Intro and Looking for Unschoolers in MN
Kornelia Mitchell
I've been lurking and learning since last September and never introduced
myself or said hello.
I'm Kornelia and I live on a beautiful island in British Columbia with my
dh, Jim, and dd, Aquilina, who just turned 6 a couple of weeks ago. I
started looking into homeschooling options about a year and a half ago and
soon discovered the unschooling message boards on-line. Aquilina and I also
started meeting up with the other homeschoolers (mostly relaxed and various
degrees of unschoolers) on our island. The more I learned, the more I knew
unschooling, especially as practiced by the long time posters on-line, was
right for our lifestyle. It just makes so much sense and feels so right!
We practice(d) attachment parenting, extended breastfeeding, and have a
family bed. We have never had a set bedtime or arbitrary schedule of any
sort, but have just followed our own rhythms. Thanks to all the great
advice on-line, I started lifting food restrictions and saying yes as often
as possible. I have been allowing Aquilina as much control over her life as
I can and have been very pleased with the outcome. Dh still has a way to
go, but he's coming around.
Aquilina is a beautiful, creative, smart, funny, and sprited girl with an
incredible imagination. I love spending my time with her and sharing our
passions as we explore and learn. She loves fantasy, princesses, drawing,
painting, body art, make-up and anything fancy, climbing trees, swinging on
her swing, playing pretend, watching movies, playing neopets, scooby-doo,
my little pony, barbies, gameboy, flying a kite, animals and nature, and
more pretend. In the last week, she has petted a baby squirrel and seen two
beaver! She has the gift of time... to think... explore... and make
connections. I feel so fortunate and can't imagine any other lifestyle that
could even compare.
This past "school year" we were officially enrolled with a pilot distance
education program that our school district put together. Their aim was to
allow as much flexibility as possible and they want to accommodate
everyone, from the school at home folks to unschoolers. The main draw for
us was reimbursement for a portion of our educational expenses (gymnastics
& swimming lessons) and weekly interaction days. We have an active
homeschool community on our island and we were having weekly get-togethers
on our own, but these have dropped off since "E-blend" started. I didn't do
anything differently than I would have if we had not enrolled, other than
summarizing some of our activities for 3 meetings with the teacher to aid
her in preparing her reports. The report cards we have received from the
school district have been short,anecdotal, and without any testing or
grading. They may be useful in assuaging the fears of relatives (mostly
m-i-l) if I need. I do feel a greater sense of security with something to
back us up, since we're following a road less traveled.
I really appreciate all the people who share their advice with us newbies
on the email lists and message boards. I have learned a tremendous amount
and have really gone through some major paradigm shifts in the last year
and a half. So thank you all!
Aquilina and I will be travelling to MN in early August so I can attend a
convention for the company I work for (I work at home). Dh won't be joining
us and Aquilina really wants to come, so we're looking into some childcare
options for while I'm at the conference. I was hoping to come up with a
more creative and fun option than the standard daycare routine, so if there
are any unschoolers in Minneapolis who may be open to the idea of paying
visitor(s), please let me know. We might be able to work something out.
Kornelia
P.S. I would love to see you put together a book of essays, Sandra! I like
to read on the computer, but it would be great to have something that would
be easier to share with friends and relatives. I am also a perfectionist
procrastinator, so I can definitely relate to your hesitations. Mark Twain
said it well; "20 years from now, you will be more disappointed with the
things you didn't do, rather than the things you did."
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.11/44 - Release Date: 7/8/05
myself or said hello.
I'm Kornelia and I live on a beautiful island in British Columbia with my
dh, Jim, and dd, Aquilina, who just turned 6 a couple of weeks ago. I
started looking into homeschooling options about a year and a half ago and
soon discovered the unschooling message boards on-line. Aquilina and I also
started meeting up with the other homeschoolers (mostly relaxed and various
degrees of unschoolers) on our island. The more I learned, the more I knew
unschooling, especially as practiced by the long time posters on-line, was
right for our lifestyle. It just makes so much sense and feels so right!
We practice(d) attachment parenting, extended breastfeeding, and have a
family bed. We have never had a set bedtime or arbitrary schedule of any
sort, but have just followed our own rhythms. Thanks to all the great
advice on-line, I started lifting food restrictions and saying yes as often
as possible. I have been allowing Aquilina as much control over her life as
I can and have been very pleased with the outcome. Dh still has a way to
go, but he's coming around.
Aquilina is a beautiful, creative, smart, funny, and sprited girl with an
incredible imagination. I love spending my time with her and sharing our
passions as we explore and learn. She loves fantasy, princesses, drawing,
painting, body art, make-up and anything fancy, climbing trees, swinging on
her swing, playing pretend, watching movies, playing neopets, scooby-doo,
my little pony, barbies, gameboy, flying a kite, animals and nature, and
more pretend. In the last week, she has petted a baby squirrel and seen two
beaver! She has the gift of time... to think... explore... and make
connections. I feel so fortunate and can't imagine any other lifestyle that
could even compare.
This past "school year" we were officially enrolled with a pilot distance
education program that our school district put together. Their aim was to
allow as much flexibility as possible and they want to accommodate
everyone, from the school at home folks to unschoolers. The main draw for
us was reimbursement for a portion of our educational expenses (gymnastics
& swimming lessons) and weekly interaction days. We have an active
homeschool community on our island and we were having weekly get-togethers
on our own, but these have dropped off since "E-blend" started. I didn't do
anything differently than I would have if we had not enrolled, other than
summarizing some of our activities for 3 meetings with the teacher to aid
her in preparing her reports. The report cards we have received from the
school district have been short,anecdotal, and without any testing or
grading. They may be useful in assuaging the fears of relatives (mostly
m-i-l) if I need. I do feel a greater sense of security with something to
back us up, since we're following a road less traveled.
I really appreciate all the people who share their advice with us newbies
on the email lists and message boards. I have learned a tremendous amount
and have really gone through some major paradigm shifts in the last year
and a half. So thank you all!
Aquilina and I will be travelling to MN in early August so I can attend a
convention for the company I work for (I work at home). Dh won't be joining
us and Aquilina really wants to come, so we're looking into some childcare
options for while I'm at the conference. I was hoping to come up with a
more creative and fun option than the standard daycare routine, so if there
are any unschoolers in Minneapolis who may be open to the idea of paying
visitor(s), please let me know. We might be able to work something out.
Kornelia
P.S. I would love to see you put together a book of essays, Sandra! I like
to read on the computer, but it would be great to have something that would
be easier to share with friends and relatives. I am also a perfectionist
procrastinator, so I can definitely relate to your hesitations. Mark Twain
said it well; "20 years from now, you will be more disappointed with the
things you didn't do, rather than the things you did."
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.11/44 - Release Date: 7/8/05
Elizabeth Hill
**
We have an active
homeschool community on our island and we were having weekly get-togethers
on our own, but these have dropped off since "E-blend" started.**
Hi, Kornelia --
Thanks for introducing yourself. It's always fun to get to know new unschoolers.
I quoted what you said above because I think there is often a negative consequence when a lot of homeschoolers in one area use the government homeschooling program. And that is, as you observed, that independent activities may tend to dry up. The trend in the U.S seems to be towards tighter supervision in homeschooling programs through local school districts. I don't think I could sign up for one without really screwing up my unschooling vision. But there aren't many people left near me who have the time and inclination to have park days and otherwise socialize.
Betsy, in Benicia, CA
We have an active
homeschool community on our island and we were having weekly get-togethers
on our own, but these have dropped off since "E-blend" started.**
Hi, Kornelia --
Thanks for introducing yourself. It's always fun to get to know new unschoolers.
I quoted what you said above because I think there is often a negative consequence when a lot of homeschoolers in one area use the government homeschooling program. And that is, as you observed, that independent activities may tend to dry up. The trend in the U.S seems to be towards tighter supervision in homeschooling programs through local school districts. I don't think I could sign up for one without really screwing up my unschooling vision. But there aren't many people left near me who have the time and inclination to have park days and otherwise socialize.
Betsy, in Benicia, CA