what is the best book to read about unschooling--new here
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hi- I am beginning to give unschooling alot more thought--we have been homeschooling for 8 years-using standard curriculums and such. I have twin 9 year old boys, 12 year old and 14 year old. I do worry about my boys playing computer all day, and my 12 year old "serfing the net all day. but i am already transitioning somewhat by cutting our course load and such. anyways, looking for a good book to read-John Holt???
thanks
pam
thanks
pam
Sandra Dodd
-=-I am beginning to give unschooling alot more thought-=-
Why?
Your reasons for unschooling will help you know whether you're getting warm or getting cold.
What is it that you want that you're not getting from structured homeschooling?
-=- I do worry about my boys playing computer all day, and my 12 year old "serfing the net all day. -=-
I'm going to point this out because of the huge difference. "Serf" is a medieval farm laborer attached to land. "Surf" is to balance in an exciting situation, hopefully to glide along. If you think of being "on the net" all day as having anything to do with "serfs," no wonder you think it would be a big drag! SURFING the web, though, is a fantastic way to learn. I'm assuming learning is part of your goal.
-=-I do worry about my boys playing computer all day-=-
I have three kids who have played hundreds of games among and between them--Holly learned two new card games just this month that nobody else in the family knows, even her dad who has been a big games guy all his life. There is no game called "computer." I think you mean playing ON the computer. HUGE difference.
We have dozens of nice board games here, and table games (games involving cards or other pieces, to be laid out on a table as play procedes), but those aren't referred to as kids playing board, or kids playing table.
The computer is not itself the game. There are games on the computer. There is information on the computer. It's not really a net. It's not really a web. It's millions of ideas, words, jokes, pictures, games, a ton of music and videos and.... But you know that, right?
Clarity can begin with being careful with the words you use. Thinking about what you write will help you think about what you think!!
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Why?
Your reasons for unschooling will help you know whether you're getting warm or getting cold.
What is it that you want that you're not getting from structured homeschooling?
-=- I do worry about my boys playing computer all day, and my 12 year old "serfing the net all day. -=-
I'm going to point this out because of the huge difference. "Serf" is a medieval farm laborer attached to land. "Surf" is to balance in an exciting situation, hopefully to glide along. If you think of being "on the net" all day as having anything to do with "serfs," no wonder you think it would be a big drag! SURFING the web, though, is a fantastic way to learn. I'm assuming learning is part of your goal.
-=-I do worry about my boys playing computer all day-=-
I have three kids who have played hundreds of games among and between them--Holly learned two new card games just this month that nobody else in the family knows, even her dad who has been a big games guy all his life. There is no game called "computer." I think you mean playing ON the computer. HUGE difference.
We have dozens of nice board games here, and table games (games involving cards or other pieces, to be laid out on a table as play procedes), but those aren't referred to as kids playing board, or kids playing table.
The computer is not itself the game. There are games on the computer. There is information on the computer. It's not really a net. It's not really a web. It's millions of ideas, words, jokes, pictures, games, a ton of music and videos and.... But you know that, right?
Clarity can begin with being careful with the words you use. Thinking about what you write will help you think about what you think!!
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Christen
Hi Pam,
For me, I find that when I am learning something new I have to keep immersing myself in the material for an extended period of time before I really start to understand. Personally, I found The Unschooling Handbook to be very helpful and inspiring. Deschooling ourselves is a long process (at least for me), and some resources I've used to help myself rethink and question have been Free-Range Learning, David Albert's Homeschooling and the Voyage of Self-Discovery, and discussion groups and websites. I have heard that The Teenage Liberation Handbook is good, and it might be very applicable to your kids' ages, but I haven't read it personally.
Some ways of thinking that have been helpful to me are to be more observant of my kids, and to think about what they might be learning when they are doing activities that they love, but that aren't traditionally considered educational. Another shift for me has been trying to be more responsive when my kids say they are interested in something, rather than giving priority to what I think they "should" be learning.
Good luck, and be patient with yourself as you process and rethink!
Warmly,
Christen
For me, I find that when I am learning something new I have to keep immersing myself in the material for an extended period of time before I really start to understand. Personally, I found The Unschooling Handbook to be very helpful and inspiring. Deschooling ourselves is a long process (at least for me), and some resources I've used to help myself rethink and question have been Free-Range Learning, David Albert's Homeschooling and the Voyage of Self-Discovery, and discussion groups and websites. I have heard that The Teenage Liberation Handbook is good, and it might be very applicable to your kids' ages, but I haven't read it personally.
Some ways of thinking that have been helpful to me are to be more observant of my kids, and to think about what they might be learning when they are doing activities that they love, but that aren't traditionally considered educational. Another shift for me has been trying to be more responsive when my kids say they are interested in something, rather than giving priority to what I think they "should" be learning.
Good luck, and be patient with yourself as you process and rethink!
Warmly,
Christen
--- In [email protected], pjssully@... wrote:
>
> hi- I am beginning to give unschooling alot more thought--we have been homeschooling for 8 years-using standard curriculums and such. I have twin 9 year old boys, 12 year old and 14 year old. I do worry about my boys playing computer all day, and my 12 year old "serfing the net all day. but i am already transitioning somewhat by cutting our course load and such. anyways, looking for a good book to read-John Holt???
> thanks
> pam
>
sandralynndodd
-=- anyways, looking for a good book to read-John Holt???-=-
There's a lot of John Holt you could read here:
http://sandradodd.com/johnholt
There are three books in the righthand column here that all have good reviews:
http://sandradodd.com/books
Two are mine, one is Rue Kream's, they all quote people who are in and around this chat and Always Learning.
There are reviews of my newer book here:
http://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Dodds-Big-Book-Unschooling/dp/0557181550
but it's better for me if you order it here:
http://sandradodd.com/bigbook
There's a lot of John Holt you could read here:
http://sandradodd.com/johnholt
There are three books in the righthand column here that all have good reviews:
http://sandradodd.com/books
Two are mine, one is Rue Kream's, they all quote people who are in and around this chat and Always Learning.
There are reviews of my newer book here:
http://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Dodds-Big-Book-Unschooling/dp/0557181550
but it's better for me if you order it here:
http://sandradodd.com/bigbook
|
I came to edit out some dead links. The current edition, on Amazon:
Sandra, 2023 |