Intro -- is unschooling right for us/my son?
Tami
Hi there,
My name is Tami. I'm 38 and a SAHM to 3 boys - Ryker, 11.5; Hudson,
8.4, and Cameron, 6.10. I've been married to Steve, 40, for almost
13.5 years.
This is the first year homeschooling all of the boys. I homeschooled
the oldest up until third grade, when he entered public school. He
stayed there through 5th grade, and the last year, especially the last
half of the year, was so wretched for everyone. He had a hard time
with the work and the kids and even some of the staff & a parent
volunteer. Shortly before school was out, he was cornered after coming
out of the lunchroom and threatened by a group of boys b/c one of them
thought that he liked the same girl. Needless to say, that was pretty
much the straw that broke the camel's back, and my husband and I
decided that this year would be homeschool again. We plan to take it
on a year by year basis.
I am using Switched On Schoolhouse for him (with other things where
necessary), Lifepacs and other workbooks & software for the other two.
Today was our first "real" day, and boy oh boy was I re-thinking the
decisions!! I have had a lot of trouble with the 8 year old, who
thinks school is stupid and doesn't want to do it in any way shape or
form. We tried having him go to kindergarten the same year the oldest
went into 3rd grade; he went about a week then refused to go any more.
One of the last days of that week the kindergarten actually said they
would not take him b/c he was so resistant and would not get out of
the truck. We decided that 2.5 hours of school was not worth the
trouble, so we withdrew him. He was so resistant to learning that we
were kind of "hands off" with him until last year. His reading finally
kicked in and he picked it up very very quickly, but it has been a
battle of the wills the whole time. I'm frustrated b/c technically
being his 3rd grade year (by age) he has to be tested at the end of
this school year. I don't know if I can hold him back as a 2nd grader
in that regard or not. I guess that's something I will need to talk to
the HSLDA or the local ESD about. If anyone has any experience with
that sort of thing, I'd appreciate hearing about it!
We are not a particularly scheduled family, but I know that there has
to be some semblance of a schedule for this to succeed with all 3 of
them. I'd like to hear how others work their school days, dividing
time between different grade levels and so on. Today I worked with the
two younger ones on their math and then their reading/writing, and
then concentrated on the older. Also, any help/hints/advice you have
about strong-willed/reluctant students I would be really grateful for!
So....this is where unschooling comes in. I guess that's basically
what we were doing with the 8 year old between the failed kindergarten
and this year. The other two seem to do fairly well with the Lifepacs
and SOS; I don't really want to change what's working. But with the
middle one, the "traditional" approach is NOT working, and I feel at a
loss right now. I'm going to browse this group's archives and surf the
'net for more information, but just would really enjoy hearing about
other families who unschool, and what they do, what they don't do, and
so on.
Thanks :-)
Tami
My name is Tami. I'm 38 and a SAHM to 3 boys - Ryker, 11.5; Hudson,
8.4, and Cameron, 6.10. I've been married to Steve, 40, for almost
13.5 years.
This is the first year homeschooling all of the boys. I homeschooled
the oldest up until third grade, when he entered public school. He
stayed there through 5th grade, and the last year, especially the last
half of the year, was so wretched for everyone. He had a hard time
with the work and the kids and even some of the staff & a parent
volunteer. Shortly before school was out, he was cornered after coming
out of the lunchroom and threatened by a group of boys b/c one of them
thought that he liked the same girl. Needless to say, that was pretty
much the straw that broke the camel's back, and my husband and I
decided that this year would be homeschool again. We plan to take it
on a year by year basis.
I am using Switched On Schoolhouse for him (with other things where
necessary), Lifepacs and other workbooks & software for the other two.
Today was our first "real" day, and boy oh boy was I re-thinking the
decisions!! I have had a lot of trouble with the 8 year old, who
thinks school is stupid and doesn't want to do it in any way shape or
form. We tried having him go to kindergarten the same year the oldest
went into 3rd grade; he went about a week then refused to go any more.
One of the last days of that week the kindergarten actually said they
would not take him b/c he was so resistant and would not get out of
the truck. We decided that 2.5 hours of school was not worth the
trouble, so we withdrew him. He was so resistant to learning that we
were kind of "hands off" with him until last year. His reading finally
kicked in and he picked it up very very quickly, but it has been a
battle of the wills the whole time. I'm frustrated b/c technically
being his 3rd grade year (by age) he has to be tested at the end of
this school year. I don't know if I can hold him back as a 2nd grader
in that regard or not. I guess that's something I will need to talk to
the HSLDA or the local ESD about. If anyone has any experience with
that sort of thing, I'd appreciate hearing about it!
We are not a particularly scheduled family, but I know that there has
to be some semblance of a schedule for this to succeed with all 3 of
them. I'd like to hear how others work their school days, dividing
time between different grade levels and so on. Today I worked with the
two younger ones on their math and then their reading/writing, and
then concentrated on the older. Also, any help/hints/advice you have
about strong-willed/reluctant students I would be really grateful for!
So....this is where unschooling comes in. I guess that's basically
what we were doing with the 8 year old between the failed kindergarten
and this year. The other two seem to do fairly well with the Lifepacs
and SOS; I don't really want to change what's working. But with the
middle one, the "traditional" approach is NOT working, and I feel at a
loss right now. I'm going to browse this group's archives and surf the
'net for more information, but just would really enjoy hearing about
other families who unschool, and what they do, what they don't do, and
so on.
Thanks :-)
Tami
paul mcgee
hi tami, i'm going to watch and learn also from the responses you get. your situation and mine are identical....i'm finding it really hard. were in the uk, and its only 11am.....i'm exhausted. ann x
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Karen Buxcel
Hi Tami!
I'm sure you'll get much more advice from more experienced unschoolers here,
but I can share briefly for a second while my littlest is still sleeping.
I, too, have three boys. 8, 6, and nearly 3, all unschooled since birth.
They are a bundle of energy to say the least! We live happy, full lives,
doing lots of exciting and intersting things that they enjoy. That's how we
learn. I watch them closely, answer their questions, and generally just
jump in with both feet when I see they're really moved by something. We've
never done any formal 'schooling', yet our children ask questions like
"what's 20+20" (well, the younger one asks) and the older one will tell me
how he's figured out some mathematical equation.
So, that's a bit of what we *do*.
And I can also say that what we don't *do* is school at home, in any form.
That would be called "school at home", not unschooling. I'm sure you'll
glean lots of information from older posts, but that's it from me in a
nutshell!
I think the key is in enjoying your children every day, and trusting, really
trusting, that they are wise beyond our imaginations and will acquire every
bit of information that *they* need to be wonderful, whole people.
Best of luck,
Karen
--
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know
peace."
Jimi Hendrix
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I'm sure you'll get much more advice from more experienced unschoolers here,
but I can share briefly for a second while my littlest is still sleeping.
I, too, have three boys. 8, 6, and nearly 3, all unschooled since birth.
They are a bundle of energy to say the least! We live happy, full lives,
doing lots of exciting and intersting things that they enjoy. That's how we
learn. I watch them closely, answer their questions, and generally just
jump in with both feet when I see they're really moved by something. We've
never done any formal 'schooling', yet our children ask questions like
"what's 20+20" (well, the younger one asks) and the older one will tell me
how he's figured out some mathematical equation.
So, that's a bit of what we *do*.
And I can also say that what we don't *do* is school at home, in any form.
That would be called "school at home", not unschooling. I'm sure you'll
glean lots of information from older posts, but that's it from me in a
nutshell!
I think the key is in enjoying your children every day, and trusting, really
trusting, that they are wise beyond our imaginations and will acquire every
bit of information that *they* need to be wonderful, whole people.
Best of luck,
Karen
--
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know
peace."
Jimi Hendrix
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
marmar843
--- In [email protected], paul mcgee <worslo@...> wrote:
hard. were in the uk, and its only 11am.....i'm exhausted. ann x
at home. My daughter who is 7 years old and loves being at home now.
She had a horrible experience at school this year her safety was
comprimised so my husband and I decided this is what was the best for
her. My mother was a public school teacher for over 30years. If she
was here (alive) today she would say take her out of the school. I
only have 1 child and I understand when you have more than 1 child in
the home and some love home schooling and 1 does not, I would step
back and let the child relax and see how you are doing things. How his
siblings are doing. It will take some time but he will get involved in
home schooling. He will learn on his own and in his own time. Slowly
add math, reading and language arts into his day WHEN he is ready. He
will come around. If you can take a day trip to a park or somewhere
where no one is teaching and learn together.
That is only my opinion if this dose not help. Time will help. I am
not using set educational tools, just what i know that will help my
daughter.
Mary
Mary
>get. your situation and mine are identical....i'm finding it really
> hi tami, i'm going to watch and learn also from the responses you
hard. were in the uk, and its only 11am.....i'm exhausted. ann x
>this month.
> ---------------------------------
> For ideas on reducing your carbon footprint visit Yahoo! For Good
>My name Is Mary Champion-McCune, This is our 2nd day on UN-schooling
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
at home. My daughter who is 7 years old and loves being at home now.
She had a horrible experience at school this year her safety was
comprimised so my husband and I decided this is what was the best for
her. My mother was a public school teacher for over 30years. If she
was here (alive) today she would say take her out of the school. I
only have 1 child and I understand when you have more than 1 child in
the home and some love home schooling and 1 does not, I would step
back and let the child relax and see how you are doing things. How his
siblings are doing. It will take some time but he will get involved in
home schooling. He will learn on his own and in his own time. Slowly
add math, reading and language arts into his day WHEN he is ready. He
will come around. If you can take a day trip to a park or somewhere
where no one is teaching and learn together.
That is only my opinion if this dose not help. Time will help. I am
not using set educational tools, just what i know that will help my
daughter.
Mary
Mary
>
paul mcgee
thanks mary, just to know that it works for someone else gives me the confidence to continue. the past week have been fraought with tension, me being anxious that my little boy wouldn't do anything when the others were, and him storming upstairs in tears....which is no different from when he was in school. this is so lovely knowing that it will be ok...thanks so much, Ann xx
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Meredith
--- In [email protected], "Tami" <tamijo@...> wrote:
school almost a year ago:
http://rayanschool.blogspot.com/
And while I'm at it, here's a page with links to some other
unschooling blogs:
http://organiclearning.org/resources.html
---Meredith (Mo 6, Ray 13)
>> loss right now. I'm going to browse this group's archives andsurf the
> 'net for more information, but just would really enjoy hearingabout
> other families who unschool, and what they do, what they don't do,and
> so on.You're welcome to read the blog I keep for my stepson, who left
school almost a year ago:
http://rayanschool.blogspot.com/
And while I'm at it, here's a page with links to some other
unschooling blogs:
http://organiclearning.org/resources.html
---Meredith (Mo 6, Ray 13)