DH Concern: Unschooling vs. "Well-Rounded" Children
Lisa
Hi all,
We are new unschoolers, starting our migration in Oct '07. I have
read a lot on this list, on sites (Joyfully Rejoicing and Dandra
Dodd), and in books (John Holt, Grace Llewellyn, etc). I want
unschooling to be our lifestyle. DH has lingering reservations for
which I need help to address.
Recently, DH wondered if our boys (7 & 6) might become less "well-
rounded" adults as a result of unschooling. DH openly admitted to
hating school. He attended a variety of public and private schools,
even after his Dad stopped moving with the military. DH believes that
this (hated) schooling made him well-rounded and helped him know a
little about a lot. He finds this broad knowledge useful when he
communicates with strangers. DH is an airline pilot who flies 3-5 day
trips, usually with someone different each trip. He takes pride in
his ability to make conversation with people having widely varied
interests. I think that DH wants the boys to have this same
capability.
When I asked if DH was willing to read about unschooling, he declined
to read a book (though he is an avid reader and researcher for his
own interests). So, I will print posts for him.
Please help me address DH's concern: if we unschool, the boys will
not become well-rounded adults.
BTW, we are attending the NE Unschooling Conference this weekend and
I am very excited! I already asked DH to attend the first SSUD'S
gathering on Friday afternoon. I also hope seeing (meeting?) older
unschooled kids will ease his discomfort. I will print any responses
we get before our departure on Weds so we can read them enroute.
Thanks for the wisdom, past and future. This list is a lifeline for
me as we learn to live in freedom.
Lisa
Wife to Jim
Mom to Daniel (7) and Ryan (6)
We are new unschoolers, starting our migration in Oct '07. I have
read a lot on this list, on sites (Joyfully Rejoicing and Dandra
Dodd), and in books (John Holt, Grace Llewellyn, etc). I want
unschooling to be our lifestyle. DH has lingering reservations for
which I need help to address.
Recently, DH wondered if our boys (7 & 6) might become less "well-
rounded" adults as a result of unschooling. DH openly admitted to
hating school. He attended a variety of public and private schools,
even after his Dad stopped moving with the military. DH believes that
this (hated) schooling made him well-rounded and helped him know a
little about a lot. He finds this broad knowledge useful when he
communicates with strangers. DH is an airline pilot who flies 3-5 day
trips, usually with someone different each trip. He takes pride in
his ability to make conversation with people having widely varied
interests. I think that DH wants the boys to have this same
capability.
When I asked if DH was willing to read about unschooling, he declined
to read a book (though he is an avid reader and researcher for his
own interests). So, I will print posts for him.
Please help me address DH's concern: if we unschool, the boys will
not become well-rounded adults.
BTW, we are attending the NE Unschooling Conference this weekend and
I am very excited! I already asked DH to attend the first SSUD'S
gathering on Friday afternoon. I also hope seeing (meeting?) older
unschooled kids will ease his discomfort. I will print any responses
we get before our departure on Weds so we can read them enroute.
Thanks for the wisdom, past and future. This list is a lifeline for
me as we learn to live in freedom.
Lisa
Wife to Jim
Mom to Daniel (7) and Ryan (6)
Schuyler
I think being well-rounded has some very nice aspects to it, but I don't know that it is the be-all end-all. I don't know very much about Asian history, or Euclidian geometry, or South African literature. I live in Europe and I can't name all the countries in the EU (although in my defense I will say they keep changing all the time). I'm not the best person to begin a discussion on String theory, 'cause I just get really confused. That said, I can talk for a long, long time on evolution and biology. How deep is rounded? Do we need folk like Stephen Hawking to be able to discourse passionately about the different literary devices in Gravity's Rainbow?
That said, I think that Unschooling can lead to a very broad understanding of the world. By exposure to many things, ideas, conversations, museums, movies, television, books, magazines, pertaining to a specific interest, you can end up anywhere. Sandra Dodd has a game called "thinking sticks".(http://sandradodd.com/thinkingsticks)They are popsicles with words written on them. Each one, I believe, has a single word, written on it. And the game is to connect two sticks, two words together. So you choose and you get shoes and dog. You could think about shoes that have been chewed by your dog, you could go with Elvis and Blue Suade Shoes and You Ain't Nothing But a Hound Dog, or Hushpuppy shoes. Whatever connections you make, and I'm sure there are a lot more connections to make than I can think of at the minute, they are conversations about how any idea, any focus can send you off understanding more about the world than before you had that focus or question
or idea. It is also about how ideas and things are all connected. Having not read Gravity's Rainbow, but noting quickly that it is, at least somewhat, about the V-2 rocket, it is possible that it is among the things that Stephen Hawking could talk about.
Anyhow, must go, have children to rouse and a plane to catch.
Schuyler
www.waynforth.blogspot.com
----- Original Message ----
From: Lisa <lrowx001@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, 19 May, 2008 8:00:53 PM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] DH Concern: Unschooling vs. "Well-Rounded" Children
Hi all,
We are new unschoolers, starting our migration in Oct '07. I have
read a lot on this list, on sites (Joyfully Rejoicing and Dandra
Dodd), and in books (John Holt, Grace Llewellyn, etc). I want
unschooling to be our lifestyle. DH has lingering reservations for
which I need help to address.
Recently, DH wondered if our boys (7 & 6) might become less "well-
rounded" adults as a result of unschooling. DH openly admitted to
hating school. He attended a variety of public and private schools,
even after his Dad stopped moving with the military. DH believes that
this (hated) schooling made him well-rounded and helped him know a
little about a lot. He finds this broad knowledge useful when he
communicates with strangers. DH is an airline pilot who flies 3-5 day
trips, usually with someone different each trip. He takes pride in
his ability to make conversation with people having widely varied
interests. I think that DH wants the boys to have this same
capability.
When I asked if DH was willing to read about unschooling, he declined
to read a book (though he is an avid reader and researcher for his
own interests). So, I will print posts for him.
Please help me address DH's concern: if we unschool, the boys will
not become well-rounded adults.
BTW, we are attending the NE Unschooling Conference this weekend and
I am very excited! I already asked DH to attend the first SSUD'S
gathering on Friday afternoon. I also hope seeing (meeting?) older
unschooled kids will ease his discomfort. I will print any responses
we get before our departure on Weds so we can read them enroute.
Thanks for the wisdom, past and future. This list is a lifeline for
me as we learn to live in freedom.
Lisa
Wife to Jim
Mom to Daniel (7) and Ryan (6)
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
That said, I think that Unschooling can lead to a very broad understanding of the world. By exposure to many things, ideas, conversations, museums, movies, television, books, magazines, pertaining to a specific interest, you can end up anywhere. Sandra Dodd has a game called "thinking sticks".(http://sandradodd.com/thinkingsticks)They are popsicles with words written on them. Each one, I believe, has a single word, written on it. And the game is to connect two sticks, two words together. So you choose and you get shoes and dog. You could think about shoes that have been chewed by your dog, you could go with Elvis and Blue Suade Shoes and You Ain't Nothing But a Hound Dog, or Hushpuppy shoes. Whatever connections you make, and I'm sure there are a lot more connections to make than I can think of at the minute, they are conversations about how any idea, any focus can send you off understanding more about the world than before you had that focus or question
or idea. It is also about how ideas and things are all connected. Having not read Gravity's Rainbow, but noting quickly that it is, at least somewhat, about the V-2 rocket, it is possible that it is among the things that Stephen Hawking could talk about.
Anyhow, must go, have children to rouse and a plane to catch.
Schuyler
www.waynforth.blogspot.com
----- Original Message ----
From: Lisa <lrowx001@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, 19 May, 2008 8:00:53 PM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] DH Concern: Unschooling vs. "Well-Rounded" Children
Hi all,
We are new unschoolers, starting our migration in Oct '07. I have
read a lot on this list, on sites (Joyfully Rejoicing and Dandra
Dodd), and in books (John Holt, Grace Llewellyn, etc). I want
unschooling to be our lifestyle. DH has lingering reservations for
which I need help to address.
Recently, DH wondered if our boys (7 & 6) might become less "well-
rounded" adults as a result of unschooling. DH openly admitted to
hating school. He attended a variety of public and private schools,
even after his Dad stopped moving with the military. DH believes that
this (hated) schooling made him well-rounded and helped him know a
little about a lot. He finds this broad knowledge useful when he
communicates with strangers. DH is an airline pilot who flies 3-5 day
trips, usually with someone different each trip. He takes pride in
his ability to make conversation with people having widely varied
interests. I think that DH wants the boys to have this same
capability.
When I asked if DH was willing to read about unschooling, he declined
to read a book (though he is an avid reader and researcher for his
own interests). So, I will print posts for him.
Please help me address DH's concern: if we unschool, the boys will
not become well-rounded adults.
BTW, we are attending the NE Unschooling Conference this weekend and
I am very excited! I already asked DH to attend the first SSUD'S
gathering on Friday afternoon. I also hope seeing (meeting?) older
unschooled kids will ease his discomfort. I will print any responses
we get before our departure on Weds so we can read them enroute.
Thanks for the wisdom, past and future. This list is a lifeline for
me as we learn to live in freedom.
Lisa
Wife to Jim
Mom to Daniel (7) and Ryan (6)
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
hbmccarty
Hi Lisa-
I personally take exception to the term well-rounded. I attended a
private high school at which this term has the bench mark for success. I
was not well-rounded(no sports- all art activities)- and was told often
that I should be. I suppose the goal of this was to look good on an Ivy
league application- as far as I could figure.
Unschooled children sometimes do many different things- sometimes will
focus more on what seems to be one thing. To me, it is much more
valuable to make your own choice about how you are in the world than to
have any idea about well-roundedness in your mind. My son spends a good
portion of his time on music- practice, listening, rehearsals,
performing. He also plays Starcraft and Halo, Magic, soccer, and
basketball. That seems pretty darned well-rounded to me! My daughter
primarily watches a ton of movies and tv shows, she also draws, writes,
sews, does many crafts, plays basketball, and takes swimming lessons,
and plays with her cat. That also seems well-rounded. None of it would
seem well-rounded to Mr. Gratwick(my HS guidance counselor).
Not sure if this is helpful to your situation- just my thoughts. There
is no guarantee that an unschooled child will learn what kids in school
learn, or that they will learn a little bit of everything. Maybe it
would be easier to convince him that well-roundedness is an outdated
concept- and that the way of the future is specialization. I always
thought that being deeply immersed in something you love was of much
more value than learning a tiny bit about a lot of different stuff that
you forgot a month later.
As far as communicating with strangers- I think that listening to NPR
and This American Life really is the key for me- gives me plenty of
interesting things to talk about. TV watching or newspaper reading I am
sure would accomplish the same thing. In addition I think that an
unschooled person would have such an unusual body of knowledge compared
to a schooled person that that would certainly allow them to connect in
a much deeper way and possible over a broader spectrum anyway. My son
has connected to so many people through his current specialty, music. It
really is a joy to observe.
Heather M.
Lisa wrote:
I personally take exception to the term well-rounded. I attended a
private high school at which this term has the bench mark for success. I
was not well-rounded(no sports- all art activities)- and was told often
that I should be. I suppose the goal of this was to look good on an Ivy
league application- as far as I could figure.
Unschooled children sometimes do many different things- sometimes will
focus more on what seems to be one thing. To me, it is much more
valuable to make your own choice about how you are in the world than to
have any idea about well-roundedness in your mind. My son spends a good
portion of his time on music- practice, listening, rehearsals,
performing. He also plays Starcraft and Halo, Magic, soccer, and
basketball. That seems pretty darned well-rounded to me! My daughter
primarily watches a ton of movies and tv shows, she also draws, writes,
sews, does many crafts, plays basketball, and takes swimming lessons,
and plays with her cat. That also seems well-rounded. None of it would
seem well-rounded to Mr. Gratwick(my HS guidance counselor).
Not sure if this is helpful to your situation- just my thoughts. There
is no guarantee that an unschooled child will learn what kids in school
learn, or that they will learn a little bit of everything. Maybe it
would be easier to convince him that well-roundedness is an outdated
concept- and that the way of the future is specialization. I always
thought that being deeply immersed in something you love was of much
more value than learning a tiny bit about a lot of different stuff that
you forgot a month later.
As far as communicating with strangers- I think that listening to NPR
and This American Life really is the key for me- gives me plenty of
interesting things to talk about. TV watching or newspaper reading I am
sure would accomplish the same thing. In addition I think that an
unschooled person would have such an unusual body of knowledge compared
to a schooled person that that would certainly allow them to connect in
a much deeper way and possible over a broader spectrum anyway. My son
has connected to so many people through his current specialty, music. It
really is a joy to observe.
Heather M.
Lisa wrote:
>
>
>
> Please help me address DH's concern: if we unschool, the boys will
> not become well-rounded adults.
>
> He takes pride in his ability to make conversation with people having
> widely varied interests. I think that DH wants the boys to have this
> same capability.
>
Bea
--- In [email protected], "Lisa" <lrowx001@...> wrote:
(Or is it not the case anymore that you pay only a small percentage of
your airline ticket if your spouse works for an airline?) If so, that
is a tool that, combined with unschooling, can make your kids very
well-rounded (or at least very well-traveled, and that helps...)
Bea
> DH is an airline pilotIf your dh is a pilot, you have access to very cheap flights, right?
(Or is it not the case anymore that you pay only a small percentage of
your airline ticket if your spouse works for an airline?) If so, that
is a tool that, combined with unschooling, can make your kids very
well-rounded (or at least very well-traveled, and that helps...)
Bea
Debra Rossing
I think something that perhaps unschooled kids would have is not so much
little categorized bits of data but rather a continuing curiosity about
the world and everything in it.
Heck, we spent a good 10 or 15 minutes chatting with the young lady
making the pretzel bites at the movie theater last night while waiting
for the theater to be cleaned so we could go in and see Prince Caspian.
They make the things fresh right there so she was off to one side of the
concession area rolling out and cutting dough, taking the cooked
pretzels/bits out of the oven and brushing them with melted butter and
sprinkling on the cinnamon sugar. We chatted about pretzels and movies
and how she's gotten so good at what she does that she doesn't even need
the timer to know when things are ready. We had fun and she got a bit of
a lift in an otherwise relatively thankless task (she grinned when I
mentioned that I bet she didn't expect to be the focus of as much
interest as a feature film lol). That had -nothing- to do with what is
typically called 'well rounded'. Being interested in other people and
what they do and the stuff that's around us is, IMO, a valuable 'tool'
in life, perhaps more than all those data nuggets kids get fed in
school.
And, FWIW, yup, we've got all sorts of resources at our house - from
Pokemon magazine to Time to Popular Science to National Geographic to a
whole assortment of cable channels and DVDs to the Internet and all the
odd news bits therein (ever seen the YouTube video of the Vegetable
orchestra?)- curiosity is everywhere! LOL One of our favorite things is
connecting actors in one movie or program to something else to something
else. We've made some of the bizarre-est connections (one time we
connected JFK to John Belushi - it's actually not too hard once you know
that The Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is married to Maria Shriver
who is Kennedy kin). And not only people but ideas, places, events too.
For instance, there is actually a real life person who is working on
developing Star Trek transporter technology. One of the problems is the
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle (you can't know where an atom is AND
what it is doing at the same time, only one or the other). Well, on Star
Trek (TNG), they mention in one episode that they use a Heisenberg
compensator. TV and quantum physics! Whoo hoo!
Deb
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little categorized bits of data but rather a continuing curiosity about
the world and everything in it.
Heck, we spent a good 10 or 15 minutes chatting with the young lady
making the pretzel bites at the movie theater last night while waiting
for the theater to be cleaned so we could go in and see Prince Caspian.
They make the things fresh right there so she was off to one side of the
concession area rolling out and cutting dough, taking the cooked
pretzels/bits out of the oven and brushing them with melted butter and
sprinkling on the cinnamon sugar. We chatted about pretzels and movies
and how she's gotten so good at what she does that she doesn't even need
the timer to know when things are ready. We had fun and she got a bit of
a lift in an otherwise relatively thankless task (she grinned when I
mentioned that I bet she didn't expect to be the focus of as much
interest as a feature film lol). That had -nothing- to do with what is
typically called 'well rounded'. Being interested in other people and
what they do and the stuff that's around us is, IMO, a valuable 'tool'
in life, perhaps more than all those data nuggets kids get fed in
school.
And, FWIW, yup, we've got all sorts of resources at our house - from
Pokemon magazine to Time to Popular Science to National Geographic to a
whole assortment of cable channels and DVDs to the Internet and all the
odd news bits therein (ever seen the YouTube video of the Vegetable
orchestra?)- curiosity is everywhere! LOL One of our favorite things is
connecting actors in one movie or program to something else to something
else. We've made some of the bizarre-est connections (one time we
connected JFK to John Belushi - it's actually not too hard once you know
that The Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is married to Maria Shriver
who is Kennedy kin). And not only people but ideas, places, events too.
For instance, there is actually a real life person who is working on
developing Star Trek transporter technology. One of the problems is the
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle (you can't know where an atom is AND
what it is doing at the same time, only one or the other). Well, on Star
Trek (TNG), they mention in one episode that they use a Heisenberg
compensator. TV and quantum physics! Whoo hoo!
Deb
**********************************************************************
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify
the system manager.
This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by
MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses.
CNC Software, Inc.
www.mastercam.com
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
kel9769
DH believes that
I'll be at the NE Unschooling conference too. Can't wait to see you
there! The thing I find interesting is the idea that our kids can
only get the positive aspects we got out of school by going through
the unpleasantness we experienced. In your husbands case he was
forced to be outgoing, friendly and easy to get along with because
of his experience. He has in turn made good use of that skill he
learned as an adult. His ability to cope with a difficult situation
in a postive manner is a really good skill. Part of it is probably
his personality and family support in addition to the practice he
got as a kid. His children may or may not have the same natural
disposition to be easygoing. Another child in his position may have
become withdrawn, depressed and socially awkward. I think
unschooling is ideal for giving your kids the opportunity to play to
their strengths as well as overcome their barriers in a much more
natural way.
My daughter is 15 and has been unschooling since February 07. When
she was in school she was terrified all the time. She wore baggy
clothes and kept her hood up a lot. Her grades were ok but she was
sick a lot. She had headaches, stomache aches, hives and mono. She
couldn't spend the night away from me so missed a lot of things she
wanted to do. In the last year she has gone to camp for a week,
been in a play, visited friends in New hampshire for 2 weeks, taken
a cake decorating class, learned to take the bus on her own, worked
as a babysitter up to 10 hours a week, payed for and taken a weaving
class, gone to New Orleans for a week to help with Katrina recovery
and a hundred other things every day. A year ago I was worried my
daughter might hurt herself now she is a bright and happy young
woman. I know her hardships have made her stronger but I wish she
didn't have to go through them. The world is hard enough we don't
have to create artificial hardships for our children.
See you this weekend!
Kelly
> this (hated) schooling made him well-rounded and helped him know aHi Lisa
> little about a lot. He finds this broad knowledge useful when he
> communicates with strangers.
I'll be at the NE Unschooling conference too. Can't wait to see you
there! The thing I find interesting is the idea that our kids can
only get the positive aspects we got out of school by going through
the unpleasantness we experienced. In your husbands case he was
forced to be outgoing, friendly and easy to get along with because
of his experience. He has in turn made good use of that skill he
learned as an adult. His ability to cope with a difficult situation
in a postive manner is a really good skill. Part of it is probably
his personality and family support in addition to the practice he
got as a kid. His children may or may not have the same natural
disposition to be easygoing. Another child in his position may have
become withdrawn, depressed and socially awkward. I think
unschooling is ideal for giving your kids the opportunity to play to
their strengths as well as overcome their barriers in a much more
natural way.
My daughter is 15 and has been unschooling since February 07. When
she was in school she was terrified all the time. She wore baggy
clothes and kept her hood up a lot. Her grades were ok but she was
sick a lot. She had headaches, stomache aches, hives and mono. She
couldn't spend the night away from me so missed a lot of things she
wanted to do. In the last year she has gone to camp for a week,
been in a play, visited friends in New hampshire for 2 weeks, taken
a cake decorating class, learned to take the bus on her own, worked
as a babysitter up to 10 hours a week, payed for and taken a weaving
class, gone to New Orleans for a week to help with Katrina recovery
and a hundred other things every day. A year ago I was worried my
daughter might hurt herself now she is a bright and happy young
woman. I know her hardships have made her stronger but I wish she
didn't have to go through them. The world is hard enough we don't
have to create artificial hardships for our children.
See you this weekend!
Kelly
Deb
I personally take exception to the term well-rounded.
-----
I'm a well-rounded person but that's only from years and years of
loving chocolate far too much. Now, I'm trying to become -less- well-
rounded. I'm "in shape" too - round is a shape :-O
--Deb
-----
I'm a well-rounded person but that's only from years and years of
loving chocolate far too much. Now, I'm trying to become -less- well-
rounded. I'm "in shape" too - round is a shape :-O
--Deb
goobergrl6
Deb you crack me up! My 2 1/2 yo is about 42 lbs! He is a very SOLID
child and when you see him go after food some days you know why! LOL!
I always tell people it takes a lot of work to stay in that kind of
shape! :)
Lisa
child and when you see him go after food some days you know why! LOL!
I always tell people it takes a lot of work to stay in that kind of
shape! :)
Lisa
--- In [email protected], "Deb" <debra.rossing@...> wrote:
>
> I personally take exception to the term well-rounded.
> -----
> I'm a well-rounded person but that's only from years and years of
> loving chocolate far too much. Now, I'm trying to become -less- well-
> rounded. I'm "in shape" too - round is a shape :-O
>
> --Deb
>
[email protected]
What is Jim planning to do about this "problem?"
Nance
Recently, DH wondered if our boys (7 & 6) might become less "well-
rounded" adults as a result of unschooling.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Nance
Recently, DH wondered if our boys (7 & 6) might become less "well-
rounded" adults as a result of unschooling.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Pamela Sorooshian
On May 19, 2008, at 11:39 PM, Schuyler wrote:
that's for sure. It is far more important to be interested in learning
about whatever the other person has to offer.
Maintaining a sense of curiosity and wonder about the world - that
eagerness to learn that all young children seem to have before it is
schooled out of them - that is what makes for an interesting and
interested person and it is probably THE number one reason we unschool.
-pam
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> I think being well-rounded has some very nice aspects to it, but IA person who knows a lot isn't necessarily a good conversationalist,
> don't know that it is the be-all end-all. I don't know very much
> about Asian history, or Euclidian geometry, or South African
> literature.
that's for sure. It is far more important to be interested in learning
about whatever the other person has to offer.
Maintaining a sense of curiosity and wonder about the world - that
eagerness to learn that all young children seem to have before it is
schooled out of them - that is what makes for an interesting and
interested person and it is probably THE number one reason we unschool.
-pam
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Lisa
Schuyler,
Thanks for the perspective. It reinforced one of my reflections that
was similar to your thought of "how deep is rounded." I tried to
think of how we would know when someone achieved the condition of
being "well-rounded" and concluded that it is unknowable.
One of my favorite conceptions of unschooling is the idea that all
knowledge is linked and not artificially grouped by academic topic.
Which may lead to a different type of well-roundedness than what
might be obtained from a "liberal arts" education.
Lisa
--- In [email protected], Schuyler <s.waynforth@...>
wrote:
... How deep is rounded?
... That said, I think that Unschooling can lead to a very broad
understanding of the world. By exposure to many things, ideas,
conversations, museums, movies, television, books, magazines,
pertaining to a specific interest, you can end up anywhere. Sandra
Dodd has a game called "thinking sticks".
(http://sandradodd.com/thinkingsticks)
Thanks for the perspective. It reinforced one of my reflections that
was similar to your thought of "how deep is rounded." I tried to
think of how we would know when someone achieved the condition of
being "well-rounded" and concluded that it is unknowable.
One of my favorite conceptions of unschooling is the idea that all
knowledge is linked and not artificially grouped by academic topic.
Which may lead to a different type of well-roundedness than what
might be obtained from a "liberal arts" education.
Lisa
--- In [email protected], Schuyler <s.waynforth@...>
wrote:
> I think being well-rounded has some very nice aspects to it, but Idon't know that it is the be-all end-all.
... How deep is rounded?
... That said, I think that Unschooling can lead to a very broad
understanding of the world. By exposure to many things, ideas,
conversations, museums, movies, television, books, magazines,
pertaining to a specific interest, you can end up anywhere. Sandra
Dodd has a game called "thinking sticks".
(http://sandradodd.com/thinkingsticks)
> Schuyler
> www.waynforth.blogspot.com
Lisa
Deb,
You talked about "curiosity about the world and everything in it."
One of my favorite activities these days is to watch the boys play
outside. They are keenly interested in studying bugs right now - and
are learning about mean plants (thorns, prickly pear, thistle) from
our wild yard. These experiences are so much richer than coloring a
picture of a bug or a thorny plant in school.
One of my organizing goals as we settle in this house is to make more
resources accessible to the boys, especially books, magazines, and
the internet. We do subscribe to National Geographic and we enjoyed
the China edition a lot as Mulan is currently a favored
movie/playtime event in our house. I'm curious if you have other
magazine recommendations for young children (6 & 7).
Thanks for your insights and personal examples. The boys are starting
to interact with adults we encounter outside the home. I think this
will also be a plus for them from unschooling - and may help them
become better conversationalists!
Lisa
--- In [email protected], "Debra Rossing"
<debra.rossing@...> wrote:
from
You talked about "curiosity about the world and everything in it."
One of my favorite activities these days is to watch the boys play
outside. They are keenly interested in studying bugs right now - and
are learning about mean plants (thorns, prickly pear, thistle) from
our wild yard. These experiences are so much richer than coloring a
picture of a bug or a thorny plant in school.
One of my organizing goals as we settle in this house is to make more
resources accessible to the boys, especially books, magazines, and
the internet. We do subscribe to National Geographic and we enjoyed
the China edition a lot as Mulan is currently a favored
movie/playtime event in our house. I'm curious if you have other
magazine recommendations for young children (6 & 7).
Thanks for your insights and personal examples. The boys are starting
to interact with adults we encounter outside the home. I think this
will also be a plus for them from unschooling - and may help them
become better conversationalists!
Lisa
--- In [email protected], "Debra Rossing"
<debra.rossing@...> wrote:
>much
> I think something that perhaps unschooled kids would have is not so
> little categorized bits of data but rather a continuing curiosityabout
> the world and everything in it.... Being interested in other people and
>
> what they do and the stuff that's around us is, IMO, avaluable 'tool'
> in life, perhaps more than all those data nuggets kids get fed in..And, FWIW, yup, we've got all sorts of resources at our house -
> school.
>
from
> Pokemon magazine to Time to Popular Science to National Geographicto a
> whole assortment of cable channels and DVDs to the Internet and allthe
> odd news bits therein
> Deb
>
Lisa
Kelly,
Thanks for sharing your story about your daughter. I'm so glad that she
is thriving now!
I have to confess that I loved elementary school - a lot. And then I
hated school every year after it, more and more, until I got expelled
in my senior year for "excessive absences - many of which were
unexcused." (I think I was one of John Holt's data points!) But the
real irony is that I went back to school, even at the graduate level,
and did well. The difference is that going back was MY choice. And I
had some control over what I studied. And I could leave.
But, getting back to the topic, I don't remember any positive aspects
to school when I was required to attend. I definitely don't think that
the experience made me well-rounded - just bored and a bit angry. Then
we had a yukky Kindergarten experience with Daniel, our 7 year old. I
just could not imagine 12 more years of that struggle and frustration.
And I am soooooo happy to have stumbled across unschooling. Now I want
DH, Jim, to embrace this too.
So, thanks for your example. Your daughter sounds like she is
definitely becoming well-rounded (and well traveled too)! I look
forward to meeting you this weekend.
Lisa
Thanks for sharing your story about your daughter. I'm so glad that she
is thriving now!
I have to confess that I loved elementary school - a lot. And then I
hated school every year after it, more and more, until I got expelled
in my senior year for "excessive absences - many of which were
unexcused." (I think I was one of John Holt's data points!) But the
real irony is that I went back to school, even at the graduate level,
and did well. The difference is that going back was MY choice. And I
had some control over what I studied. And I could leave.
But, getting back to the topic, I don't remember any positive aspects
to school when I was required to attend. I definitely don't think that
the experience made me well-rounded - just bored and a bit angry. Then
we had a yukky Kindergarten experience with Daniel, our 7 year old. I
just could not imagine 12 more years of that struggle and frustration.
And I am soooooo happy to have stumbled across unschooling. Now I want
DH, Jim, to embrace this too.
So, thanks for your example. Your daughter sounds like she is
definitely becoming well-rounded (and well traveled too)! I look
forward to meeting you this weekend.
Lisa
--- In [email protected], "kel9769" <kel9769@...> wrote:
... The thing I find interesting is the idea that our kids can
> only get the positive aspects we got out of school by going through
> the unpleasantness we experienced.
... Another child in his position may have
> become withdrawn, depressed and socially awkward. I think
> unschooling is ideal for giving your kids the opportunity to play to
> their strengths as well as overcome their barriers in a much more
> natural way.
... The world is hard enough we don't
> have to create artificial hardships for our children.
>
> See you this weekend!
> Kelly
>
Lisa
--- In [email protected], marbleface@... wrote:
We'll see.... One of his interests is more travel for the family. He
bid for Vancouver trips with long layovers in June, hoping that we
can go along for one of them. He wants us to go along to visit all
the major cities where he can layover.
Maybe we should try to visit unschooling families across the
continent so he can see lots of successful unschoolers in their
natural environments! Want to be the first visit?
Lisa
>Nance,
>
>
> What is Jim planning to do about this "problem?"
>
> Nance
>
We'll see.... One of his interests is more travel for the family. He
bid for Vancouver trips with long layovers in June, hoping that we
can go along for one of them. He wants us to go along to visit all
the major cities where he can layover.
Maybe we should try to visit unschooling families across the
continent so he can see lots of successful unschoolers in their
natural environments! Want to be the first visit?
Lisa
Carron Armstrong
Pam, I agree whole-heartedly. This is the first thing I thought of when I
read the original post. The most interesting conversationalist is not the
one who shows how much he knows, but the one who provokes and draws out his
partner in conversation. Ask questions, then shut up and listen to the
answers.
themselves "well-rounded". Whenever I start to experience doubts about
whether my children will be able to get along in the world, my husband
cracks, "Yep, you're right. We ought to put them in school. That way they
can make a living spouting trivia on game shows."
As for becoming a "well-rounded" person, two of my favorite books are *An
Incomplete Education*, by Judy Jones and William Wilson and *Cultural
Literacy*, by E.D. Hirsch (of *What Your X Grader Needs to Know* fame).
They're easy to read and fun. I have a B.S., an M.A. and a J.D., and there
were things in these books that I just didn't know because I had never been
exposed to them or had forgotten. There's a reason these books exist --
schools, including colleges, don't produce well-rounded people.
Besides, there is so much information out there and jobs are changing so
rapidly, how can anyone know what skills or information our children will
need to find satisfaction and success? I spent a year in high school
learning shorthand (that was in the early 70s). I used it in a couple of
jobs, but that was replaced by the Dictaphone. Actually, I dictated rather
than transcribed. That was replaced by the Magcard and the IBM
Displaywriter. Those were replaced by the PC and the Mac. Then, we stopped
printing our letters and began sending them by e-mail. We even file court
documents over the Internet. All in the last 30 years. Amazing.
Our newspaper recently ran a list of obsolete skills. Here's a website with
a great list: http://obsoleteskills.wikispot.org/Skills
Carron
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
read the original post. The most interesting conversationalist is not the
one who shows how much he knows, but the one who provokes and draws out his
partner in conversation. Ask questions, then shut up and listen to the
answers.
> "A gossip is one who talks to you about others; a bore is one who talks toIt would be fascinating to know how many Jeopardy contestants consider
> you about himself; and a brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you
> about yourself." (Lisa Kirk)
themselves "well-rounded". Whenever I start to experience doubts about
whether my children will be able to get along in the world, my husband
cracks, "Yep, you're right. We ought to put them in school. That way they
can make a living spouting trivia on game shows."
As for becoming a "well-rounded" person, two of my favorite books are *An
Incomplete Education*, by Judy Jones and William Wilson and *Cultural
Literacy*, by E.D. Hirsch (of *What Your X Grader Needs to Know* fame).
They're easy to read and fun. I have a B.S., an M.A. and a J.D., and there
were things in these books that I just didn't know because I had never been
exposed to them or had forgotten. There's a reason these books exist --
schools, including colleges, don't produce well-rounded people.
Besides, there is so much information out there and jobs are changing so
rapidly, how can anyone know what skills or information our children will
need to find satisfaction and success? I spent a year in high school
learning shorthand (that was in the early 70s). I used it in a couple of
jobs, but that was replaced by the Dictaphone. Actually, I dictated rather
than transcribed. That was replaced by the Magcard and the IBM
Displaywriter. Those were replaced by the PC and the Mac. Then, we stopped
printing our letters and began sending them by e-mail. We even file court
documents over the Internet. All in the last 30 years. Amazing.
Our newspaper recently ran a list of obsolete skills. Here's a website with
a great list: http://obsoleteskills.wikispot.org/Skills
Carron
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
hbmccarty
This is very true! Also being a good conversationalist may not be very
important to some people. It is OK to be quiet, too.
I was raised with very little television and found that to be a great
impediment to participating in conversations at school.
Heather
Pamela Sorooshian wrote:
important to some people. It is OK to be quiet, too.
I was raised with very little television and found that to be a great
impediment to participating in conversations at school.
Heather
Pamela Sorooshian wrote:
>
>
> A person who knows a lot isn't necessarily a good conversationalist,
> that's for sure. It is far more important to be interested in learning
> about whatever the other person has to offer.
>
>
>
Joyce Fetteroll
On May 19, 2008, at 3:00 PM, Lisa wrote:
If some people come out of school full of a little about a lot, is it
because of school or because they naturally absorb what's put before
them and/or are naturally curious about a lot of things?
Is school necessary to be exposed to a lot of stuff?
From personal experience I think it's way better to be exposed in a
fun casual way to things that leave a good feeling and could be
picked up anytime in the future than to be subjected to a full
version that may make someone avoid that subject. Just the mention of
goodly chunks of American History and Silas Marner shut my brain down
because of school.
How many people avoid science and math and classic literature because
of exposure in school?
Does Shakespeare cause people to cringe because he's naturally cringe
inducing or because he recalls memories of being made to read one his
plays (which should be watched not read!) and analyzing something
they didn't care about?
One of the fallacies of people's thinking about school is in
believing school is where I learned x so therefore all children can
learn x there. Or ideally in school kids will learn y, therefore all
kids can learn y by going to school.
But school is an artificially recreated subset of the world. Way
better to use the real world.
school since I was there for so many hours of my day (though I think
very little of it I didn't also come across in real life), but the
things that stuck are the things that interested me. School doesn't
have an exclusive claim to what's interesting! In fact I found they
not only sucked the life out of a lot of interesting things but I had
to sit through hours of uninteresting stuff for a few tidbits that
was interesting. The truly interesting stuff, the stuff that's stuck
with me, is stuff I stumbled across on my own. And I could have used
all those hours in school spent on stuff I don't now remember on
learning other things that I would remember. (Maybe my brain would
have exploded ;-)
abilities the parents have found the most useful. But will our
children find them just as useful? While I too am full of a little
about a lot, I can't hold a conversation to save my life ;-) And, as
a former engineer and now writer, I don't need to. But I am really
good at Jeopardy! ;-)
What I see happening is that my daughter is reaching out for what
*she* needs. The things *she* finds useful for the person she is. She
will use the things she's naturally drawn to. My job is to put
things within her reach so that she can pick and choose what
fascinates her. Unlike school, there isn't a reason for her to avoid
something that interests her. And the things that don't interest her
she either won't be using or will learn in order to do something else
that interests her. (When you don't spend 12 years learning things
that don't interest you, then it's not a big deal to pick up
something in order to get to something else.)
Joyce
> if we unschool, the boys willNearly everyone went to school. Is nearly everyone well rounded?
> not become well-rounded adults.
If some people come out of school full of a little about a lot, is it
because of school or because they naturally absorb what's put before
them and/or are naturally curious about a lot of things?
Is school necessary to be exposed to a lot of stuff?
From personal experience I think it's way better to be exposed in a
fun casual way to things that leave a good feeling and could be
picked up anytime in the future than to be subjected to a full
version that may make someone avoid that subject. Just the mention of
goodly chunks of American History and Silas Marner shut my brain down
because of school.
How many people avoid science and math and classic literature because
of exposure in school?
Does Shakespeare cause people to cringe because he's naturally cringe
inducing or because he recalls memories of being made to read one his
plays (which should be watched not read!) and analyzing something
they didn't care about?
One of the fallacies of people's thinking about school is in
believing school is where I learned x so therefore all children can
learn x there. Or ideally in school kids will learn y, therefore all
kids can learn y by going to school.
But school is an artificially recreated subset of the world. Way
better to use the real world.
> DH believes thatWhile some of the interesting things I know surely I picked up in
> this (hated) schooling made him well-rounded and helped him know a
> little about a lot.
school since I was there for so many hours of my day (though I think
very little of it I didn't also come across in real life), but the
things that stuck are the things that interested me. School doesn't
have an exclusive claim to what's interesting! In fact I found they
not only sucked the life out of a lot of interesting things but I had
to sit through hours of uninteresting stuff for a few tidbits that
was interesting. The truly interesting stuff, the stuff that's stuck
with me, is stuff I stumbled across on my own. And I could have used
all those hours in school spent on stuff I don't now remember on
learning other things that I would remember. (Maybe my brain would
have exploded ;-)
> He takes pride inI think lots of parents want to give their kids the talents and
> his ability to make conversation with people having widely varied
> interests. I think that DH wants the boys to have this same
> capability.
abilities the parents have found the most useful. But will our
children find them just as useful? While I too am full of a little
about a lot, I can't hold a conversation to save my life ;-) And, as
a former engineer and now writer, I don't need to. But I am really
good at Jeopardy! ;-)
What I see happening is that my daughter is reaching out for what
*she* needs. The things *she* finds useful for the person she is. She
will use the things she's naturally drawn to. My job is to put
things within her reach so that she can pick and choose what
fascinates her. Unlike school, there isn't a reason for her to avoid
something that interests her. And the things that don't interest her
she either won't be using or will learn in order to do something else
that interests her. (When you don't spend 12 years learning things
that don't interest you, then it's not a big deal to pick up
something in order to get to something else.)
Joyce
Debra Rossing
Talk about obsolete: I used keypunch cards for programming when I was in
*college* - I graduated in 1983, just as the IBM PC and the Apple 2e
were changing the way things were done. And hey there it is on the list
you linked to...
Now as far as shaped notes (listed on the obsolete list), our songbooks
at church still use the shaped notes (well some of them do, some of them
don't - makes no difference to me, I have a range of lowest, low,
medium, high, higher and that's it - I usually say it's in the key of H
as in heck no I have no idea what I'm singing, I just look to see if I'm
supposed to go higher or lower, a lot higher or just a little and so
on).
Deb
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
*college* - I graduated in 1983, just as the IBM PC and the Apple 2e
were changing the way things were done. And hey there it is on the list
you linked to...
Now as far as shaped notes (listed on the obsolete list), our songbooks
at church still use the shaped notes (well some of them do, some of them
don't - makes no difference to me, I have a range of lowest, low,
medium, high, higher and that's it - I usually say it's in the key of H
as in heck no I have no idea what I'm singing, I just look to see if I'm
supposed to go higher or lower, a lot higher or just a little and so
on).
Deb
**********************************************************************
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify
the system manager.
This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by
MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses.
CNC Software, Inc.
www.mastercam.com
**********************************************************************
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Nance Confer
Re: DH Concern: Unschooling vs. "Well-Rounded" Children
Posted by: "Lisa" lrowx001@... lrowx001
Wed May 21, 2008 6:53 am (PDT)
Posted by: "Lisa" lrowx001@... lrowx001
Wed May 21, 2008 6:53 am (PDT)
--- In [email protected], marbleface@... wrote:
>
>
>
> What is Jim planning to do about this "problem?"
>
> Nance
>
Nance,
We'll see.... One of his interests is more travel for the family. He
bid for Vancouver trips with long layovers in June, hoping that we
can go along for one of them. He wants us to go along to visit all
the major cities where he can layover.
**Good. So he can be in charge of rounding out anything that looks flat. :)
Maybe we should try to visit unschooling families across the
continent so he can see lots of successful unschoolers in their
natural environments! Want to be the first visit?
Lisa
**Or maybe just try to have a good time. We are in Hobe Sound, FL, and if that is anywhere near where you plan to be, we'd be happy to have a visit. Not an inspection or to present a sales pitch to your DH. But a day at the beach? Sure! :)
Nance
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Nance Confer
It would be fascinating to know how many Jeopardy contestants consider
themselves "well-rounded". Whenever I start to experience doubts about
whether my children will be able to get along in the world, my husband
cracks, "Yep, you're right. We ought to put them in school. That way they
can make a living spouting trivia on game shows."
*********
Hurray for your DH! DH here is a hard-core unschooler. I'm an unschooler but just don't get him started! :)
And when we have a chance to watch Jeopardy we are usually -- along with the kids -- amazed at how easy the kid and college programs are. Really boring stuff sometimes. But the adult version brings up an interesting topic every once in a while.
Nance
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
themselves "well-rounded". Whenever I start to experience doubts about
whether my children will be able to get along in the world, my husband
cracks, "Yep, you're right. We ought to put them in school. That way they
can make a living spouting trivia on game shows."
*********
Hurray for your DH! DH here is a hard-core unschooler. I'm an unschooler but just don't get him started! :)
And when we have a chance to watch Jeopardy we are usually -- along with the kids -- amazed at how easy the kid and college programs are. Really boring stuff sometimes. But the adult version brings up an interesting topic every once in a while.
Nance
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
keetry
--- In [email protected], "Lisa" <lrowx001@...>
wrote:
school. He never had any problems or bad experiences. He was a
mediocre student but a bit of a jock, I guess, so that probably
helped him fit in. I hated school after 4th grade. I skipped a lot.
I graduated by the skin of my teeth. When I went to college at 26
things were much different. I loved it because it was my choice.
Alysia
wrote:
>then I
> Kelly,
>
> I have to confess that I loved elementary school - a lot. And
> hated school every year after it, more and more, until I gotexpelled
> in my senior year for "excessive absences - many of which werethe
> unexcused." (I think I was one of John Holt's data points!) But
> real irony is that I went back to school, even at the graduatelevel,
> and did well. The difference is that going back was MY choice. AndI
> had some control over what I studied. And I could leave.aspects
>
> But, getting back to the topic, I don't remember any positive
> to school when I was required to attend. I definitely don't thinkthat
> the experience made me well-rounded - just bored and a bit angry.Your situation sounds a lot like ours. My husband had a good time in
school. He never had any problems or bad experiences. He was a
mediocre student but a bit of a jock, I guess, so that probably
helped him fit in. I hated school after 4th grade. I skipped a lot.
I graduated by the skin of my teeth. When I went to college at 26
things were much different. I loved it because it was my choice.
Alysia
keetry
--- In [email protected], "Carron Armstrong"
<carronna@...> wrote:
yesterday. LOL (It didn't work, btw.)
Alysia
<carronna@...> wrote:
>website with
> Our newspaper recently ran a list of obsolete skills. Here's a
> a great list: http://obsoleteskills.wikispot.org/SkillsI was just blowing on a NES cartridge trying to get it to work
yesterday. LOL (It didn't work, btw.)
Alysia