planning?
Kristie
My kids and I continue to deschool...and it is going well. I wanted to ask you
parents...once you deschool...do you have to plan at all, or is it just a
day-by-day thing?
I was considering that I might 'plan' a time each day to do activities with my
younger kids (6 and under) such as games, puzzles, etc...is that a good idea, or
should I just have those things available if they want to do something?
I am gathering that my role is to provide the tools and guidance necessary for
THEM to learn what they want, when they want.
Am I on the right track here?
Thanks,
Kristie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
parents...once you deschool...do you have to plan at all, or is it just a
day-by-day thing?
I was considering that I might 'plan' a time each day to do activities with my
younger kids (6 and under) such as games, puzzles, etc...is that a good idea, or
should I just have those things available if they want to do something?
I am gathering that my role is to provide the tools and guidance necessary for
THEM to learn what they want, when they want.
Am I on the right track here?
Thanks,
Kristie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Joyce Fetteroll
On Sep 23, 2011, at 2:33 PM, Kristie wrote:
going to happen during the day.
But unschooling doesn't need a plan. Learning doesn't need a plan.
An everyday plan can feel like you're serving the plan.
Be mindful of their needs. If they're active kids who tend to have
strong ideas about what they want to do, be their facilitator. If
they're more joiners, set things up for them that support their
interests or bring new stuff through their lives. If they need to do
things themselves, step back but keep aware of the moods and
environment. If things are winding down, be ready to grab one of the
things.
For all kinds of kids, be interested in life yourself and bring things
into their lives that they might find cool. They can't be interested
in things they don't know about!
Don't wait for them to take charge or be the one in charge. Be what
they need you to be to keep their lives as interesting, joyful,
nurturing as they would like it to be.
Stay connected with them. Most likely their favorite thing to interact
with is you! :-) Be near them even when they're involved in something.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> My kids and I continue to deschool...and it is going well. I wantedSome *people* like to plan their days. Some kids like to know what's
> to ask you
> parents...once you deschool...do you have to plan at all, or is it
> just a
> day-by-day thing?
going to happen during the day.
But unschooling doesn't need a plan. Learning doesn't need a plan.
> I was considering that I might 'plan' a time each day to doNeither!
> activities with my
> younger kids (6 and under) such as games, puzzles, etc...is that a
> good idea, or
> should I just have those things available if they want to do
> something?
An everyday plan can feel like you're serving the plan.
>Depends how you'd put that into practice ;-)
> I am gathering that my role is to provide the tools and guidance
> necessary for
> THEM to learn what they want, when they want.
>
> Am I on the right track here?
Be mindful of their needs. If they're active kids who tend to have
strong ideas about what they want to do, be their facilitator. If
they're more joiners, set things up for them that support their
interests or bring new stuff through their lives. If they need to do
things themselves, step back but keep aware of the moods and
environment. If things are winding down, be ready to grab one of the
things.
For all kinds of kids, be interested in life yourself and bring things
into their lives that they might find cool. They can't be interested
in things they don't know about!
Don't wait for them to take charge or be the one in charge. Be what
they need you to be to keep their lives as interesting, joyful,
nurturing as they would like it to be.
Stay connected with them. Most likely their favorite thing to interact
with is you! :-) Be near them even when they're involved in something.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Kristie
Joyce wrote:
actions and their initiative. I am having trouble not looking at it as one
extreme or the other (either I do everything as in traditional schooling or I do
nothing as in a complete hands off approach).
Kristie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>>keep their lives as interesting, joyful,Thanks, I really like this description. It helps me see the balance between my
>>>nurturing as they would like it to be.
actions and their initiative. I am having trouble not looking at it as one
extreme or the other (either I do everything as in traditional schooling or I do
nothing as in a complete hands off approach).
Kristie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Meredith
Kristie <messy_boys@...> wrote:
One of the things you are learning about right now is the natural daily rhythms of your family. Those will shift around a bit over time as your kids get older, need less sleep, have different interests etc, but there's a tremendous value to knowing the natural ups and downs of the daily rhythm of your life. It lets you do a little planning And go with the flow.
You can plan relaxing things for "down" times - if your kids get cranky-tired in the afternoons, for example, you can plan to put in a movie and get everyone settled for a bit of a rest even if no-one but you actually wants a nap.
Or, for instance, my daughter tends to get very focused on projects during the course of the day - from about mid-morning to lunch and then again in the afternoon, and then she'll want to change gears and play video games for a couple hours. So any kind of planning works Around her natural routine. If we're going out, its better to leave before she gets settled in with a project.
Games and puzzles, though, are generally good things to "strew" - have them available but don't necessarily plan them. If kids are watching tv, you could get out a puzzle or some craft project to do in the same room and they might join you, but don't make a big deal. I find simple house cleaning does a lot to freshen things up and bring attention to toys and games which have gotten lost in the shuffle (which probably says something about my house-keeping!) so I don't really have to say "oh, let's try this" - its more like "hey, I forgot we had one of these!"
Actually, the harder thing about unschooling is that kids want to learn about things at the Darnedest times! Right when you're drifting off to sleep, someone wants to know what plutonium is, or where butterflies go when they migrate, or how Godzilla got to be so big - and there you are, totally unprepared and the kids want to learn some really cool. All the planning in the world won't give you that! And its soooooo worth it, even when you're tired, to see your kid being excited about something some other parent would be pleased to tell you he'd never, ever learn unless you made him.
Here's a post from an old blog carnival on sleep and night-time fun, both planned and unplanned:
http://www.sparklingadventures.com/index.php?id=983
---Meredith
>> I was considering that I might 'plan' a time each day to do activities with my****************
> younger kids (6 and under) such as games, puzzles, etc...is that a good idea, or
> should I just have those things available if they want to do something?
One of the things you are learning about right now is the natural daily rhythms of your family. Those will shift around a bit over time as your kids get older, need less sleep, have different interests etc, but there's a tremendous value to knowing the natural ups and downs of the daily rhythm of your life. It lets you do a little planning And go with the flow.
You can plan relaxing things for "down" times - if your kids get cranky-tired in the afternoons, for example, you can plan to put in a movie and get everyone settled for a bit of a rest even if no-one but you actually wants a nap.
Or, for instance, my daughter tends to get very focused on projects during the course of the day - from about mid-morning to lunch and then again in the afternoon, and then she'll want to change gears and play video games for a couple hours. So any kind of planning works Around her natural routine. If we're going out, its better to leave before she gets settled in with a project.
Games and puzzles, though, are generally good things to "strew" - have them available but don't necessarily plan them. If kids are watching tv, you could get out a puzzle or some craft project to do in the same room and they might join you, but don't make a big deal. I find simple house cleaning does a lot to freshen things up and bring attention to toys and games which have gotten lost in the shuffle (which probably says something about my house-keeping!) so I don't really have to say "oh, let's try this" - its more like "hey, I forgot we had one of these!"
Actually, the harder thing about unschooling is that kids want to learn about things at the Darnedest times! Right when you're drifting off to sleep, someone wants to know what plutonium is, or where butterflies go when they migrate, or how Godzilla got to be so big - and there you are, totally unprepared and the kids want to learn some really cool. All the planning in the world won't give you that! And its soooooo worth it, even when you're tired, to see your kid being excited about something some other parent would be pleased to tell you he'd never, ever learn unless you made him.
Here's a post from an old blog carnival on sleep and night-time fun, both planned and unplanned:
http://www.sparklingadventures.com/index.php?id=983
---Meredith
Kelly Lovejoy
Plan "bigger" things, like trips out of the house, to the zoo, the beach, the children's museum.
Plan things that require a lot of planning, like playing with dry ice: have the spoons ready, the liquid soap handy, and plenty of space on your camera. <g> Go get the ice, and hurry home to play.
If you have a "Family Game Night" (both my boys had an interest at different times), make sure all the games have all their pieces, order the pizza, and be sure the ice cream supply is high.
Littler kids (and one of my bigger kids) often like to know what's happening the next day, this morning, or after the baby's nap. I often planned our days: we'll play with pudding on Monday afternoon. Friends are coming all day on Tuesday to swim. We're making sushi on Wednesday for supper, so a lot of early prep. Taking off to the beach on Thursday. Friday: making bubbles and playing Banangrams.
As long as I'm flexible, we can always postpone something or move it up. Talk with your kids. Be creative. Be patient. Be flexible. It'll come naturally as you learn to let go of schoolish expectations.
~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: Kristie <messy_boys@...>\
My kids and I continue to deschool...and it is going well. I wanted to ask you
parents...once you deschool...do you have to plan at all, or is it just a
day-by-day thing?
I was considering that I might 'plan' a time each day to do activities with my
younger kids (6 and under) such as games, puzzles, etc...is that a good idea, or
should I just have those things available if they want to do something?
I am gathering that my role is to provide the tools and guidance necessary for
THEM to learn what they want, when they want.
Am I on the right track here?
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Plan things that require a lot of planning, like playing with dry ice: have the spoons ready, the liquid soap handy, and plenty of space on your camera. <g> Go get the ice, and hurry home to play.
If you have a "Family Game Night" (both my boys had an interest at different times), make sure all the games have all their pieces, order the pizza, and be sure the ice cream supply is high.
Littler kids (and one of my bigger kids) often like to know what's happening the next day, this morning, or after the baby's nap. I often planned our days: we'll play with pudding on Monday afternoon. Friends are coming all day on Tuesday to swim. We're making sushi on Wednesday for supper, so a lot of early prep. Taking off to the beach on Thursday. Friday: making bubbles and playing Banangrams.
As long as I'm flexible, we can always postpone something or move it up. Talk with your kids. Be creative. Be patient. Be flexible. It'll come naturally as you learn to let go of schoolish expectations.
~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: Kristie <messy_boys@...>\
My kids and I continue to deschool...and it is going well. I wanted to ask you
parents...once you deschool...do you have to plan at all, or is it just a
day-by-day thing?
I was considering that I might 'plan' a time each day to do activities with my
younger kids (6 and under) such as games, puzzles, etc...is that a good idea, or
should I just have those things available if they want to do something?
I am gathering that my role is to provide the tools and guidance necessary for
THEM to learn what they want, when they want.
Am I on the right track here?
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Kristie
Thank you, Meredith!
you wrote:
making a huge mess. What do you all think about setting up a bulletin board
with pictures of the different things we have, such as Lincoln Logs, puzzles,
games, play-doh, paints, etc...so that they can choose something from there if
they're interested and then I get it out for them? I guess I'm trying to figure
out the best way to do this w/o having a huge continual mess and losing things.
Kristie
________________________________
From: Meredith <plaidpanties666@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Fri, September 23, 2011 5:14:56 PM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re: planning?
Kristie <messy_boys@...> wrote:
One of the things you are learning about right now is the natural daily rhythms
of your family. Those will shift around a bit over time as your kids get older,
need less sleep, have different interests etc, but there's a tremendous value to
knowing the natural ups and downs of the daily rhythm of your life. It lets you
do a little planning And go with the flow.
You can plan relaxing things for "down" times - if your kids get cranky-tired in
the afternoons, for example, you can plan to put in a movie and get everyone
settled for a bit of a rest even if no-one but you actually wants a nap.
Or, for instance, my daughter tends to get very focused on projects during the
course of the day - from about mid-morning to lunch and then again in the
afternoon, and then she'll want to change gears and play video games for a
couple hours. So any kind of planning works Around her natural routine. If we're
going out, its better to leave before she gets settled in with a project.
Games and puzzles, though, are generally good things to "strew" - have them
available but don't necessarily plan them. If kids are watching tv, you could
get out a puzzle or some craft project to do in the same room and they might
join you, but don't make a big deal. I find simple house cleaning does a lot to
freshen things up and bring attention to toys and games which have gotten lost
in the shuffle (which probably says something about my house-keeping!) so I
don't really have to say "oh, let's try this" - its more like "hey, I forgot we
had one of these!"
Actually, the harder thing about unschooling is that kids want to learn about
things at the Darnedest times! Right when you're drifting off to sleep, someone
wants to know what plutonium is, or where butterflies go when they migrate, or
how Godzilla got to be so big - and there you are, totally unprepared and the
kids want to learn some really cool. All the planning in the world won't give
you that! And its soooooo worth it, even when you're tired, to see your kid
being excited about something some other parent would be pleased to tell you
he'd never, ever learn unless you made him.
Here's a post from an old blog carnival on sleep and night-time fun, both
planned and unplanned:
http://www.sparklingadventures.com/index.php?id=983
---Meredith
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
you wrote:
>>Games and puzzles, though, are generally good things to "strew" - have themI have a lot of little ones, and it's hard to strew very much without them just
>>available but don't necessarily plan them.<<<
making a huge mess. What do you all think about setting up a bulletin board
with pictures of the different things we have, such as Lincoln Logs, puzzles,
games, play-doh, paints, etc...so that they can choose something from there if
they're interested and then I get it out for them? I guess I'm trying to figure
out the best way to do this w/o having a huge continual mess and losing things.
Kristie
________________________________
From: Meredith <plaidpanties666@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Fri, September 23, 2011 5:14:56 PM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re: planning?
Kristie <messy_boys@...> wrote:
>> I was considering that I might 'plan' a time each day to do activities with my****************
>
> younger kids (6 and under) such as games, puzzles, etc...is that a good idea,
>or
>
> should I just have those things available if they want to do something?
One of the things you are learning about right now is the natural daily rhythms
of your family. Those will shift around a bit over time as your kids get older,
need less sleep, have different interests etc, but there's a tremendous value to
knowing the natural ups and downs of the daily rhythm of your life. It lets you
do a little planning And go with the flow.
You can plan relaxing things for "down" times - if your kids get cranky-tired in
the afternoons, for example, you can plan to put in a movie and get everyone
settled for a bit of a rest even if no-one but you actually wants a nap.
Or, for instance, my daughter tends to get very focused on projects during the
course of the day - from about mid-morning to lunch and then again in the
afternoon, and then she'll want to change gears and play video games for a
couple hours. So any kind of planning works Around her natural routine. If we're
going out, its better to leave before she gets settled in with a project.
Games and puzzles, though, are generally good things to "strew" - have them
available but don't necessarily plan them. If kids are watching tv, you could
get out a puzzle or some craft project to do in the same room and they might
join you, but don't make a big deal. I find simple house cleaning does a lot to
freshen things up and bring attention to toys and games which have gotten lost
in the shuffle (which probably says something about my house-keeping!) so I
don't really have to say "oh, let's try this" - its more like "hey, I forgot we
had one of these!"
Actually, the harder thing about unschooling is that kids want to learn about
things at the Darnedest times! Right when you're drifting off to sleep, someone
wants to know what plutonium is, or where butterflies go when they migrate, or
how Godzilla got to be so big - and there you are, totally unprepared and the
kids want to learn some really cool. All the planning in the world won't give
you that! And its soooooo worth it, even when you're tired, to see your kid
being excited about something some other parent would be pleased to tell you
he'd never, ever learn unless you made him.
Here's a post from an old blog carnival on sleep and night-time fun, both
planned and unplanned:
http://www.sparklingadventures.com/index.php?id=983
---Meredith
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Meredith
Kristie <messy_boys@...> wrote:
If none of your kids are likely to climb the shelves (a real concern in some homes) just having boxes and bins with the labels clearly visible from the floor can be enough for kids to look and think about what they want.
You could also rotate whatever's out and about as things seem to get stale, if you tend to store things out of sight (either intentionally or otherwise).
The way my house is organized now is not the way it was organized a year ago - some big things are the same, but I've moved books, games, computers, furniture, etc to adapt to the changing needs of various family members. Needs will change with the seasons and with development - and with random factors like plans to go on a trip or making a new friend or getting a new pet. It's better to think in terms of useful tools and strategies, of trying out ideas and making choices based on what you observe. That's the essence of unschooling - you watch and think and try and watch and think some more. Or as Sandra puts it: read a little, try a little, wait a little, watch.
---Meredith
>What do you all think about setting up a bulletin boardDo they like having a menu of pictures like that? Some kids find it overwhelming. It's something to try if you want - its Okay to try things, experiment a little and find out what's going to work in your real life with your real kids. Some families have picture-lists for food, for instance, because it helps some kids know what they want to eat. Or pictorial "wish lists" to help with big-ticket shopping. Other families don't find those useful.
> with pictures of the different things we have, such as Lincoln Logs, puzzles,
> games, play-doh, paints, etc...so that they can choose something from there if
> they're interested and then I get it out for them?
If none of your kids are likely to climb the shelves (a real concern in some homes) just having boxes and bins with the labels clearly visible from the floor can be enough for kids to look and think about what they want.
You could also rotate whatever's out and about as things seem to get stale, if you tend to store things out of sight (either intentionally or otherwise).
>>I guess I'm trying to figureOkay, important unschooling principle here - get away from the idea of "a best way". Kids change. So today's "best way" won't necessarily be tomorrow's.
> out the best way
The way my house is organized now is not the way it was organized a year ago - some big things are the same, but I've moved books, games, computers, furniture, etc to adapt to the changing needs of various family members. Needs will change with the seasons and with development - and with random factors like plans to go on a trip or making a new friend or getting a new pet. It's better to think in terms of useful tools and strategies, of trying out ideas and making choices based on what you observe. That's the essence of unschooling - you watch and think and try and watch and think some more. Or as Sandra puts it: read a little, try a little, wait a little, watch.
---Meredith
Sacha Davis
My plan is to be with my kids every day, whatever shape or form that
takes. Sometimes we have things we're doing, so we HAVE to plan around
that, and because of my schedule we usually plan WAY ahead for specific
events. Sometimes we hang out all day, watch TV, build with blocks, make
art, read books. We have Fun List that we're working through and adding
to as time goes on, so if one of those opportunities pops up we plan to do
that. If my son wants to do a class, we plan to do that, and I really try
to limit us to doing one class a week at most, of course with the
understanding that if he really wanted to take another we would make it
happen. It's all very fluid and responsive.
I do not plan learning unless it's something the kids have said they do.
Then we do it. I actually find that this comes VERY naturally for me with
little anxiety. My kids are also quite young and they have never gone
through deschooling (besides me deschooling myself so I can unschool) so
it's a lot of the same stuff we've done since they were born. The reality
is that for most attached, involved and present parents, they unschool
until they send their kids to school. They just don't realize that what
they're doing is facilitating learning from the beginning.
I hope that helps.
S.
takes. Sometimes we have things we're doing, so we HAVE to plan around
that, and because of my schedule we usually plan WAY ahead for specific
events. Sometimes we hang out all day, watch TV, build with blocks, make
art, read books. We have Fun List that we're working through and adding
to as time goes on, so if one of those opportunities pops up we plan to do
that. If my son wants to do a class, we plan to do that, and I really try
to limit us to doing one class a week at most, of course with the
understanding that if he really wanted to take another we would make it
happen. It's all very fluid and responsive.
I do not plan learning unless it's something the kids have said they do.
Then we do it. I actually find that this comes VERY naturally for me with
little anxiety. My kids are also quite young and they have never gone
through deschooling (besides me deschooling myself so I can unschool) so
it's a lot of the same stuff we've done since they were born. The reality
is that for most attached, involved and present parents, they unschool
until they send their kids to school. They just don't realize that what
they're doing is facilitating learning from the beginning.
I hope that helps.
S.
> My kids and I continue to deschool...and it is going well. I wanted to
> ask you
> parents...once you deschool...do you have to plan at all, or is it just a
> day-by-day thing?
>
> I was considering that I might 'plan' a time each day to do activities
> with my
> younger kids (6 and under) such as games, puzzles, etc...is that a good
> idea, or
> should I just have those things available if they want to do something?
>
> I am gathering that my role is to provide the tools and guidance necessary
> for
> THEM to learn what they want, when they want.
>
> Am I on the right track here?
>
> Thanks,
> Kristie
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
Joyce Fetteroll
> >>I guess I'm trying to figureYes, yes, good point!
> > out the best way
>
> Okay, important unschooling principle here - get away from the idea
> of "a best way". Kids change. So today's "best way" won't
> necessarily be tomorrow's.
A big part of my personality has a need for "the best". The products
that work the best. The best way to do things. The best place for
pizza :-)
But there is no best. There are things that turn someone toward their
goal. And things that turn them away. And sometimes one "thing" can
have bits that move toward and bits that move away.
The problem is most people don't turn their goals into words or
prioritize them. They have this vague fog of what seems best to them.
Which makes it harder to move toward or away!
Think about what you value. What kind of home do you want? What's it
important for your kids to have?
If any of those goals involve changing your kids, think about how you
can change yourself and make that a part of your life and part of the
things you do. Be who you would like your kids to be. If they find
value in it for their lives, they'll be drawn to it.
Make a list :-) And then keep revisiting the list and revising,
changing the priority of some, adding and subtracting to the list.
>>I guess I'm trying to figureFor unschooling, find the things that increase joy and peace for your
> out the best way
kids. Those things will be as individual as your kids. It will totally
depend on their personalities and what they're trying to get from life.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Meredith
"Sacha Davis" <sacha@...> wrote:
I assume you mean you don't plan "educational activities" unless the kids ask for them - it's not actually possible to plan learning ;)
---Meredith
>> I do not plan learning unless it's something the kids have said they do.**************
I assume you mean you don't plan "educational activities" unless the kids ask for them - it's not actually possible to plan learning ;)
---Meredith
Sacha Davis
si, senora. I personally can't stop learning either!
S.
S.
> "Sacha Davis" <sacha@...> wrote:
>>> I do not plan learning unless it's something the kids have said they
>>> do.
> **************
>
> I assume you mean you don't plan "educational activities" unless the kids
> ask for them - it's not actually possible to plan learning ;)
>
> ---Meredith
>
>
Brenda Hoffman
si, senora. I personally can't stop learning either!
********************
So true and also the reason why I find "learn nothing day" (or whatever it's
called) so funny and ludicrous. There's no way that you can learn nothing
at all in a day of living LOL
--
=^..^= BrendaMarie
Proud Christian Unschooler... Growing by God's
grace<http://www.thechristianunschool.com>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
********************
So true and also the reason why I find "learn nothing day" (or whatever it's
called) so funny and ludicrous. There's no way that you can learn nothing
at all in a day of living LOL
--
=^..^= BrendaMarie
Proud Christian Unschooler... Growing by God's
grace<http://www.thechristianunschool.com>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
undermom
***So true and also the reason why I find "learn nothing day" (or whatever it's called) so funny and ludicrous. There's no way that you can learn nothing at all in a day of living LOL**
:) That's the point.
There are a lot of people who are convinced, truly convinced, their children will learn nothing if the parents don't orchestrate it all. Challenging them to try, just TRY to learn NOTHING pokes gentle fun at that notion.
Deborah in IL
:) That's the point.
There are a lot of people who are convinced, truly convinced, their children will learn nothing if the parents don't orchestrate it all. Challenging them to try, just TRY to learn NOTHING pokes gentle fun at that notion.
Deborah in IL
Meredith
, "undermom" <DACunefare@...> wrote:
Some fun conversations come up around Learn Nothing Day every year, too. This year, with people posting cheerful comments about having failed to learn nothing, a discussion got going on facebook about the value of failure and mistakes and how learning often depends on those things. It's a "just for fun" holiday for sure, but sometimes even silly ideas can be wonderful fodder for thought and (ahem) learning ;)
---Meredith
>Challenging them to try, just TRY to learn NOTHING pokes gentle fun at that notion.****************
Some fun conversations come up around Learn Nothing Day every year, too. This year, with people posting cheerful comments about having failed to learn nothing, a discussion got going on facebook about the value of failure and mistakes and how learning often depends on those things. It's a "just for fun" holiday for sure, but sometimes even silly ideas can be wonderful fodder for thought and (ahem) learning ;)
---Meredith