Amy

welcome susan,
i am amy unschooling mom of 3 girls, sam 7, dana 4, casey 2. as for books
you might want to check out: the hsing book of answers by linda dobson, the
successful homeschool family handbook by raymond and dorothy moore and the
big book of home learning, getting started, vol.1 by mary pide.
Amy
----- Original Message -----
From: <rowan555@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2000 9:37 AM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Can you suggest some books?


> Hello! I am new to the list, and I would like to learn as much about
> homeschooling and unschooling as possible. Can you recommend some books
to
> start me on my journey? I would like to focus on those books which are
> practical rather than theoretical, and those which are secular in nature.
I
> am reading "Family Matters" right now and find it far too general -- I
need
> something with the specifics and mechanics of how
homeschooling/unschooling
> work.
>
> One book I would like an opinion on is "Homeschooling: The Early Years" by
> Linda Dobson. I would also like to know which of these is more useful --
> "The Homeschooling Handbook" or "The Unschooling Handbook" by Mary
Griffith.
>
> FINALLY, I would love to know how unschoolers feel about following a loose
> curriculum for math and reading, but unschooling for "everything else."
If
> the child and parent feel comfortable with this arrangement, is it a good
one?
>
> Thanks so much -- I look forward to reading this list!
> Susan
>
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David Albert

> One book I would like an opinion on is "Homeschooling: The Early Years" by
> Linda Dobson. I would also like to know which of these is more useful --
> "The Homeschooling Handbook" or "The Unschooling Handbook" by Mary Griffith.
>

Dear Susan --

Welcome!!! I'd recommend "The Unschooling Handbook" more for "handholding
purposes than anything else. I'd recommend Nancy Wallace's "Child's Work: Taking
Children's Choices Seriously" and my own (below) if you want a chronicle of how
unschooling approaches can work (with lots of examples), as well as John Holt's
books (Holt, by the way, used the terms "homeschooling" and "unschooling"
interchangeably -- it was only later, in the 1980s when large numbers of
fundamentalists found their small church schools closed because of tax laws, that
the idea of school-at-home became popular, and hence the distinction between the
two terms.)

But actually, these days, for people seriously into unschooling, I'd recommend
several books which are not about homeschooling at all, but about the learning
process and children's potential. The two which immediately come to mind are
"Flow" by Mihaly Czikschentmihaly (I think I spelled that correctly), and Joseph
Chilton Pearce's "Magical Child". By definition (at least I think), unschooling
DOESN'T HAVE nuts and bolts -- it is an approach to thinking about children, their
way of being, and their learning capabilities.

>
> FINALLY, I would love to know how unschoolers feel about following a loose
> curriculum for math and reading, but unschooling for "everything else." If
> the child and parent feel comfortable with this arrangement, is it a good one?
>

My older one is almost totally self-directed -- we help her think about how, over
a period of months or years she can get herself where her learning desires impel
her -- and contract with her to try various approaches (and for us to provide
various supports in the process.) My younger one is a self-directed and very
talented gymnast and musician (a phenomenal pianist and flutist) -- we don't have
to do anything in those areas. We do ask her to do about an hour or so a day of
the usual reading, writing, arithmetic stuff -- frankly, I think it is more for
our benefit (my wife and I haven't finished deschooling) -- she reads, writes, and
does arithmetic perfectly well for a nine-year-old, I guess (whatever that means),
and whether requiring her to do this hour a day has any impact on her future
capabilities, I don't know (but I have grave doubts.) She has already proven she
knows how to learn when she wants to do so, so what's the point? The Sudbury
Valley Schools have proven, over a 30-year period and with hundreds of kids, that
the total sum of mathematics learning in the usual k-12 school can be taught, all
of it, in 8 weeks, when the child is ready and contracts to do so. The evidence
is there, we just have to become more comfortable working with it.

Enjoy the list!

David

--
"And the Skylark Sings with Me" is to homeschooling what Tom Paine's "Common
Sense" was to the American Revolution."--Greg Bates, Common Courage Press. To read
a sample chapter or the foreword, and to get information about ordering a signed
copy, visit www.skylarksings.com or send an e-mail to shantinik@...

Pris

... I know this written in response to Susan's question but I wanted to let
you know I've made notes of your
reading suggestions, as well ... thanks for sharing, David ...

Pris ~> always searching/always learning <G>

> Dear Susan --
>
> Welcome!!! I'd recommend "The Unschooling Handbook" more for "handholding
> purposes than anything else. I'd recommend Nancy Wallace's "Child's Work:
Taking
> Children's Choices Seriously" and my own (below) if you want a chronicle
of how
> unschooling approaches can work (with lots of examples), as well as John
Holt's
> books (Holt, by the way, used the terms "homeschooling" and "unschooling"
> interchangeably -- it was only later, in the 1980s when large numbers of
> fundamentalists found their small church schools closed because of tax
laws, that
> the idea of school-at-home became popular, and hence the distinction
between the
> two terms.)
>
> But actually, these days, for people seriously into unschooling, I'd
recommend
> several books which are not about homeschooling at all, but about the
learning
> process and children's potential. The two which immediately come to mind
are
> "Flow" by Mihaly Czikschentmihaly (I think I spelled that correctly), and
Joseph
> Chilton Pearce's "Magical Child". By definition (at least I think),
unschooling
> DOESN'T HAVE nuts and bolts -- it is an approach to thinking about
children, their
> way of being, and their learning capabilities.
>
> My older one is almost totally self-directed -- we help her think about
how, over
> a period of months or years she can get herself where her learning desires
impel
> her -- and contract with her to try various approaches (and for us to
provide
> various supports in the process.) My younger one is a self-directed and
very
> talented gymnast and musician (a phenomenal pianist and flutist) -- we
don't have
> to do anything in those areas. We do ask her to do about an hour or so a
day of
> the usual reading, writing, arithmetic stuff -- frankly, I think it is
more for
> our benefit (my wife and I haven't finished deschooling) -- she reads,
writes, and
> does arithmetic perfectly well for a nine-year-old, I guess (whatever that
means),
> and whether requiring her to do this hour a day has any impact on her
future
> capabilities, I don't know (but I have grave doubts.) She has already
proven she
> knows how to learn when she wants to do so, so what's the point? The
Sudbury
> Valley Schools have proven, over a 30-year period and with hundreds of
kids, that
> the total sum of mathematics learning in the usual k-12 school can be
taught, all
> of it, in 8 weeks, when the child is ready and contracts to do so. The
evidence
> is there, we just have to become more comfortable working with it.
>
> Enjoy the list!
>
> David
>
> --
> "And the Skylark Sings with Me" is to homeschooling what Tom Paine's
"Common
> Sense" was to the American Revolution."--Greg Bates, Common Courage Press.
To read
> a sample chapter or the foreword, and to get information about ordering a
signed
> copy, visit www.skylarksings.com or send an e-mail to
shantinik@...

silvertree

I've been lurking on this list for the past four weeks. But, I had to say
something when I saw your post David. We were talking about this very issue
with math on another list that I'm on. I mentioned exactly the same thing
about the Sudbury Valley school experience with math. We started the
Greenwood Sudbury School in Hampton, CT so I had opportunity to visit
Sudbury and talk with Dan Greenberg about his experience at the school.
Anyway, I just thought it interesting that the same example came to mind.
By the way...I enjoyed your book immensely and Child's Work was one of my
very favorites as well. I have a single 12 year old daughter that has
always unschooled.
Linda
----- Original Message -----
From: David Albert <shantinik@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2000 12:50 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom]

> The Sudbury
Valley Schools have proven, over a 30-year period and with hundreds of
kids, that
> the total sum of mathematics learning in the usual k-12 school can be
taught, all
> of it, in 8 weeks, when the child is ready and contracts to do so. The
evidence
> is there, we just have to become more comfortable working with it.
>
> Enjoy the list!
>
> David

David Albert

silvertree wrote:

> I've been lurking on this list for the past four weeks. But, I had to say
> something when I saw your post David. We were talking about this very issue
> with math on another list that I'm on. I mentioned exactly the same thing
> about the Sudbury Valley school experience with math. We started the
> Greenwood Sudbury School in Hampton, CT so I had opportunity to visit
> Sudbury and talk with Dan Greenberg about his experience at the school.
> Anyway, I just thought it interesting that the same example came to mind.
> By the way...I enjoyed your book immensely and Child's Work was one of my
> very favorites as well. I have a single 12 year old daughter that has
> always unschooled.
> Linda

Thanks! When my kids were much younger, we actually tried to get a Sudbury-type
school started inside the public system. Failed, though one did actually happen
in Oregon. But I learned heaps about child-directed learning and, especially,
contract learning from the experience, and we've put much of it to good use.

David
--
"And the Skylark Sings with Me" is to homeschooling what Tom Paine's "Common
Sense" was to the American Revolution."--Greg Bates, Common Courage Press. To
read a sample chapter or the foreword, and to get information about ordering a
signed copy, visit www.skylarksings.com or send an e-mail to
shantinik@...

Amy

and of course, we can't forget your book David :)
amy
----- Original Message -----
From: David Albert <shantinik@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2000 9:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Can you suggest some books?


> > One book I would like an opinion on is "Homeschooling: The Early Years"
by
> > Linda Dobson. I would also like to know which of these is more
useful --
> > "The Homeschooling Handbook" or "The Unschooling Handbook" by Mary
Griffith.
> >
>
> Dear Susan --
>
> Welcome!!! I'd recommend "The Unschooling Handbook" more for "handholding
> purposes than anything else. I'd recommend Nancy Wallace's "Child's Work:
Taking
> Children's Choices Seriously" and my own (below) if you want a chronicle
of how
> unschooling approaches can work (with lots of examples), as well as John
Holt's
> books (Holt, by the way, used the terms "homeschooling" and "unschooling"
> interchangeably -- it was only later, in the 1980s when large numbers of
> fundamentalists found their small church schools closed because of tax
laws, that
> the idea of school-at-home became popular, and hence the distinction
between the
> two terms.)
>
> But actually, these days, for people seriously into unschooling, I'd
recommend
> several books which are not about homeschooling at all, but about the
learning
> process and children's potential. The two which immediately come to mind
are
> "Flow" by Mihaly Czikschentmihaly (I think I spelled that correctly), and
Joseph
> Chilton Pearce's "Magical Child". By definition (at least I think),
unschooling
> DOESN'T HAVE nuts and bolts -- it is an approach to thinking about
children, their
> way of being, and their learning capabilities.
>
> >
> > FINALLY, I would love to know how unschoolers feel about following a
loose
> > curriculum for math and reading, but unschooling for "everything else."
If
> > the child and parent feel comfortable with this arrangement, is it a
good one?
> >
>
> My older one is almost totally self-directed -- we help her think about
how, over
> a period of months or years she can get herself where her learning desires
impel
> her -- and contract with her to try various approaches (and for us to
provide
> various supports in the process.) My younger one is a self-directed and
very
> talented gymnast and musician (a phenomenal pianist and flutist) -- we
don't have
> to do anything in those areas. We do ask her to do about an hour or so a
day of
> the usual reading, writing, arithmetic stuff -- frankly, I think it is
more for
> our benefit (my wife and I haven't finished deschooling) -- she reads,
writes, and
> does arithmetic perfectly well for a nine-year-old, I guess (whatever that
means),
> and whether requiring her to do this hour a day has any impact on her
future
> capabilities, I don't know (but I have grave doubts.) She has already
proven she
> knows how to learn when she wants to do so, so what's the point? The
Sudbury
> Valley Schools have proven, over a 30-year period and with hundreds of
kids, that
> the total sum of mathematics learning in the usual k-12 school can be
taught, all
> of it, in 8 weeks, when the child is ready and contracts to do so. The
evidence
> is there, we just have to become more comfortable working with it.
>
> Enjoy the list!
>
> David
>
> --
> "And the Skylark Sings with Me" is to homeschooling what Tom Paine's
"Common
> Sense" was to the American Revolution."--Greg Bates, Common Courage Press.
To read
> a sample chapter or the foreword, and to get information about ordering a
signed
> copy, visit www.skylarksings.com or send an e-mail to
shantinik@...
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> Red Herring FREE newsletters provide strategic analysis for investors.
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
> To Unsubscribe: mailto:[email protected]
>
>

susan wilson

hi,

sudbury has some good reading on their free texts link at
http://www.sudval.org/
here are some other sites you might find interesting:
*Paths of Learning http://www.pathsoflearning.com/
We aim to inspire parents, educators, and others interested in educational
policy and practice to consider diverse ways in which children and adults
can gain meaningful, integrated knowledge and develop their own authentic
potentials.
*thinkers http://www.infed.org/thinkers/default.htm
These pages explore the contributions of some of the thinkers central to
the development of the theory and practice of lifelong learning and
informal education.

-susan
austin,tx



> The Sudbury Valley Schools have proven, over a 30-year period and with
hundreds of kids,
> that the total sum of mathematics learning in the usual k-12 school can
be
> taught, all of it, in 8 weeks, when the child is ready and contracts to
do so. The
> evidence is there, we just have to become more comfortable working with
it.
>
> Enjoy the list!
>
> David
>