[email protected]

Hi all,

My sister really wants to homeschool/unschool but my BIL is very leary. I
tried to convience him to join us but as my sister says "Its like pulling
teeth.." So, I was wondering if you would take a few minutes to write "why
you unschool" so I can pass on your thoughts. I am going to share my ideas
with him also, but you all always have great ideas........!

Thanks alot,
Julie

[email protected]

In a message dated 09/01/2000 12:25:19 PM !!!First Boot!!!, Jaam1224@...
writes:

<< So, I was wondering if you would take a few minutes to write "why
you unschool" so I can pass on your thoughts. >>


Hi BIL --

We unschool/relaxed homeschool because the education the school system was
offering was completely inadequate to meet the needs of our two children.
The kids are bright and the class was geared toward the lower end of the
spectrum. There was little flexibility in the school's approach -- sending
my son up a grade for reading once a day was the best they had.

BIL -- you are right to be wary of this or any method of hsing! Your house
and your life will be taken over. You will become completely immersed in the
learning that your children are doing. There will be books everywhere. You
will need at least one more computer. Your children will never be able to
just walk thru anywhere -- the zoo will take twice as long because they will
have to stop and examine the animals and comment and add what they know.
They will actually pay attention to the world around them and this makes life
move more slowly.

And your wife -- you will not recognize her after a while. She will be
covered with poster paint and glue and will be running to the book store or
the music lessons or the office supply store or the library at all hours.

And she will need your help. The kids will not be content to just know what
one book says. They will want to know what you, Dad, think about things.
They will ask you approximately 1,000,000 questions a day and expect you to
actually help them find the answers. They will get better at this as they
get older and learn how to do research all by themselves but . . .

Run now, Dad. While you still have the chance.

Nance (unschooling and loving it!)

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/1/2000 12:25:03 PM, Jaam1224@... writes:

<<My sister really wants to homeschool/unschool but my BIL is very leary. I
tried to convience him to join us but as my sister says "Its like pulling
teeth.." So, I was wondering if you would take a few minutes to write "why
you unschool" so I can pass on your thoughts. I am going to share my ideas
with him also, but you all always have great ideas........!

Thanks alot,
Julie>>

Hi, Julie --

I think there are times when it makes sense to assign your BIL to write an
essay on "Why School is So Damn Great". (I bet you'll stump him.)

I think most people who insist on school attendance believe two things:

1) Forced memorization is the best or only way to learn things. No pain, no
gain. "I would never have chosen to learn this stuff."

2) An inherent belief that it is safer and better to do things the way they
have been done before. (Repeating the same schooling pattern the parent
had.) An ingrained belief that one's schooling was "good for" oneself, and
thus that it must be necessary to inflict an education like this on everyone.

The counter arguments to #1 are:

-- Watch a child learn to walk and speak a first language. Both are
extremely difficult tasks. The child undertakes these tasks willingly and
makes much more rapid progress than an adult would. Drills are not
necessary. The child finds his or her own opportunities to practice, when
ready.

-- Look back at what you really did learn in 12 years of schooling. How much
science did you learn in elementary school? In middle school? Can you solve
a physics problem or balance a chemical equation to save your life? If you
studied a foreign language, can you speak it at all, beyond just saying Hello?

I have to run, but maybe you can come up with good counter arguments for
point 2 yourself. I'm having a hard time getting past "Duh.... get a clue!"
(And I don't think that's very persuasive. <g>)

Betsy

P.S. (I think setting aside all argument and getting your BIL to reminisce
about his school experiences is helpful. It's good to see where he is coming
from. I hope he can remember both good and bad things about going to school.
I swear some men are so un-introspective they don't remember anything that
happened to them... at least they don't access these memories when they
discuss sending their kids to school. I think sometimes it's due to too much
emotional scar tissue... but I don't know.)

(Men, I apologize for generalizing.... but I have seen an awful lot of
boneheadedness, from dads, on the "need" for the schooling experience. Ugh.
Most moms, again generalizing, are less sold on any experience that involves
making their children suffer.)

Susan (mother to 5 in Fla)

Hi Julie

I just got a book that you BIL should read (after you check it out
yourself). The book, The Underground History of American Education by John
Taylor Gatto. This is a prerelease & has more in to than the release that
is set for Jan 2001. You can get it from Elijah Company
1-888-2-ELIJAH www.elijahco.com $27.00. Gatto was a ps teacher & quit.
It is not just his experiences but a history of American education, which he
documents for your further research as desired. It really makes it clearer
to me what's wrong with ps. DH thought I had all the points down for any
questions till I started reading & now have awhole new set of answers.

Billy or Nancy

First a little bit of self-promotion - you can get it from FUN Books for $24
(list price $30).

I posted a review to the list back in June when the book first came out you
can go to http://www.fun-books.com/specials.htm and click on the cover image
to see the review.

John is no longer looking for a publisher for the book and will continue to
self publish it (do not confuse this with being "homemade," the book is
professionally printed and bound, he just made his printing arrangements
directly without going through a publisher).

A documentary film based on the book is in the works and John decided he
could keep all his options open better by not signing on with a publisher.

Billy
Family Unschoolers Network
http://www.unschooling.org
FUN Books
http://www.FUN-Books.com
Featuring the new John Taylor Gatto book!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Susan (mother to 5 in Fla) [mailto:samiot@...]
>
> Hi Julie
>
> I just got a book that you BIL should read (after you check it out
> yourself). The book, The Underground History of American
> Education by John
> Taylor Gatto. This is a prerelease & has more in to than the
> release that
> is set for Jan 2001. You can get it from Elijah Company
$27.00. Gatto was a ps

Lynda

Because it works! Youngest kidlet is 8 and she is reading the American
Girl Diaries series, doing multiplications and fractions, botany and
writing stories and inventing crossword puzzles. Because we taught her?
Because we forced her to go to kiddie prison? NO! She wanted to. She
seeks and finds her own interests and she enjoys doing it!

Next is kidlet #5 who is 12. He has invented a totally enviornmentally
friendly engine which he will be entering in the science fair this year.
He has read just about every astronomy book our local library has and quite
a few they don't. He is reading consumer law this year and the history of
the court system. He struggles with math because he attended ps and the
whole climate encourages math phobia. However, he is slugging along at it
and we are buying various different things to help him because he has
decided he wants to be a lawyer, a sports lawyer and he knows that he will
need to be able to figure out what is the best deal for his clients and
that takes math. His choice!

Kidlet #4 is going to be a veterinarian. He's currently driving me crazy
surfing the net trying to find the best chemistry info he can. He's a very
picky shopper <g> What he really wants is a complete lab but wants it at
the price you would pay on those television shopping networks. He's
already done his biology, integrated science and physical science. He's
decided that he wants to start reading autobiographies and biographies this
year. His choice!

Now, all this may sound like classes one would take in school, maybe not
public school, more like private schools. The big difference is that the
kidlets have made this choice and all I've done is provide the money and
computers. Of course, if they have questions I am there but they OWN their
own future! Consequently they, themselves, want to learn, they want the
knowledge, they look for new and interesting things to study. Sometimes
they haul out their books or projects or kits at 10 o'clock at night and
sometimes they get up at 6 in the morning. Sometimes they don't do a thing
for days and then they are off and running on a new project that keeps them
busy from before I get up until after I go to bed. Their reading skills
are far beyond those of their ps peers. Their science knowledge is vast
instead of narrow. Their world is the whole world without limits and they
know it!

Lynda
----------
> From: Jaam1224@...
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] help-why unschool?
> Date: Friday, September 01, 2000 5:23 AM
>
>
> Hi all,
>
> My sister really wants to homeschool/unschool but my BIL is very leary.
I
> tried to convience him to join us but as my sister says "Its like pulling

> teeth.." So, I was wondering if you would take a few minutes to write
"why
> you unschool" so I can pass on your thoughts. I am going to share my
ideas
> with him also, but you all always have great ideas........!
>
> Thanks alot,
> Julie
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
> Addresses:
> Post message: [email protected]
> Unsubscribe: [email protected]
> List owner: [email protected]
> List settings page: http://www.egroups.com/group/Unschooling-dotcom
>

Shirley A Richardson-McCourt

Lynda:

How long did it take your son to deschool?

Shirley

----- Original Message -----
From: Lynda <lurine@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2000 5:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] help-why unschool?


>
> Because it works! Youngest kidlet is 8 and she is reading the American
> Girl Diaries series, doing multiplications and fractions, botany and
> writing stories and inventing crossword puzzles. Because we taught her?
> Because we forced her to go to kiddie prison? NO! She wanted to. She
> seeks and finds her own interests and she enjoys doing it!
>
> Next is kidlet #5 who is 12. He has invented a totally enviornmentally
> friendly engine which he will be entering in the science fair this year.
> He has read just about every astronomy book our local library has and
quite
> a few they don't. He is reading consumer law this year and the history of
> the court system. He struggles with math because he attended ps and the
> whole climate encourages math phobia. However, he is slugging along at it
> and we are buying various different things to help him because he has
> decided he wants to be a lawyer, a sports lawyer and he knows that he will
> need to be able to figure out what is the best deal for his clients and
> that takes math. His choice!
>
> Kidlet #4 is going to be a veterinarian. He's currently driving me crazy
> surfing the net trying to find the best chemistry info he can. He's a
very
> picky shopper <g> What he really wants is a complete lab but wants it at
> the price you would pay on those television shopping networks. He's
> already done his biology, integrated science and physical science. He's
> decided that he wants to start reading autobiographies and biographies
this
> year. His choice!
>
> Now, all this may sound like classes one would take in school, maybe not
> public school, more like private schools. The big difference is that the
> kidlets have made this choice and all I've done is provide the money and
> computers. Of course, if they have questions I am there but they OWN
their
> own future! Consequently they, themselves, want to learn, they want the
> knowledge, they look for new and interesting things to study. Sometimes
> they haul out their books or projects or kits at 10 o'clock at night and
> sometimes they get up at 6 in the morning. Sometimes they don't do a
thing
> for days and then they are off and running on a new project that keeps
them
> busy from before I get up until after I go to bed. Their reading skills
> are far beyond those of their ps peers. Their science knowledge is vast
> instead of narrow. Their world is the whole world without limits and they
> know it!
>
> Lynda
> ----------
> > From: Jaam1224@...
> > To: [email protected]
> > Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] help-why unschool?
> > Date: Friday, September 01, 2000 5:23 AM
> >
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > My sister really wants to homeschool/unschool but my BIL is very leary.
> I
> > tried to convience him to join us but as my sister says "Its like
pulling
>
> > teeth.." So, I was wondering if you would take a few minutes to write
> "why
> > you unschool" so I can pass on your thoughts. I am going to share my
> ideas
> > with him also, but you all always have great ideas........!
> >
> > Thanks alot,
> > Julie
> >
> > Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> > Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
> >
> > Addresses:
> > Post message: [email protected]
> > Unsubscribe: [email protected]
> > List owner: [email protected]
> > List settings page: http://www.egroups.com/group/Unschooling-dotcom
> >
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
> Addresses:
> Post message: [email protected]
> Unsubscribe: [email protected]
> List owner: [email protected]
> List settings page: http://www.egroups.com/group/Unschooling-dotcom
>
>
>

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/1/2000 7:25:17 AM Central Daylight Time, Jaam1224@...
writes:

> Hi all,
>
> My sister really wants to homeschool/unschool but my BIL is very leary. I
> tried to convience him to join us but as my sister says "Its like pulling
> teeth.." So, I was wondering if you would take a few minutes to write
"why
> you unschool" so I can pass on your thoughts. I am going to share my
ideas
> with him also, but you all always have great ideas........!
>
> Thanks alot,
> Julie


Hi Julie,

Ah, a chance to pontificate!

We started homeschooling because my son had some developmental problems that
made it very difficult for him to survive in a classroom. Now, the reasons
we homeschool, and especially unschool, are much different.

Socialization is a big part of that. We don't want our children to spend
their childhood cooped up in a classroom with one teacher and 30 other
children, all the same age, wearing the same clothes, talking about the same
things and having the same experiences. Instead, our children have the
benefit of learning to live and thrive in the "real world" from birth, not
just from age 18. We take classes, visit museums and places of business, go
on field trips, read books, have play dates, attend plays and concerts, go to
the doctor and the grocery store, play sports, organize activities, listen to
and play music, do art projects, run the family business, learn how to cook,
sew and take care of the house. With 7 or more hours of school and another
couple hours of homework, school kids don't have much time for the "real
world".

Another big part of our unschooling experience is knowing that we are not
squelching, but rather enhancing and fostering our children's love of
learning. We believe that all children from birth have a practically
insatiable thirst for learning and knowledge. Unfortunately, school saps
most of that thirst from the first day we enter kindergarten. When we're in
school we're not allowed to work on projects that we're interested in. When
we are interested in a project or a subject, we're forced to put it away at
the end of a set time period. We spend many hours a day on make-work
projects, worksheets and homework to reinforce concepts that we have long
since learned or grown bored with. We spend much time on administrative
tasks necessary to keep 30 kids in line. We spend much time on classes and
activities that have no relation to the world outside the classroom.

But aren't there just some things that everybody needs to know? I don't
believe so. The body of knowledge is so vast and is changing so rapidly,
that it is now virtually impossible for a traditional school to teach a child
what he or she will need to make a living and be a productive adult.

Look at computers. How many of us work in the field of computers? How many
of us learned about computers when we were in school? Not many, I'll bet.
Where and when did we learn what we need to know to make a living? Maybe
college, but probably long after we were even in college. And how rapidly is
the field of computers changing? And if you did learn marketable skills in
college, are you still using those skills, or have you changed jobs or
careers? How much of what you learned in school actually benefits you now?
What will the world look like when your child finishes school in 10 or 15
years?

My point is that in order to get along in the world, what we know isn't
really very important. It is more important that we are motivated to learn
and have the skills to gain the knowledge that we will need at any point in
our lives. School does very little toward teaching us to love knowledge and
learning. School is still designed to give us facts, facts that will be
useless to us in 10 or 15 years. Worse still, school squelches our love of
learning.

We believe that homeschooling, and unschooling in particular, fosters a love
of learning. We spend much time discerning what it is that we need or want
to know, then learning how to find it. What better preparation can there be?
A 15 minute lecture in the library on how to use the card catalogue? A 30
minute lecture in how to organize a term paper? No, we get our hands dirty.
We learn how to work with the librarian, how to experiment with the catalogue
computer. We learn how to ask questions -- by doing it! We don't write term
papers. We read everything we can get our hands on about a subject. We
don't take tests because there's no one to answer to but ourselves.

As unschoolers we'll learn what we need to learn when we need to. As my
children grow, I have confidence that they will learn to read, but even more
confidence that they will continue to love books, because they will not be
worried about whether someone is going to test them on what they know. I
have confidence that they will learn to manipulate numbers, but even more
confidence that they will not be afraid of math, because they will not be
worried about whether they're going to pass an algebra class. Instead,
they'll be thinking about how to apply what they've learned to that robotics
problem. And, if they don't learn math? It will be because they never
really needed it after all.

We've come such a long way in our thinking over the past few years about
homeschooling in general and unschooling in particular. And a big part of
our evolution included many opportunities to talk to people who've been
through it. Books and e-mail messages are great, but one-to-one contact I
think is vital. I'd like to invite anybody who'd like to talk about this to
contact me. As you can see, I do love to go on and on.

Carron

[email protected]

Hi Betsy,

Can I add a thought to your P.S.'s from my dh's personal experience? He (and
I) had good experiences in school. We don't have much to complain about. So
how did we get to this place called unschooling? First of all, we both
recognize how rare our experience was. Good schools, good teachers, good
people.

But, even today, my husband is grappling with how he wants to spend his
working life. He's not happy doing what he's doing, and he's having a hard
time deciding what it is that he really want to do. He does blame school for
that. He says he spent so much time on busy work that he never had an
opportunity to discover and develop his true talents and interests. So now,
at 39, he's having to start over again and at the same time earn a living.
He doesn't want that for his children. Let them learn now what they love and
go with it. So what if what they love changes? They'll know how to pursue
their interests and they'll have the confidence to do it, too.

Carron


In a message dated 9/1/2000 10:04:45 AM Central Daylight Time,
ecsamhill@... writes:

> Betsy
>
> P.S. (I think setting aside all argument and getting your BIL to
reminisce
> about his school experiences is helpful. It's good to see where he is
> coming
> from. I hope he can remember both good and bad things about going to
school.
>
> I swear some men are so un-introspective they don't remember anything
that
> happened to them... at least they don't access these memories when they
> discuss sending their kids to school. I think sometimes it's due to too
> much
> emotional scar tissue... but I don't know.)
>
> (Men, I apologize for generalizing.... but I have seen an awful lot of
> boneheadedness, from dads, on the "need" for the schooling experience.
Ugh.
>
> Most moms, again generalizing, are less sold on any experience that
involves
>
> making their children suffer.)
>

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/2/2000 5:56:24 PM, Cararmst@... writes:

<<But, even today, my husband is grappling with how he wants to spend his
working life. He's not happy doing what he's doing, and he's having a hard
time deciding what it is that he really want to do. He does blame school for
that. He says he spent so much time on busy work that he never had an
opportunity to discover and develop his true talents and interests. So now,
at 39, he's having to start over again and at the same time earn a living.
He doesn't want that for his children. Let them learn now what they love and
go with it. So what if what they love changes? They'll know how to pursue
their interests and they'll have the confidence to do it, too.>>

Hi, Carron --

My husband is 43 and experiencing the same thing.

I recently concluded that the advice that we hear that kids need to learn to
endure a whole school year with a bad teacher (to learn coping skills) is
very harmful. When you have an icky job, that "school year" never ends.
Passive endurance of a rotten situation is not really great preparation for
life as a grown-up. The affects of all this forced schooling linger, and
some of us feel trapped, even when we have choices.

Betsy

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/2/2000 4:46:15 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
ecsamhill@... writes:

>
> I recently concluded that the advice that we hear that kids need to learn
to
>
> endure a whole school year with a bad teacher (to learn coping skills) is
> very harmful. When you have an icky job, that "school year" never ends.
> Passive endurance of a rotten situation is not really great preparation
for
> life as a grown-up. The affects of all this forced schooling linger, and
> some of us feel trapped, even when we have choices.
>
> Betsy
>

Well said! Applause! Applause!

You know what amazes me is the response I get from people when I ask them WHY
public school is a good thing. Try it sometime. Just keep asking why and
encouraging them...(dare I say "the victim"? heheheh)...encouraging them to
answer more and more why. They'll be stumped and eventually have to fall
back on the old standby of something like 'because it's the way it's done' or
'because everyone is doing it'. If you can get them that far they just may
realize how stupid that reasoning is.

The truly honest ones will probably admit it's for the 'free' childcare.

Eiraul

Dawn Falbe

> The truly honest ones will probably admit it's for the 'free'
childcare.
>
> Eiraul

Bravo!!! I couldn't agree with you more... When I'm having tough
days with Zak I often think about putting him in one of the schools
we have here that are alternative education (we have 1 unschooling
type of school here) and then I'll have a great day with him and I
think about how you have to be super organized to get up in the
morning and get them ready and fed and blah blah blah and I don't
think I have the energy for that anymore (LOL)

Dawn F
Tucson, AZ

Tracy Oldfield

Sounds 'unpublished!!!'

Tracy

Susan (mother to 5 in Fla)

Tracy no this is published. The copy I have says " First paperback edition
prior to publication, Jun 30, 2000. This edition has been prepared for
distribution to reviwers, wholesale book buyers, and for sale at Mr. Gatto's
lectures. The market first edition will be issured on Jan. 32, 2001." I'm
not sure what the first edition will look like I'd heard it wouldn't be as
big, this is 390 pages not counting the index. I'd hate to be the one to
pare it down, that would be very hard.

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/2/2000 6:46:05 PM Central Daylight Time,
ecsamhill@... writes:

> I recently concluded that the advice that we hear that kids need to learn
to
> endure a whole school year with a bad teacher (to learn coping skills) is
> very harmful. When you have an icky job, that "school year" never ends.
> Passive endurance of a rotten situation is not really great preparation
for
> life as a grown-up. The affects of all this forced schooling linger, and
> some of us feel trapped, even when we have choices.
>

Exactly. Hopefully, no grown up would ever stand for what we had to stand
for as kids in school. I know that a lot of people feel trapped, but I
wonder if they feel trapped because that's the way we were conditioned by
school.

Carron

Tracy Oldfield

Sorry, people, I usually like to include some of the post I'm
replying, to, things make more sense to me when I read them that
way, but my 'puter's not co-operating :-( Anyway, Susan said that
Gatto's book was published, I meant that the way he'd gone about
it sounded like unschooling- therefore 'unpublishing??' Joke? Oh,
this English humour, Dawn, please tell me you got it? LOL

Tracy

On 3 Sep 2000, at 18:18, Susan (mother to 5 in Fla) wrote:

Shirley A Richardson-McCourt

Carron said:

> Exactly. Hopefully, no grown up would ever stand for what we had to stand
> for as kids in school. I know that a lot of people feel trapped, but I
> wonder if they feel trapped because that's the way we were conditioned by
> school.
>
Shirley says:

And don't you wonder if maybe that is the point...to develop a workforce
that will accept whatever conditions industry chooses to impose. When I was
researching a paper for my college education history course, I ran across
the information that the reason that bells were added to schools was to
acclimate the children to moving at the command of bells, which were used in
turn of the century factories to mark various ponits in the workday.
Interesting!!
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
> Addresses:
> Post message: [email protected]
> Unsubscribe: [email protected]
> List owner: [email protected]
> List settings page: http://www.egroups.com/group/Unschooling-dotcom
>
>
>

Susan (mother to 5 in Fla)

Duh!! My mistake. There were several in my support group that had heard he
was in the process of writing but were unaware that it had made it to print.
I thought that's what you meant. Now I get it. And you're right, it's only
fitting that he go "non-traditional" in publishing.


:-( Anyway, Susan said that
Gatto's book was published, I meant that the way he'd gone about
it sounded like unschooling- therefore 'unpublishing??' Joke? Oh,
this English humour, Dawn, please tell me you got it? LOL

Tracy

Dawn Falbe

--- In [email protected], "Susan \(mother to 5 in Fla\)"
<samiot@c...> wrote:

Yes Tracy I got it (LOL)....I thought I'd lost most of my sense of
humour when I emmigrated, by find that by staying in touch with other
Brits it's still there (LOL)... (This isn't meant to be offensive to
the Americans, but you guys do have a different sense of humour from
the English)... I do miss that dry British Sarcasmn that I was so
used to hearing growing up... Ahh at least I get to see it on BBC
America...
> Duh!! My mistake. There were several in my support group that had
heard he
> was in the process of writing but were unaware that it had made it
to print.
> I thought that's what you meant. Now I get it. And you're right,
it's only
> fitting that he go "non-traditional" in publishing.
>
>
> :-( Anyway, Susan said that
> Gatto's book was published, I meant that the way he'd gone about
> it sounded like unschooling- therefore 'unpublishing??' Joke? Oh,
> this English humour, Dawn, please tell me you got it? LOL
>
> Tracy

Billy or Nancy

Tracy,

I was wondering if you had misunderstood something about the book already
being out. I guess it made the joke a little harder to see since
"unpublished" is a real word.

I was at a conference once were a man was looking over the books we offered.
He seemed to notice "The Unschooling Handbook" and "Unjobbing" because he
turned to his wife and said "Unschooling and unjobbing - seems like next
will be unemployment."

Anyway, I'm not Dawn, but I can sure tell you how to get the book. We carry
it at FUN Books (http://www.FUN-Books.com) You can order it online at
http://www.icatmall.com/FUNBooks and also read a review.

As I recall, you are in the UK, so be advised that although it is a
paperback, it is also about 3 pounds. Airmail postage to England is
expensive, but surface mail is pretty reasonable.

Billy
Family Unschoolers Network
http://www.unschooling.org
FUN Books
http://www.FUN-Books.com
Featuring the new John Taylor Gatto book!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tracy Oldfield [mailto:tracy.oldfield@...]
> Sorry, people, I usually like to include some of the post I'm
> replying, to, things make more sense to me when I read them that
> way, but my 'puter's not co-operating :-( Anyway, Susan said that
> Gatto's book was published, I meant that the way he'd gone about
> it sounded like unschooling- therefore 'unpublishing??' Joke? Oh,
> this English humour, Dawn, please tell me you got it? LOL
>
> Tracy
>

Tracy Oldfield

Phew! Thought I was going totally off the wall for a bit there. I
know I've been 'outside the box' (and no I'm not a cartoonist...)
most of my life but that was scary for a minute!!

Tracy

Tracy Oldfield

Maybe I can borrow it from a colleague (fellow home-edder, and
well remembered) who lives not too far from me. But thanks for
the info. Shame about that guy, he really doesn't get it, does he?
if that's the kind of link people make, maybe we need to be 'self-
schoolers?' Just a thought...

Tracy
***all stressed out and no-one to choke***

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/4/2000 9:45:56 PM Central Daylight Time,
thediva@... writes:

> And don't you wonder if maybe that is the point...to develop a workforce
> that will accept whatever conditions industry chooses to impose. When I was
> researching a paper for my college education history course, I ran across
> the information that the reason that bells were added to schools was to
> acclimate the children to moving at the command of bells, which were used
in
> turn of the century factories to mark various ponits in the workday.
> Interesting!!


I don't remember Gatto mentioning that specific example in his book, but it
sure fits!

Carron