[email protected]

Hi everyone,
I decided to "let go" today. My 12 yo did not ask to do her work, and I did
not mention it. I asked her and her younger sister if they wanted to go to the
mall. That was a big YES, so we went shopping for dresses for my SIL wedding.
She asked me about 4-H(she loves Horses), I never called and inquired before
because it would take up to much time and we would never get our school work
done. So I called and left a message for someone about 4-H.
We are having a PJ and movie day on Friday(as someone nice here suggested
thanks!!), she was very excited. She has not mentioned anything about her
schoolwork. So I guess I will not mention it either.
I did want toadd that someone here(sorry I cannot remember all of your names)
has a 7 yo that is reading. No formal curriculum is or was being used. That I
can realte to, because my 7 yo daughter has been reading since she has been 4
yo, and I never taught her. She read on her own. She also has learned Math on
her own as well. So I KNOW unschooling HAS to work. But as someone ELSE
pointed out, alot of these "schooling" issues are MY isuues, and maybe I need to
take some time to "de-school" myself.
For those MA Unschoolers here on the list(besides Jann), can you tell me if
your district has ever given you a hard time about your "unschooling ed plan"
and what is your typical choice of assessments? I am not to concerend over it,
but whatif the district asks to "see" your textbooks, or Table of Contents, or
Lesson plans..how do you provide them when you have none to show(other than
the library and such)
On another note, I heard something about a conference for Unschoolers, is
this somewhere local in New England, or did I miss this?
Everyone here is so wonderful, and if there is an Unschooling support group
that is getting together nearby in the Sturbridge/Springfield/Western Ma area,
please let me know.
Thank you again
Cindy


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Rue Kream

>>For those MA Unschoolers here on the list(besides Jann), can you tell me
if
your district has ever given you a hard time about your "unschooling ed
plan"
and what is your typical choice of assessments?

**They've never given us a hard time. In fact, after two years they changed
their policy and added something about understanding that some families'
programs are "based on the academic learning which takes place during
everyday family life."

We do a narrative report - I think I emailed you one a while ago, but if I
didn't and you want to see it, let me know.

>>whatif the district asks to "see" your textbooks, or Table of Contents, or
Lesson plans..

**Well, we're not required to used textbooks or lesson plans, so I would
just say we don't use them and tell them what we do use.

>>On another note, I heard something about a conference for Unschoolers, is
this somewhere local in New England, or did I miss this?

**It was in MA last year, but this year it's in St. Louis -
http://www.liveandlearnconference.org/.

~Rue
http://www.freechild.info/


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[email protected]

Rue,
I am not sure that you emailed this to me. Can you send it over again?
Do you only do a narrative? You do not have to do another form of assessment
do you?
Thanks
Cindy
pscs@...


We do a narrative report - I think I emailed you one a while ago, but if I
didn't and you want to see it, let me know.


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

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/21/2005 2:53:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time, pscs@...
writes:

For those MA Unschoolers here on the list(besides Jann), can you tell me if
your district has ever given you a hard time about your "unschooling ed
plan"
and what is your typical choice of assessments? I am not to concerend over
it,
but whatif the district asks to "see" your textbooks, or Table of Contents,
or
Lesson plans..how do you provide them when you have none to show(other than
the library and such)




Well, this is our first "official" year. One that we have to report in. And
even when I sent in my LOI (which is still in "limbo", that I posted about on
the MHLA group), I wasn't sure which "method" of homeschooling to go with.
And more and more, I've leaned towards unschooling. On my list of materials, I
just gave them a basic, generic "list" of stuff... like internet, magazines,
newspapers, libraries, videos, computer software, etc. IF they ever ask to
see stuff, I'll cross that bridge when it comes.

As for method of assessment, I chose the narrative report. I'm not a fan of
"tests". I need to make up an list of what he knows now (boy, is that ever
hard to go into "school" mode to think of everything he "knows" per subject!)
and then will go along as he learned something new. We'll see how it turns out.
Right now he's playing with the big Legos that the girls dumped out all over
the living room. The girls are playing in the plastic box, as well as the
baby's now empty toy bin. Whatever floats their boat... they are having fun
with whatever it is they are doing LOL

Jenny
Mom to Danny, Kelsey and Evelyn
Happily homeschooling in Greenfield
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. ~Chinese
Proverb



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jlh44music

> I decided to "let go" today.

YIPPEE!! Good for you Cindy! I remember when I did that too, it was
very freeing!

>> So I KNOW unschooling HAS to work. But as someone ELSE
pointed out, alot of these "schooling" issues are MY isuues, and
maybe I need to take some time to "de-school" myself.>>>>

BTW, I'm still working on this too, reading here helps SO MUCH!

> For those MA Unschoolers here on the list(besides Jann), can you
tell me if your district has ever given you a hard time about
your "unschooling ed plan" and what is your typical choice of
assessments? I am not to concerend over it, but whatif the district
asks to "see" your textbooks, or Table of Contents, or Lesson
plans..how do you provide them when you have none to show(other than
the library and such)

Did you also post this question to the MHLA group? It's been
discussed there many times and each town is different. Have you met
anyone in your town who's homeschooling? Also, mhla.org and
ahem.info (the 2 MA specific sites) give lots of good info on what's
required, as well as listing support groups (see if there's one near
you).

>> On another note, I heard something about a conference for
Unschoolers, is this somewhere local in New England, or did I miss
this? Everyone here is so wonderful, and if there is an Unschooling
support group that is getting together nearby in the
Sturbridge/Springfield/Western Ma area, please let me know.>>

I also belong to NewEnglandUnschoolers yahoo group (they're not
always really busy) but there has been talk there about setting up a
New England unschooling mini conference in the not too distant
future. The big one is coming up in St Louis (I'm sure Kelly will
pop it, or may already have, about that one.) We can't make it (and
have already paid for our camping weekend, which is the same dates),
but NEXT YEAR for sure!
Jann (I'm working on an email and some attachments for you!)

jlh44music

> We do a narrative report - I think I emailed you one a while ago, but
if I didn't and you want to see it, let me know.>>>

Hi Rue!
Cindy, Rue emailed me her narrative as well a while back and I'm going
to use it as a starting point for mine!

Thanks again Rue!
Jann

Rue Kream

>>Thanks again Rue!
Jann


**You're very welcome - and I haven't forgotten about getting together.
We've just been very busy! ~Rue


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jlh44music

>> **You're very welcome - and I haven't forgotten about getting
together. We've just been very busy! ~Rue

I'm amazed at how busy we've been too! I'm starting to feel
overwhelmed a bit, but only because there are things "I" want to do and
I'm not getting them done (but I'm working on that!). I'm loving every
minute of being home with Danielle! (well, except for those occassional
pre-hormonal moments, LOL!)
Jann

Just let me know when is a better time for you!
Jann