Re: [unschoolingbasics] more on pros/cons
Millie Rosa
I would like to address your cons, Jeanne:
"no structure,no help."
You guys can have as much or as little structure as you want or need. You won't be bound by any arbitrary structures, which is in my mind a very good thing. We have a "loose structure" that is open to change. But we do get up at about the same time each day; we eat breakfast first thing, etc... If your kids need or want more structure then absolutely you will give it to them. But you will not impose arbitrary structure on them ("Go to bed at x time," or whatever).
"No money for the music lesson or space camp
the child wants."
Which would still be a problem in school. As someone has already said, where there is a will, there is a way. Don't let your thinking limit you; I would try to stop thinking of all the things you "lack." Get creative!
"Not being able to run to the library when one wants
to learn about something"
No, you hop on to google and get immediate gratification for every curiousity! And then you keep a running list of topics that you want to check the library on....and then you get back on google and check your library's catalog. Or you look on amazon to find what they would like to read, and then you call your library and ask them to get it for you. We love the library and use it frequently, but it is never the first stop in answering specific questions. We feed our interests at the library; we answer our questions on the internet!
"Being scared your kid will
grow up and wont know what state he lives in or just basic things"
LOL. Or, ohmygosh, what if he grows up and doesn't even know his name? Come on, this is kinda silly. If you are really worried about it, I really don't see anything wrong with telling him what state he lives in... Or ask him; he may already know! "Basic things" is vague, but I am SURE that he will learn everything that is basic for him (and lots more).
"Lack of ideas (and money)for fun projects."
That is the wonderful thing about the internet and these lists. These folks are wonderful about helping w ideas! And though you may feel clueless at first, as with everything else, you will grow into it. You may need to come here and ask for suggestions and people are always happy to help...but after a while your thinking is stretched and you are more comfortable and you will be filled w ideas of your own! But you don't need to be always suggesting "projects!"
"Lack of fieldtrips
which is very important in unschooling"
Well, first, I wouldn't say that "field trips" are very important in unschooling. "Field trips," seems like school speak to me! Your kids learn at home, at the bank, at the store, in the car, wherever they are. But I do know what you mean. We don't have much money at all (I am a single stay at home mom), but we always can come up with fun places to go. My son LOVES to go to AutoZone and Home Depot, just to look around and ask the "workers" questions. This costs nothing. It costs us $40 a year for membership at the Discovery Center and then we have somewhere really cool to go whenever we like without having to spend anything that day. This year I just asked someone to renew our membership as a Christmas gift, and so it cost me nothing. I wanted to buy unfertilized farm eggs and so we drove around in the country looking at farms, talking to people, until I found the farm I needed and we spend a lot of time talking to that farmer when we buy our eggs. I am always prepared to
pull over when we are driving and my son says "what is that place? what do they do there?" or etc. We have been inside our local firestation more than once and seen the trucks and talked to the firemen, we have been in the policestation and toured the jail! When my son was watching tv and asked me what a "hemi" was, I called the dodge dealership and we were up there the next day for a look under the hood and a full explanation of exactly what a dodge hemi engine is. And on and on. We are often asking "workers" questions and also asking to "look around in the back." Folks have been extremely cooperative in helping us to satisfy our curiosities and share their knowledge and explain the workings of their machines!
And now, a word on math. I was fully schooled, including some college, and never understood math. I hated math, especially algebra and higher math. x+y ??? I felt inept and never got it. Well, a few years ago I started quilting and sewing and am now drafting my own patterns, etc. I recently realized that I am easily using both algebra and geometry regularly with no trouble at all. These things had no meaning for me when I had no real need to use them (ie, when I was taught them in school) and so I couldn't grasp the concepts or application. But when my real life gave me a need to use these things I picked them up so effortlessly that I didn't even realize it! A person will learn what a person needs to know!
Jeanne, I really think the basic tenet of unschooling is trust. You have to understand that it is innate in humans to learn, and trust that they will. Unschooling, as I see it, is a lifelong journey, as much for the parent as for the child. The things we need for our journey are *trust:* in life, in the learning process, ourselves, our children; and a willingness to grow and to learn. It really helps to learn to let go of our fears and put the focus on joy.
Good luck on your journey!
Millie
by the riverside
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"no structure,no help."
You guys can have as much or as little structure as you want or need. You won't be bound by any arbitrary structures, which is in my mind a very good thing. We have a "loose structure" that is open to change. But we do get up at about the same time each day; we eat breakfast first thing, etc... If your kids need or want more structure then absolutely you will give it to them. But you will not impose arbitrary structure on them ("Go to bed at x time," or whatever).
"No money for the music lesson or space camp
the child wants."
Which would still be a problem in school. As someone has already said, where there is a will, there is a way. Don't let your thinking limit you; I would try to stop thinking of all the things you "lack." Get creative!
"Not being able to run to the library when one wants
to learn about something"
No, you hop on to google and get immediate gratification for every curiousity! And then you keep a running list of topics that you want to check the library on....and then you get back on google and check your library's catalog. Or you look on amazon to find what they would like to read, and then you call your library and ask them to get it for you. We love the library and use it frequently, but it is never the first stop in answering specific questions. We feed our interests at the library; we answer our questions on the internet!
"Being scared your kid will
grow up and wont know what state he lives in or just basic things"
LOL. Or, ohmygosh, what if he grows up and doesn't even know his name? Come on, this is kinda silly. If you are really worried about it, I really don't see anything wrong with telling him what state he lives in... Or ask him; he may already know! "Basic things" is vague, but I am SURE that he will learn everything that is basic for him (and lots more).
"Lack of ideas (and money)for fun projects."
That is the wonderful thing about the internet and these lists. These folks are wonderful about helping w ideas! And though you may feel clueless at first, as with everything else, you will grow into it. You may need to come here and ask for suggestions and people are always happy to help...but after a while your thinking is stretched and you are more comfortable and you will be filled w ideas of your own! But you don't need to be always suggesting "projects!"
"Lack of fieldtrips
which is very important in unschooling"
Well, first, I wouldn't say that "field trips" are very important in unschooling. "Field trips," seems like school speak to me! Your kids learn at home, at the bank, at the store, in the car, wherever they are. But I do know what you mean. We don't have much money at all (I am a single stay at home mom), but we always can come up with fun places to go. My son LOVES to go to AutoZone and Home Depot, just to look around and ask the "workers" questions. This costs nothing. It costs us $40 a year for membership at the Discovery Center and then we have somewhere really cool to go whenever we like without having to spend anything that day. This year I just asked someone to renew our membership as a Christmas gift, and so it cost me nothing. I wanted to buy unfertilized farm eggs and so we drove around in the country looking at farms, talking to people, until I found the farm I needed and we spend a lot of time talking to that farmer when we buy our eggs. I am always prepared to
pull over when we are driving and my son says "what is that place? what do they do there?" or etc. We have been inside our local firestation more than once and seen the trucks and talked to the firemen, we have been in the policestation and toured the jail! When my son was watching tv and asked me what a "hemi" was, I called the dodge dealership and we were up there the next day for a look under the hood and a full explanation of exactly what a dodge hemi engine is. And on and on. We are often asking "workers" questions and also asking to "look around in the back." Folks have been extremely cooperative in helping us to satisfy our curiosities and share their knowledge and explain the workings of their machines!
And now, a word on math. I was fully schooled, including some college, and never understood math. I hated math, especially algebra and higher math. x+y ??? I felt inept and never got it. Well, a few years ago I started quilting and sewing and am now drafting my own patterns, etc. I recently realized that I am easily using both algebra and geometry regularly with no trouble at all. These things had no meaning for me when I had no real need to use them (ie, when I was taught them in school) and so I couldn't grasp the concepts or application. But when my real life gave me a need to use these things I picked them up so effortlessly that I didn't even realize it! A person will learn what a person needs to know!
Jeanne, I really think the basic tenet of unschooling is trust. You have to understand that it is innate in humans to learn, and trust that they will. Unschooling, as I see it, is a lifelong journey, as much for the parent as for the child. The things we need for our journey are *trust:* in life, in the learning process, ourselves, our children; and a willingness to grow and to learn. It really helps to learn to let go of our fears and put the focus on joy.
Good luck on your journey!
Millie
by the riverside
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
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