Where we, as parents, are coming from
elizabeth roberts
Well, for me..I learned to read very young, around 3. My mother says she read to us constantly, but I have no memories of sitting with her reading. I have always adored books, and remember being teased by kids in preschool because I'd rather sit and read a story than run around playing. I don't really remember much about K or 1st grade, but by second grade I was extremely frustrated with the limitations of being in whatever reading group, because I was so far ahead. They wouldn't let me skip ahead, but I took advantage of a mid-year switch to a new school to insist to my teacher that I was not in one book, but at the end of two books ahead. So she got a copy from the 4th grade classroom, brought it to me, and asked me to read it to her. I did, so she let me go on from there.
What struck me as odd was that earlier that day, I'd already proven my reading skills. My class had been in the library when we joined them and I was introduced to the class. I was told I could pick out two books, so I found two and went to check them out. The librarian and I got into it because she insisted I could not read them and had to be limited to the "second grade shelves." I stood there and opened up one book and read aloud LOUDLY, my entire new class STARING at me, and the librarian stammered and insisted I MUST only check out books from the second grade shelves.
My teacher had been nice, and she helped me choose a couple books..Madeleine was one of them...even though I was crying at that point because I'd read it so many times and I really wanted the other books. She had simply said she would talk with the librarian and find out how I could check out what I wanted to.
By the 3rd grade, I was really getting frustrated at having to learn about things I didn't want to learn about, moving on from interesting things (I remember specifically adoring amphibians because it's a longer word than reptile, so those animals were "better" LOL).
I started being very selective in what assignments I completed, and started figuring out ways to hide books I wanted to read behind whatever I was supposed to be doing. 4th grade I spent nearly entirely within another teacher's classroom than the one I was supposed to be in, because I was allowed to just sit in the back and read to my heart's content (how they thought it was punishment I'll never get!) so I'd do whatever to get sent there.
Ultimately, I decided that school REALLY intereferes with real learning, so I only selectively participated as I wanted to. I realized that I had no other option in my attendance, but while they could have my BODY present, my mind could be otherwise occupied.
The only reason I graduated from high school was because it was easier than dropping out, and I wanted to leave for the CG after graduation rather than have to wait another 5 months til I turned 18 living at home with my mother (we've NEVER gotten along) in order to enlist.
With my kids, while intuitively I understood unschooling and why it's best, I have had difficulty letting go and trusting in it; and my husband has not been supportive at times. But with time, we're getting it.
Beth, NC
Sing, Dance, Laugh...LOVE!
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What struck me as odd was that earlier that day, I'd already proven my reading skills. My class had been in the library when we joined them and I was introduced to the class. I was told I could pick out two books, so I found two and went to check them out. The librarian and I got into it because she insisted I could not read them and had to be limited to the "second grade shelves." I stood there and opened up one book and read aloud LOUDLY, my entire new class STARING at me, and the librarian stammered and insisted I MUST only check out books from the second grade shelves.
My teacher had been nice, and she helped me choose a couple books..Madeleine was one of them...even though I was crying at that point because I'd read it so many times and I really wanted the other books. She had simply said she would talk with the librarian and find out how I could check out what I wanted to.
By the 3rd grade, I was really getting frustrated at having to learn about things I didn't want to learn about, moving on from interesting things (I remember specifically adoring amphibians because it's a longer word than reptile, so those animals were "better" LOL).
I started being very selective in what assignments I completed, and started figuring out ways to hide books I wanted to read behind whatever I was supposed to be doing. 4th grade I spent nearly entirely within another teacher's classroom than the one I was supposed to be in, because I was allowed to just sit in the back and read to my heart's content (how they thought it was punishment I'll never get!) so I'd do whatever to get sent there.
Ultimately, I decided that school REALLY intereferes with real learning, so I only selectively participated as I wanted to. I realized that I had no other option in my attendance, but while they could have my BODY present, my mind could be otherwise occupied.
The only reason I graduated from high school was because it was easier than dropping out, and I wanted to leave for the CG after graduation rather than have to wait another 5 months til I turned 18 living at home with my mother (we've NEVER gotten along) in order to enlist.
With my kids, while intuitively I understood unschooling and why it's best, I have had difficulty letting go and trusting in it; and my husband has not been supportive at times. But with time, we're getting it.
Beth, NC
Sing, Dance, Laugh...LOVE!
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
With a free 1 GB, there's more in store with Yahoo! Mail.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]