RE: [UnschoolingDiscussion] correcting, if at all
[email protected]
With a little kid, it's worth letting it go. With older kids, I think of whether I would make the correction (subtly or no) with an adult friend, and go that way sometimes. When Keith uses a word he doesn't usually use and I'm not sure it's what he meant, sometimes I ask and he clarifies. Maybe he meant another word, maybe I just misunderstood it in context.
Sometimes I'm fishing for a word and one of the kids (now teens) will furnish it for me, and I think that's wonderful.
Words have always been common toys here. It no worse to correct a word than for Marty to show us a better way to do the contstruction sets or for Keith to bring us a better kind of wrench when we're working on something with a less than optimal tool.
Sandra
Sometimes I'm fishing for a word and one of the kids (now teens) will furnish it for me, and I think that's wonderful.
Words have always been common toys here. It no worse to correct a word than for Marty to show us a better way to do the contstruction sets or for Keith to bring us a better kind of wrench when we're working on something with a less than optimal tool.
Sandra
cslkll
I wonder how, if at all, you've gone about
"correcting" your kids along the way. Last
night my 7yo dd said "I am really liking Judy Blum, momma."
I looked at what she had in her hands and it was Sheila the
Great by Judy Blume. So I said, "Oh, Judy Blume's(instead of Blum)
book called Shelia the Great...I'm so glad you like it."
And that was it, then we talked about the story.
She has just recently asked for books like this
that will last her a few days to read, and I don't want to
discourage her in any way. I've done this in the past too, like
when they would write a backwards E or 4, just said that while
it was fine to do it, that if they wanted to make sure everyone
knew what they were writing, that they might do it a different way.
Sometimes we've handled it different though. Recently my 10yo ds
got a set of Magnetix and was talking about how they were
trans-succulent. Dh thought it was just a cool word that ds made
up....and then I realized he was meaning translucent. We had a
big laugh over that one, and ds knows we were not making fun of him.
But then with ds we actually talked about the fact that it was
not the word he was saying. So I handled the 2 situations different.
I am just curious how if at all others correct(it's really not the
word I choose to use, but can't think of a different one this early
in the am.) thanks. krista
"correcting" your kids along the way. Last
night my 7yo dd said "I am really liking Judy Blum, momma."
I looked at what she had in her hands and it was Sheila the
Great by Judy Blume. So I said, "Oh, Judy Blume's(instead of Blum)
book called Shelia the Great...I'm so glad you like it."
And that was it, then we talked about the story.
She has just recently asked for books like this
that will last her a few days to read, and I don't want to
discourage her in any way. I've done this in the past too, like
when they would write a backwards E or 4, just said that while
it was fine to do it, that if they wanted to make sure everyone
knew what they were writing, that they might do it a different way.
Sometimes we've handled it different though. Recently my 10yo ds
got a set of Magnetix and was talking about how they were
trans-succulent. Dh thought it was just a cool word that ds made
up....and then I realized he was meaning translucent. We had a
big laugh over that one, and ds knows we were not making fun of him.
But then with ds we actually talked about the fact that it was
not the word he was saying. So I handled the 2 situations different.
I am just curious how if at all others correct(it's really not the
word I choose to use, but can't think of a different one this early
in the am.) thanks. krista
[email protected]
-=-and was talking about how they were
trans-succulent. Dh thought it was just a cool word that ds made
up....and then I realized he was meaning translucent. -=-
I would just say "Translucent?" and let him go on. But I'd probably write down "succulent" and "translucent" (if the mood seemed okay for it) and do a tiny history-of-English moment. If they know other words like the words they're learning to use, more dots are connected, and thinking's freer and bigger.
Holly, especially, likes the history of words.
About the Judy Blum/Blume, I'd've probably done just about as you did, just find a way to repeat the name with the other pronunciation.
Sandra
trans-succulent. Dh thought it was just a cool word that ds made
up....and then I realized he was meaning translucent. -=-
I would just say "Translucent?" and let him go on. But I'd probably write down "succulent" and "translucent" (if the mood seemed okay for it) and do a tiny history-of-English moment. If they know other words like the words they're learning to use, more dots are connected, and thinking's freer and bigger.
Holly, especially, likes the history of words.
About the Judy Blum/Blume, I'd've probably done just about as you did, just find a way to repeat the name with the other pronunciation.
Sandra
Robyn Coburn
I wonder how, if at all, you've gone about
"correcting" your kids along the way. Last
night my 7yo dd said "I am really liking Judy Blum, momma."
I looked at what she had in her hands and it was Sheila the
Great by Judy Blume. So I said, "Oh, Judy Blume's(instead of Blum)
book called Shelia the Great...I'm so glad you like it."
And that was it, then we talked about the story.
She has just recently asked for books like this
that will last her a few days to read, and I don't want to
discourage her in any way. I've done this in the past too, like
when they would write a backwards E or 4, just said that while
it was fine to do it, that if they wanted to make sure everyone
knew what they were writing, that they might do it a different way.
Sometimes we've handled it different though. Recently my 10yo ds
got a set of Magnetix and was talking about how they were
trans-succulent. Dh thought it was just a cool word that ds made
up....and then I realized he was meaning translucent. We had a
big laugh over that one, and ds knows we were not making fun of him.
But then with ds we actually talked about the fact that it was
not the word he was saying.>>>>>
The short answer is that generally we try not to correct Jayn ever, if her
meaning is clear, since she always comes to the correction herself in time.
In the vanishingly rare instances that we genuinely just can't work out what
the heck she is referring to (or make a reasonable guess), I will go through
a (using your example) "do you mean that you can see light through it?" or
"do you mean translucent?" series of questions, only to the point of
understanding. One amusing example from a while ago, was when she came
running in to tell us about a problem with her "asshole", there turned out
to be paint all over her "asshole" - aha! Her easel. We refrained from
correcting her specifically, but used the word "easel" in *real*
conversations and she started using the right word after while. (Sigh)
John Holt tells a story about the rise of "the devil-teacher in him" where
he was being very self-congratulatory about how he cleverly inserted a
correct pronunciation of a mispronounced word into a conversation with a
child, with the motivation of subtly instructing her. He later came to
believe that he was utterly in the wrong to do so, because his whole focus
in the dialogue had been where and how he could do so, instead of listening
to the subsequent speech properly and enjoying the moment with his young
friend. It's in either "How Children Learn" or "How Children Fail" - both of
which I have in storage so I can't check.
Choosing not to correct is sometimes tough to do. I have to do it actively -
actively hold back the words - and remind myself to stay in the moment,
especially when Jayn's meaning is clear and the mistake is essentially
cosmetic. When Jayn is in the mode of making a correction for herself, she
will sometimes struggle through several different repetitions of the problem
word, each on closer to the correct one. The only time I give her the
information is when she actually asks "Is that right?" Her father and I have
the same spirit in terms of her writing letters or numbers backwards,
especially since it is clear that she recognizes letters written the right
way around. The most important priority is avoiding making her feel
"in-the-wrong" or self-conscious.
Robyn L. Coburn
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"correcting" your kids along the way. Last
night my 7yo dd said "I am really liking Judy Blum, momma."
I looked at what she had in her hands and it was Sheila the
Great by Judy Blume. So I said, "Oh, Judy Blume's(instead of Blum)
book called Shelia the Great...I'm so glad you like it."
And that was it, then we talked about the story.
She has just recently asked for books like this
that will last her a few days to read, and I don't want to
discourage her in any way. I've done this in the past too, like
when they would write a backwards E or 4, just said that while
it was fine to do it, that if they wanted to make sure everyone
knew what they were writing, that they might do it a different way.
Sometimes we've handled it different though. Recently my 10yo ds
got a set of Magnetix and was talking about how they were
trans-succulent. Dh thought it was just a cool word that ds made
up....and then I realized he was meaning translucent. We had a
big laugh over that one, and ds knows we were not making fun of him.
But then with ds we actually talked about the fact that it was
not the word he was saying.>>>>>
The short answer is that generally we try not to correct Jayn ever, if her
meaning is clear, since she always comes to the correction herself in time.
In the vanishingly rare instances that we genuinely just can't work out what
the heck she is referring to (or make a reasonable guess), I will go through
a (using your example) "do you mean that you can see light through it?" or
"do you mean translucent?" series of questions, only to the point of
understanding. One amusing example from a while ago, was when she came
running in to tell us about a problem with her "asshole", there turned out
to be paint all over her "asshole" - aha! Her easel. We refrained from
correcting her specifically, but used the word "easel" in *real*
conversations and she started using the right word after while. (Sigh)
John Holt tells a story about the rise of "the devil-teacher in him" where
he was being very self-congratulatory about how he cleverly inserted a
correct pronunciation of a mispronounced word into a conversation with a
child, with the motivation of subtly instructing her. He later came to
believe that he was utterly in the wrong to do so, because his whole focus
in the dialogue had been where and how he could do so, instead of listening
to the subsequent speech properly and enjoying the moment with his young
friend. It's in either "How Children Learn" or "How Children Fail" - both of
which I have in storage so I can't check.
Choosing not to correct is sometimes tough to do. I have to do it actively -
actively hold back the words - and remind myself to stay in the moment,
especially when Jayn's meaning is clear and the mistake is essentially
cosmetic. When Jayn is in the mode of making a correction for herself, she
will sometimes struggle through several different repetitions of the problem
word, each on closer to the correct one. The only time I give her the
information is when she actually asks "Is that right?" Her father and I have
the same spirit in terms of her writing letters or numbers backwards,
especially since it is clear that she recognizes letters written the right
way around. The most important priority is avoiding making her feel
"in-the-wrong" or self-conscious.
Robyn L. Coburn
--
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Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.8.8 - Release Date: 2/14/2005
Meg Grooms
IMHO getting names right is important, but the rest isn't so much
so. Sure, she'll probably never meet Judy Blume, but if she did it
would be a good thing to pronounce her name right, eh? Correct
pronunciation and memorization of names is something I feel is
respectful and important in adult life, but that's just me. OTOH,
knowing how to politely react when the "offended" (wrong word, all i
can think of at this minute) person corrects them is just as
important.
As for trans-succulent, translucent, ah, he'll get it when he has
more experience, right? I don't see how a "Yes, they are
translucent, that's a big word." can hurt, reinforce without
correcting or being patronizing, ya know.
Meg (pulling out her asbestos suit)
--- In [email protected], "cslkll" <cslkll@h...>
wrote:
so. Sure, she'll probably never meet Judy Blume, but if she did it
would be a good thing to pronounce her name right, eh? Correct
pronunciation and memorization of names is something I feel is
respectful and important in adult life, but that's just me. OTOH,
knowing how to politely react when the "offended" (wrong word, all i
can think of at this minute) person corrects them is just as
important.
As for trans-succulent, translucent, ah, he'll get it when he has
more experience, right? I don't see how a "Yes, they are
translucent, that's a big word." can hurt, reinforce without
correcting or being patronizing, ya know.
Meg (pulling out her asbestos suit)
--- In [email protected], "cslkll" <cslkll@h...>
wrote:
>him.
> I wonder how, if at all, you've gone about
> "correcting" your kids along the way. Last
> night my 7yo dd said "I am really liking Judy Blum, momma."
> I looked at what she had in her hands and it was Sheila the
> Great by Judy Blume. So I said, "Oh, Judy Blume's(instead of Blum)
> book called Shelia the Great...I'm so glad you like it."
> And that was it, then we talked about the story.
> She has just recently asked for books like this
> that will last her a few days to read, and I don't want to
> discourage her in any way. I've done this in the past too, like
> when they would write a backwards E or 4, just said that while
> it was fine to do it, that if they wanted to make sure everyone
> knew what they were writing, that they might do it a different way.
>
> Sometimes we've handled it different though. Recently my 10yo ds
> got a set of Magnetix and was talking about how they were
> trans-succulent. Dh thought it was just a cool word that ds made
> up....and then I realized he was meaning translucent. We had a
> big laugh over that one, and ds knows we were not making fun of
> But then with ds we actually talked about the fact that it wasdifferent.
> not the word he was saying. So I handled the 2 situations
> I am just curious how if at all others correct(it's really not the
> word I choose to use, but can't think of a different one this early
> in the am.) thanks. krista