Unschooling to college
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Hi folks!
It's been an eventful few weeks, and I wanted to share a bit.
Last weekend we had an unschooling "commencement" concert and party for
Julian, who is 17. In some ways it's hard to talk about such a thing as an
unschooler (we don't WANT him to be "done!"), but there's also a lot of value in
ritual and celebration. Julian is a musician planning to be a professional
musician, so we chose to have him perform a concert for family and friends,
followed by a party.
It was so amazing. He had a bunch of his best friends attend or participate
in the performance, and he did a great job. We had about 85 people, I think,
with great music followed by partying. It was really nice. And his retired
schoolteacher grandmother actually behaved!!!!!!! The concert ended with a
participatory version of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" --- "We don't need no
education!"
We had a passel of teenagers here for a nice long visit, and it was loud and
giggly and fun.
This weekend we went to Vermont to visit Goddard College, which Julian will
attend in the fall. I am a graduate of Hampshire College, another progressive,
alt-y place, but I think Goddard may be the most wonderful choice for
dedicated unschoolers. In the individualized BA program, each learner develops
their own plan during an 8 day per semester residency, then goes back into the
community to learn. The campus itself is lovely, in rural Vermont. And they
really respect unschoolers. (Goddard actually sent a rep to the last unschooling
conference in Peabody, MA)
Very cool couple of weeks.
Kathryn
************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
It's been an eventful few weeks, and I wanted to share a bit.
Last weekend we had an unschooling "commencement" concert and party for
Julian, who is 17. In some ways it's hard to talk about such a thing as an
unschooler (we don't WANT him to be "done!"), but there's also a lot of value in
ritual and celebration. Julian is a musician planning to be a professional
musician, so we chose to have him perform a concert for family and friends,
followed by a party.
It was so amazing. He had a bunch of his best friends attend or participate
in the performance, and he did a great job. We had about 85 people, I think,
with great music followed by partying. It was really nice. And his retired
schoolteacher grandmother actually behaved!!!!!!! The concert ended with a
participatory version of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" --- "We don't need no
education!"
We had a passel of teenagers here for a nice long visit, and it was loud and
giggly and fun.
This weekend we went to Vermont to visit Goddard College, which Julian will
attend in the fall. I am a graduate of Hampshire College, another progressive,
alt-y place, but I think Goddard may be the most wonderful choice for
dedicated unschoolers. In the individualized BA program, each learner develops
their own plan during an 8 day per semester residency, then goes back into the
community to learn. The campus itself is lovely, in rural Vermont. And they
really respect unschoolers. (Goddard actually sent a rep to the last unschooling
conference in Peabody, MA)
Very cool couple of weeks.
Kathryn
************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Su Penn
On May 28, 2007, at 10:00 AM, KathrynJB@... wrote:
degree from a Big 10 school, a graduate degree from Rutgers, and I've
attended (and taught at) other colleges,, but Goddard was far and
away the best institutional education I ever received. The process of
thinking about what I wanted to do, setting my own goals, doing my
own evaluations--all with support from a skilled advisor--was
amazing. Hard for me, after 18+ years of "do enough to get an A" type
education. I kept asking my advisor, "Am I doing enough? Is my thesis
long enough?" and he would say, "Do you think it's long enough?" and
I would tear my hair out. I love that school with a passion, and have
wonderful memories of the residencies and of being in Vermont in the
falls and winters--just beautiful.
Also, at graduation, everybody gets to make a short commencement
speech, because "everybody is the valedictorian of their own class."
It's fabulous.
I was recently wishing Goddard would offer "alumni refreshment
semesters." I have never found as strong and skilled a writing
community in the outside world, and I miss it. I could use something
like that as I'm working on getting my writing moving again after a
very long dry spell.
Goddard is now offering programs for high-school age homeschoolers,
as well, I understand.
Su
> This weekend we went to Vermont to visit Goddard College, whichI have my MFA in writing from Goddard. I also have an undergraduate
> Julian will
> attend in the fall. I am a graduate of Hampshire College, another
> progressive,
> alt-y place, but I think Goddard may be the most wonderful choice for
> dedicated unschoolers.
degree from a Big 10 school, a graduate degree from Rutgers, and I've
attended (and taught at) other colleges,, but Goddard was far and
away the best institutional education I ever received. The process of
thinking about what I wanted to do, setting my own goals, doing my
own evaluations--all with support from a skilled advisor--was
amazing. Hard for me, after 18+ years of "do enough to get an A" type
education. I kept asking my advisor, "Am I doing enough? Is my thesis
long enough?" and he would say, "Do you think it's long enough?" and
I would tear my hair out. I love that school with a passion, and have
wonderful memories of the residencies and of being in Vermont in the
falls and winters--just beautiful.
Also, at graduation, everybody gets to make a short commencement
speech, because "everybody is the valedictorian of their own class."
It's fabulous.
I was recently wishing Goddard would offer "alumni refreshment
semesters." I have never found as strong and skilled a writing
community in the outside world, and I miss it. I could use something
like that as I'm working on getting my writing moving again after a
very long dry spell.
Goddard is now offering programs for high-school age homeschoolers,
as well, I understand.
Su