOL
> >
> > Thank you!
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

>>explain unschooling to me?? can you give me an example of your day?>>

Unschooling is living and learning without a prepared curriculum. It's the learning that happens when our minds are engaged and interested. It's also the learning that happens when we're daydreaming and pensive. Think of a fun and interesting day of summer vacation. That's unschooling. Think of a rainy weekend at home watching TV and baking cookies with the kids. That's unschooling. Think about bringing the world to your children and then happily assisting them as they explore, investigate, gaze, ponder and learn. That's unschooling.

Someone else recommeded Sandra's website and I do too. You can find it here: http://sandradodd.com/unschooling It's the most comprehensive site on unschooling out there. She's got a page just devoted to typical day stories here: http://sandradodd.com/typical

>>I want them to learn what NY wants
them to as well as teach them what they will really need to know.>>

How old are your kids? How long have you been homeschooling? With unschooling we've found that the "standards" set by the state are limiting rather than helpful. My kids learn what they really need to know, when they really need to know it. No boring seat work here! :o)

--
~Mary
http://zenmommasgarden.blogspot.com/

"The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the
green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly
alive."
~Thich Nhat Hanh

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Melinda" <Melinda14094@...>
> explain unschooling to me??
> an you give me an example of your day? Or week maybe. I use a textbook
> aproach which is getting expensive, I want them to learn what NY wants
> them to as well as teach them what they will really need to know. I
> want to learn about all the styles out there so that we can find one
> that will match us better. Seat work is ok but oh so boring. LOL
>
> Thank you!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>