papa bear

Hi, I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice and help answer a few questions. I am somewhat familiar with the concept of unschooling, but unsure of how to apply it to my family. I have 4 daughters ages 4, 5, and a set of fourteen year old twins. Mostly, I am wondering if 14 is too late to start unschooling. They were held back in school twice due to a "learning disability" and I only took them out of school last year. This was our first year of homeschooling. Sadly, I was simply unaware of all these other options before then. They actually seemed to learn quite a bit better at home, but still are not in love with the idea of this school work. Although they seem happier at home, it still was pretty hard keeping up with their curriculum as well as my younger children. Also, I'm wondering how difficult it would be, as unschoolers, to get into college down the road if they decide to do so. Any advice would be great!

plaidpanties666

Here's one little link to get you started - there's a whole gigantic site full of unschooling information attached to it, with links to other sites, too:

http://sandradodd.com/teen/college.html

My now-16yo left school at 13, so I'd say 14 is certainly not too late. It will take some time for your twins to "deschool" though - to decompress and heal from some of the damage school does, like squashing curiosity and self-motivation. That can take a couple years! So its good to start now ;)

A good way to start is to imagine you're on a big, long vacation. What kinds of fun things can you do and see? Its important to think Fun! rather than "educational" for awhile, because kids get sooooo skeptical and burnt out on "educational experiences". Go to ice cream parlors, take your girls window-shopping, go someplace with an outdoor fountain and play in the water. Have fun - be silly! Spend time curled up on the couch together watching movies and tv, too - the way you would if they were getting over something like "mono". Don't expect too much of them for awhile, instead work on being warm and welcoming.

>>they seem happier at home

Hooray! Now look for ways to nurture that. I don't mean "try to make them happy" in some kind of creepy, dysfunctional sense, but see what brings more happiness into their world and facilitate that.

My now-9yo has never been to school, and its a wonderful life! I'm glad my older kid is getting a chance to share it, too.

---Meredith (Mo 9, Ray 16)

lylaw

my daughter started at 13 and it is definitely not too late! there are many stories on the web of later to unschooling scenarios - cameron lovejoy is one such story. it is never too late to have more freedom, more trust, more connection, and an opportunity to learn naturally. my daughter is 15 and is completely immersed in unschooling - is passionate and engaged and inspired. it takes some time - more time, the longer they've been in school/school at home and the more damaging that experience has been - but it is so worth it!
lyla

From: papa bear
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 11:31 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] New and in need of advice



Hi, I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice and help answer a few questions. I am somewhat familiar with the concept of unschooling, but unsure of how to apply it to my family. I have 4 daughters ages 4, 5, and a set of fourteen year old twins. Mostly, I am wondering if 14 is too late to start unschooling. They were held back in school twice due to a "learning disability" and I only took them out of school last year. This was our first year of homeschooling. Sadly, I was simply unaware of all these other options before then. They actually seemed to learn quite a bit better at home, but still are not in love with the idea of this school work. Although they seem happier at home, it still was pretty hard keeping up with their curriculum as well as my younger children. Also, I'm wondering how difficult it would be, as unschoolers, to get into college down the road if they decide to do so. Any advice would be great!







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

Ann

I'll throw my opinion in here that it's never too late. Lifelong learning can begin anytime during a lifetime.

I unschooled my daughter for her last two years of high school, and she got into beauty school (they required a diploma), state university, and the Navy. The only problem she had was getting into a private university where they required a science class with lab on her diploma, which she did not have. But they told her to go to the local technical college where she could get that and then they would accept her.

--- In [email protected], "papa bear" <superimp67@...> wrote:
>
> Hi, I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice and help answer a few questions. I am somewhat familiar with the concept of unschooling, but unsure of how to apply it to my family. I have 4 daughters ages 4, 5, and a set of fourteen year old twins. Mostly, I am wondering if 14 is too late to start unschooling. They were held back in school twice due to a "learning disability" and I only took them out of school last year. This was our first year of homeschooling. Sadly, I was simply unaware of all these other options before then. They actually seemed to learn quite a bit better at home, but still are not in love with the idea of this school work. Although they seem happier at home, it still was pretty hard keeping up with their curriculum as well as my younger children. Also, I'm wondering how difficult it would be, as unschoolers, to get into college down the road if they decide to do so. Any advice would be great!
>

Kelly Lovejoy

Yeah---if you do a search on this yahoogroup with "Cameron deschooling" in the subject line, you can read all day. He's now 22 and knows that there are not enough hours in the day, days in the week, weeks in the year for all he wants to learn and do. But he spent 18 months not doing much of anything.


~Kelly

Kelly Lovejoy
"There is no single effort more radical in its potential for saving the world than a transformation of the way we raise our children." Marianne Williamson



-----Original Message-----
From: lylaw <lylaw@...>


my daughter started at 13 and it is definitely not too late! there are many
stories on the web of later to unschooling scenarios - cameron lovejoy is one
such story. it is never too late to have more freedom, more trust, more
connection, and an opportunity to learn naturally. my daughter is 15 and is
completely immersed in unschooling - is passionate and engaged and inspired. it
takes some time - more time, the longer they've been in school/school at home
and the more damaging that experience has been - but it is so worth it!




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

lylaw

oh yes, and if your teen is interested, check out not back to school camp (nbtsc), which was created by the author of that book - grace lewellyn. my daughter leaves TODAY for her second year at nbtsc and it really changed her life last year.
lyla



From: sharon
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 1:51 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re: New and in need of advice



Here is a great book that I found helpful to deschool and unschool myself as well as take away fears of my children's futures: The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education http://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Liberation-Handbook-School-Education/dp/0962959170/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282639284&sr=8-1
Best,
Sharon, unschooling mom to an 11 and 8 y/o







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

Monica Van Stelton

I don't know what's wrong with this email...I DID NOT sent it!!!!! it shows as I did but I didn't!
Weird!

--- On Tue, 8/24/10, lylaw <lylaw@...> wrote:

From: lylaw <lylaw@...>
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Re: New and in need of advice
To: [email protected]
Date: Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 9:42 AM
















 









oh yes, and if your teen is interested, check out not back to school camp (nbtsc), which was created by the author of that book - grace lewellyn. my daughter leaves TODAY for her second year at nbtsc and it really changed her life last year.

lyla



From: sharon

Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 1:51 AM

To: [email protected]

Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re: New and in need of advice



Here is a great book that I found helpful to deschool and unschool myself as well as take away fears of my children's futures: The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education http://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Liberation-Handbook-School-Education/dp/0962959170/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282639284&sr=8-1

Best,

Sharon, unschooling mom to an 11 and 8 y/o



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