Re: Structure
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/12/2005 10:30:43 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
If we are talking about where I said: "Unschooling is NOT avoiding books or
structure, some children demand structure. If a child wants to use
workbooks, letting them is Unschooling." I am sure we could think of better
ways to word that so that everyone could have a clear picture.
Okay, my son Julian was a kid who wanted structure. He wanted to have some
time in which he spent intentionally doing "Learny stuff" -- reading, doing
focused computer games, whatever. At first, he even wanted to divide it by
"subject." (He's a Virgo.)
I told him that if that was what he wanted it was fine, but that I wasn't
interested in"making" him do it. We negotiated that my role was to put the times
HE chose (along with the "subjects" when he wanted that) in my calendar and
remind him of those. If he didn't feel like doing it at the time I didn't
care, and he didn't either.
He still has structure to his days...get up at about the same time, plays
guitar for a long time every day, etc. But he trusts himself more and doesn't
need me to put it in my calendar or remind him.
I think it helped that he knew I would support him by offering the structure
HE wanted. And this wasn't constant, but he would do it on and off for a
couple of years.
Kathryn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected] writes:
If we are talking about where I said: "Unschooling is NOT avoiding books or
structure, some children demand structure. If a child wants to use
workbooks, letting them is Unschooling." I am sure we could think of better
ways to word that so that everyone could have a clear picture.
Okay, my son Julian was a kid who wanted structure. He wanted to have some
time in which he spent intentionally doing "Learny stuff" -- reading, doing
focused computer games, whatever. At first, he even wanted to divide it by
"subject." (He's a Virgo.)
I told him that if that was what he wanted it was fine, but that I wasn't
interested in"making" him do it. We negotiated that my role was to put the times
HE chose (along with the "subjects" when he wanted that) in my calendar and
remind him of those. If he didn't feel like doing it at the time I didn't
care, and he didn't either.
He still has structure to his days...get up at about the same time, plays
guitar for a long time every day, etc. But he trusts himself more and doesn't
need me to put it in my calendar or remind him.
I think it helped that he knew I would support him by offering the structure
HE wanted. And this wasn't constant, but he would do it on and off for a
couple of years.
Kathryn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Angela S
<<<I think it helped that he knew I would support him by offering the
structure
HE wanted. And this wasn't constant, but he would do it on and off for a
couple of years.
Kathryn>>>
Kathryn,
Do you think he wanted the structure or set learning time as a result of
having previously been in school or do you think that's just his
personality?
Angela
game-enthusiast@....
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
structure
HE wanted. And this wasn't constant, but he would do it on and off for a
couple of years.
Kathryn>>>
Kathryn,
Do you think he wanted the structure or set learning time as a result of
having previously been in school or do you think that's just his
personality?
Angela
game-enthusiast@....
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/14/2005 10:24:01 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
<<<Interestingly, it wasn't until a few years after he'd been out of school
that he wanted this. And it was never a schooly sort of thing. It was more
that
he would get distracted with some things he wanted to do and never get
around
to other things he wanted to concentrate on. He never devalued the other
stuff he did as NOT being learning. So, I really don't think it was
school-influenced. I think it was just him.
Kathryn>>>
- - - -
And how old was he then? Just wondering. It would seem to me that that
might be more likely to happen with an older child who had some specific
goals he wanted to reach.
*********************
I'm thinking 12-13. And porobably not a specific goal for him, but maybe a
slightly more mature realization of the limitations of time? I dunno.
Kathryn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected] writes:
<<<Interestingly, it wasn't until a few years after he'd been out of school
that he wanted this. And it was never a schooly sort of thing. It was more
that
he would get distracted with some things he wanted to do and never get
around
to other things he wanted to concentrate on. He never devalued the other
stuff he did as NOT being learning. So, I really don't think it was
school-influenced. I think it was just him.
Kathryn>>>
- - - -
And how old was he then? Just wondering. It would seem to me that that
might be more likely to happen with an older child who had some specific
goals he wanted to reach.
*********************
I'm thinking 12-13. And porobably not a specific goal for him, but maybe a
slightly more mature realization of the limitations of time? I dunno.
Kathryn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]