Bill & Sher

Hi all.

I am new to this Unschooling thing. We have many children from blending families together. Some are in public school others in private, due to ex-es choice.

We want to homeschool our children that live with us. I like the sound of unschooling homeschool but I want to know more about it. My brothers went through BECCA and our older daughters were in ACE. A friend uses Bob Jones and another uses "See Math" (I think that is what it is called). So I am know about homeschooling choices.

I just found the web sight for FIAR which sounds good. What else do you do? How do you know your are getting the right lessons taught for the right level of learning. Yes I know I am still thinking of schooling but humor me. I really think this might be the way we go. I want structure with freedom. I will be homeschooling with babies running around so I need that freedom.

No one this year is the right age and living with us. But that changes from year to year. Last year we had our daughter living with us and this year she is with her mom

Sher


Join 18 million Eudora users by signing up for a free Eudora Web-Mail account at http://www.eudoramail.com

Susan (mother to 5 in Fla)

I'm in a similar boat. DD in ps because her mom wouldn't even consider
something better just moved in with us last year. DS in college lives with
mom but looking to escape but doesn't want to move in here. (3 bedrooms & 4
kids is full he'd make 5)

We use Math U See, Teaching Reading at Home & the WISE GUIDE and the
LIBRARY!! The kids do a lot of computer games which are educational & make
them use math, reading & spelling. We work on DD's Girl Scout merit badges
& found a web page that matches them to homeschool type curriculum to check
off for our yearly evaluation. She has a blast. The boys (4 & 2) run in &
out but aren't interested in learning to read or write.

[email protected]

In a message dated 00-09-27 09:05:23 EDT, you write:

<< How do you know your are getting the right lessons taught for the right
level of learning. >>

Because each child is learning something he didn't know before. "The right
level" is right there--where each child is, regardless of age.

I'm hoping someone will list some good Christian unschooling sites here,
because I'd like to add them to my webpage!

<A HREF="http://expage.com/RadicalUnschooling">RADICAL UNSCHOOLING </A>

http://expage.com/radicalunschooling (in case the link won't work
from your computer)

That has a direct link to the discussions at unschooling.com, too!

Sandra

[email protected]

In a message dated 00-09-27 09:26:13 EDT, you write:

<< We work on DD's Girl Scout merit badges
& found a web page that matches them to homeschool type curriculum to check
off for our yearly evaluation. She has a blast. >>

Please share that web page!

Susan (mother to 5 in Fla)

<< We work on DD's Girl Scout merit badges
& found a web page that matches them to homeschool type curriculum to check
off for our yearly evaluation. She has a blast. >>

Please share that web page!



http://www.cis.net/~cmmeyer/ScoutSchool/ Brownie GS is under construction.
This is for BOY & GIRL Scouts.

aworthen

----- Original Message -----
From: Bill & Sher <yet_will_i_trust.him@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2000 9:04 AM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] New member

Welcome Sher,

I like FIAR, I just use it ver loosly. If the kids want to do it we do it.
It's given us some nice family reading time. Good Luck.

Amy
Mom to Samantha, Dana, and Casey
The World Is Our Classroom


> Hi all.
>
> I am new to this Unschooling thing. We have many children from blending
families together. Some are in public school others in private, due to
ex-es choice.
>
> We want to homeschool our children that live with us. I like the sound of
unschooling homeschool but I want to know more about it. My brothers went
through BECCA and our older daughters were in ACE. A friend uses Bob Jones
and another uses "See Math" (I think that is what it is called). So I am
know about homeschooling choices.
>
> I just found the web sight for FIAR which sounds good. What else do you
do? How do you know your are getting the right lessons taught for the right
level of learning. Yes I know I am still thinking of schooling but humor
me. I really think this might be the way we go. I want structure with
freedom. I will be homeschooling with babies running around so I need that
freedom.
>
> No one this year is the right age and living with us. But that changes
from year to year. Last year we had our daughter living with us and this
year she is with her mom
>
> Sher
>
>
> Join 18 million Eudora users by signing up for a free Eudora Web-Mail
account at http://www.eudoramail.com
>
>
> 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
>
>

MO Milligans

Hi! Just wanted to let you know that a new member has joined :) We are
Todd, Ren, and our 2 kids (9 & 6) in Missouri, USA.

I look forward to getting to know all of you :)

Todd

Our HOME page
http://rambleman.tripod.com/index.html

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/9/02 9:04:33 AM Central Daylight Time,
Ozarkren@... writes:


> Hi! Just wanted to let you know that a new member has joined :) We are
> Todd, Ren, and our 2 kids (9 & 6) in Missouri, USA.
>
> I look forward to getting to know all of you :)
>
> Todd

Welcome Todd and Ren (another Ren!) and your two kids! My dd, Moly and I were
surfing around your site and she wanted me to tell you she thought the *Eye C
U* page is "kind of weird, but really cool!" <vbg> I love looking at other
peoples unschooling kids! I can't wait to get ours up and going.
~Nancy


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

MO Milligans

At 12:41 PM 9/9/02 -0400, you wrote:

>Moly and I were surfing around your site and she wanted me to tell you she
>thought the *Eye C U* page is "kind of weird, but really cool!" <vbg>
==
Yeah, that's what a few people have said. <g> I hope being "normal" is not
a prerequisite for being on this list. <eg>

> I love looking at other peoples unschooling kids! I can't wait to get
> ours up and going.
>~Nancy
==
Me either. Please let us know as soon as it's up and running, and ready for
visitors :-)

Todd

Our HOME page
http://rambleman.tripod.com/index.html

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/10/02 8:43:56 AM Central Daylight Time,
Ozarkren@... writes:


> Yeah, that's what a few people have said. <g> I hope being "normal" is not
> a prerequisite for being on this list. <eg>

God no! At least I hope not, <g> or they would have booted me along time ago.
(then again, they could just be very tolerant)
~Nancy


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Gerard Westenberg

<but it'suseful to go to the message boards because there are lots and lots ofmessages just waiting there that will answer many of your questions aboutWhat Unschooling Is).>>

Just wanted to chime in and second this idea! I found the unschool mesage boards to be incredibly helpful in learning about unschooling. I would check in and read every morning and then think and digest the ideas while on my walk..Now, I check in once a week or so, and the message boards are still very helpful - esp if I am feeling any unschooling worry or angst! :-)..Leonie W.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

mom23princess

Hi all!I'm new here & was wondering what exactly do "unschoolers" do
in a normal day?Do you ever do workbooks,etc. Or is everything just
life experiences?We do workbooks on & off,don't follow a
textbook,things like that,so I was wondering what many of you do in a
normal day to teach your kids.I have homeschooled for the past 2 1/2
years & have much more to learn as I haven't really figured out yet
what's best for us & how to make a "schedule" of what to do.Any
help/advice would be appreciated!Thanks!
Renee

Shyrley

On 29 Oct 02, at 16:59, mom23princess wrote:

> Hi all!I'm new here & was wondering what exactly do "unschoolers" do
> in a normal day?Do you ever do workbooks,etc. Or is everything just
> life experiences?We do workbooks on & off,don't follow a
> textbook,things like that,so I was wondering what many of you do in a
> normal day to teach your kids.I have homeschooled for the past 2 1/2
> years & have much more to learn as I haven't really figured out yet
> what's best for us & how to make a "schedule" of what to do.Any
> help/advice would be appreciated!Thanks! Renee
>
We don't have a schedule which is part of the joy of unschooling.
Today I have a migraine (I should be in bed really rather than sitting
here). My 3 kids (10, 9 and 7) have made candles and are now
heating up bits of food over the candles in little dolls frying pans to
'see what happens'. They've been doing it about 3 hours I think and
are having a fab time. Tomorrow a friend might come round and the
kids will play, at some point we gotta get groceries.
Days normally pass like that. Yestrady we watched 3 movies. The
Day before my two youngest decided to do online maths tests.
This table is covered with bits of paper with adding up sums all over
them.
Some days they might pull out a workbook (very rare at the mo)
other days we watch TV, read books, look up stuff on the net. They
choose what to do, if anything, when they feel like it.

Personally I wouldn't make 'schedules' cos that leads to pressure
and anxiety that you are not sticking to it and that will affect your
children. I think unschooling isn't about pressyre and coercian.
One day at a time is my motto.

Shyrley


"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you are all the same."

[email protected]

On Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:59:16 -0000 "mom23princess"
<mom23princess@...> writes:
> Hi all!I'm new here & was wondering what exactly do "unschoolers" do
> in a normal day?Do you ever do workbooks,etc. Or is everything just
> life experiences?

We don't do workbooks. We actually have a pretty busy schedule right now,
most days. Today's goes:

12:30 Drive Alex to Davis

1:00 Rain to Teen Movie Thing (although they made it 9 and up movie
thing just for her), me to coffee

4:15 Rain to soccer scrimmage

6-ish Dinner at Chez Taco Bell

7:30 Carousel Rehearsal for Rain, painting Carousel sets for me

9:30 Drive home, hope Nana was willing to go outside with the neighbors
at least once

It's a schedule based on doing the stuff we want to do, not on anything
schooly....

Dar

Nicole Nichol

Ok,so I'm still confused,is there supposed to be learning from doing these normal everyday things,for example,do you make dinner a math project or what learning is going on.I hope that doesn't sound like I think you're not teaching your kids anything,I just got a book on unschooling but haven't had time to read through it yet.I think I'd rather my kids be unschooled,I just worry about if they are & will learn anything.If you go to the movies,do you make them tell about the story line or something?Sorry about all the questions,I just want to know exactly what all of you here do with your kids.Maybe I do some unschooling & didn't know it. :) My girls would be thankful if we did unschooling,I'm sure. :)
Renee
freeform@... wrote:
On Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:59:16 -0000 "mom23princess"
<mom23princess@...> writes:
> Hi all!I'm new here & was wondering what exactly do "unschoolers" do
> in a normal day?Do you ever do workbooks,etc. Or is everything just
> life experiences?

We don't do workbooks. We actually have a pretty busy schedule right now,
most days. Today's goes:

12:30 Drive Alex to Davis

1:00 Rain to Teen Movie Thing (although they made it 9 and up movie
thing just for her), me to coffee

4:15 Rain to soccer scrimmage

6-ish Dinner at Chez Taco Bell

7:30 Carousel Rehearsal for Rain, painting Carousel sets for me

9:30 Drive home, hope Nana was willing to go outside with the neighbors
at least once

It's a schedule based on doing the stuff we want to do, not on anything
schooly....

Dar

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Myranda

Renee,
Try thinking about you - how do you learn things? Do you go read a book on gardening and then write a book report? No, you read it, enjoy it, and maybe talk about it with family or friends, maybe plant a few things yourself, right? Same thing with your kids. If they're interested in something, help them find ways to learn about it - books, movies, internet, etc. They'll learn what they need to from it! Then, if they're still interested, you can offer for them to look into it more or make something related to it. We're putting finishing touches on some paper mache caterpillars that came from an idea out of some nature magazines. If you had to write a book report on every book you read, what would happen? You'd soon stop reading books! Or you'd read, trying to file things away to remember to put in the report, and you'd not get any enjoyment or real learning out of it. If you really want or need the reassurance of hearing them talk about what they've gotten from a book or movie, ask them. Something like "I liked that funny guy who always had a green hat on, but I can't remember his name, do you know?". Or "I bet Daddy would like for you to tell him what we saw today at the museum since he couldn't go with us." Cooking dinner is just that - sure they'll get math and reading and home ec skills out of it, but it's still just cooking dinner. Not a project, just a fact of life. :-)

HTH!
Myranda

Ok,so I'm still confused,is there supposed to be learning from doing these normal everyday things,for example,do you make dinner a math project or what learning is going on.I hope that doesn't sound like I think you're not teaching your kids anything,I just got a book on unschooling but haven't had time to read through it yet.I think I'd rather my kids be unschooled,I just worry about if they are & will learn anything.If you go to the movies,do you make them tell about the story line or something?Sorry about all the questions,I just want to know exactly what all of you here do with your kids.Maybe I do some unschooling & didn't know it. :) My girls would be thankful if we did unschooling,I'm sure. :)
Renee
freeform@... wrote:
On Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:59:16 -0000 "mom23princess"
<mom23princess@...> writes:
> Hi all!I'm new here & was wondering what exactly do "unschoolers" do
> in a normal day?Do you ever do workbooks,etc. Or is everything just
> life experiences?

We don't do workbooks. We actually have a pretty busy schedule right now,
most days. Today's goes:

12:30 Drive Alex to Davis

1:00 Rain to Teen Movie Thing (although they made it 9 and up movie
thing just for her), me to coffee

4:15 Rain to soccer scrimmage

6-ish Dinner at Chez Taco Bell

7:30 Carousel Rehearsal for Rain, painting Carousel sets for me

9:30 Drive home, hope Nana was willing to go outside with the neighbors
at least once

It's a schedule based on doing the stuff we want to do, not on anything
schooly....

Dar

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~~~~ Don't forget! If you change topics, change the subject line! ~~~~

If you have questions, concerns or problems with this list, please email the moderator, Joyce Fetteroll (fetteroll@...), or the list owner, Helen Hegener (HEM-Editor@...).

To unsubscribe from this group, click on the following link or address an email to:
[email protected]

Visit the Unschooling website: http://www.unschooling.com

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.



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marji

At 12:15 10/29/02 -0800, you wrote:

>Ok,so I'm still confused,is there supposed to be learning from doing these
>normal everyday things,for example,do you make dinner a math project or
>what learning is going on.I hope that doesn't sound like I think you're
>not teaching your kids anything,I just got a book on unschooling but
>haven't had time to read through it yet.I think I'd rather my kids be
>unschooled,I just worry about if they are & will learn anything.If you go
>to the movies,do you make them tell about the story line or
>something?Sorry about all the questions,I just want to know exactly what
>all of you here do with your kids.Maybe I do some unschooling & didn't
>know it. :) My girls would be thankful if we did unschooling,I'm sure. :)
>Renee

Hi, Renee. Welcome to this list! Here's a link that can be helpful. It's
very short and sweet and might help you understand what unschooling
is. http://www.pacinfo.com/~handley/unschool.html

Also, check out http://www.unschooling.com/library/index.shtml which has
lots of essays and reading recommendations that can help you understand
what this is all about.

In a nutshell, unschooling is ultimately trusting your children. It's
knowing that your children have a natural desire to learn, and getting out
of their way so that they can learn the way they need to. Think about it
this way: You didn't teach your children to walk and talk; they
learned. It's an important distinction. But that's how we humans do
it. We learn what's important for us to learn. When a child has a need to
learn to read or understand the way math works, he or she learns. We know
what we need to learn, and if we're in an setting that's not pressured, we
can be in touch enough with ourselves to know what we need. That's our
role as parents: To allow our children the space they need to be in touch
with themselves so they can follow their hearts and learn what they need
and want to learn.

Anyway, that's what I have gotten out of unschooling so far. I'm pretty
new at it, and I'm sure you'll get lots of other better answer than
this. My feeling is that when children are allowed to unschool, they are
given the freedom to be themselves without the pressure of others'
expectations. This list is very helpful in reminding each other how we can
best protect our children's space to be themselves.

Marji

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Shyrley

On 29 Oct 02, at 12:15, Nicole Nichol wrote:

>
> Ok,so I'm still confused,is there supposed to be learning from doing
> these normal everyday things,for example,do you make dinner a math
> project or what learning is going on.I hope that doesn't sound like I
> think you're not teaching your kids anything,I just got a book on
> unschooling but haven't had time to read through it yet.I think I'd
> rather my kids be unschooled,I just worry about if they are & will
> learn anything.If you go to the movies,do you make them tell about the
> story line or something?Sorry about all the questions,I just want to
> know exactly what all of you here do with your kids.Maybe I do some
> unschooling & didn't know it. :) My girls would be thankful if we did
> unschooling,I'm sure. :) Renee


It's pretty normal to be doubtful at first, especially when you are
used to workbooks and tests 'measuring' learning ina recognisably
acceptable form.
All living is learning. It can't be helped. It just happens. Your child
watching a candle flame is learning, looking out of the window at
clouds is learning.
I suspect you mean by 'learning' the narrow framework of
acceptable 'knowledge' that children are forced to learn in school. If
you think about the vast sum of human knowledge and then
compare that to the tiny section that schools have judged to be
necassary you can see that schooling doesn't begin to cover all
that it means to be a human being.

Personally, I feel that enabling my child to be a confident human
being, able to make his or her own way in life is the most valuable
ability that I can help my child with. If you know 'how' to learn and
how to trust your own judgement then the things that are
necassary to exist in this world are at your fingertips.
If your child feels that 'academic' subjects are necassary to get on
in life then those are easily acquired with unschooling too.
Unschooling doesn't preclude workbooks and text boooks or even
college but day to day living can help a child acquire knowledge of
those academic subjects often without recourse to dry and boring
textbooks.
A few examples...
Maths is one of the easiest. Young children love to count and
descibe the porperties of objects. Songs often have counting
games, cookery involves fractions, multiplication and division,
weights, measures. Sewing teaches shapes, lengths.
Children constantly ask questions about their environment..'why is
the sky blue, why are flames hot, why do we eat food'.
History is all around us, even in the US. Me and my brood used to
hang out in castles (I'm from the UK)

As the child gets older their interests become more complex. Mine
recently took out every book the library possessed on ancient
egyptians. My 10 yo has become interested in WW2 and asks
endless questions of her grandma who was born in 1935 and grew
up during the Blitz in England.
My 9 yo has expressed the desire to become a vet so has taken to
asking for maths workbooks and biology textbooks. Maybe the
interest will pass. It is up to him.
I am sure that if they require academic qualifications for something
they wish to do in the future then they are equiped to obtain that
knowledge required for the piece of paper.

I also don't question my kids to 'test' or 'check' on their learning. It
is theirs alone to do with as they will. Usually they are so excited
about it they share it eagerly. Often when I'm lying in the bath!!! My
daughter read all the Horrible Histories and I've recieved a blow-by-
blow account of nearly all the books. My son was so thrilled to
discover that multiplication was really just adding up lots of times
that I missed an episode of Stargate while he told me all about it.

All this seems to happen in bits and pieces. Often they do nothing
but slaughter things on the PlayStation for days on end and
sometimes I feel anxious about their future but when I look at the
big picture, the long time frame, I see them turning into confident
human beings that have many interests.

Hope that helps. I think I rambled a bit.

Shyrley the exile.


"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you are all the same."

[email protected]

In a message dated 10/29/02 4:06:43 PM Eastern Standard Time,
shyrley.williams@... writes:


> Hope that helps. I think I rambled a bit.
>
> Shyrley the exile.
>
>
>

That was wonderful.
Ramble on.
Elissa


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

In a message dated 10/29/02 1:33:38 PM, mom23princess@... writes:

<< Ok,so I'm still confused,is there supposed to be learning from doing these
normal everyday things,for example,do you make dinner a math project or what
learning is going on. >>

We don't make dinner a math project.

Go to www.unschooling.com, which is the parent forum of this e-mail list, and
read articles in the library, and then go to the discussion area and read
lots! One thing in the library is a collection of definitions and
descriptions of unschooling. You could read for a week without sleeping and
not finish there.

If you have looked at all the good parts there, you might want to go to
http://sandradodd.com/unschooling

Sandra

[email protected]

In a message dated 10/29/02 1:33:38 PM, mom23princess@... writes:

<< ,I just got a book on unschooling but haven't had time to read through it
yet.. . . . .Sorry about all the questions,I just want to know exactly what
all of you here do with your kids. >>

I just noticed you said you have a book but haven't read it yet. You should
read it! Otherwise we end up writing everthing that's already in your book.


<<If you go to the movies,do you make them tell about the story line or
something?>>

If you want to teach them to hate movies you might want to do that.


In the course of everyday real life people DO talk about movies though, and
that will happen.

Too many people take their kids out of school, but they take the school home
with them.

Sandra

Nicole Nichol

Thanks so much forthe great responses!I guess I was kind of on the right track about unschooling when the other poster mentioned how sewing taught shapes & stuff,I do realize you learn something everyday just by doing it & don't realize you're learning,I just don't want to consider myself an unschooler when I really wasn't sure of what it meant,I will check out the sites mentioned,as I'm really interested in this.My first year of homeschooling was nothing but workbooks,etc but I have changed that to just doing work on the board & reading lots of books & we get to watch movies,etc.We just ate dinner & my kids were showing me how they turned their bread into fractions.I just want to be abel to show my husband that they are learning & he's more of the type that has to see it written down to prove they do do work & learn.Hopefully I'll learn more here & become a regular poster! :) Thanks again!
Renee
SandraDodd@... wrote:
In a message dated 10/29/02 1:33:38 PM, mom23princess@... writes:

<< Ok,so I'm still confused,is there supposed to be learning from doing these
normal everyday things,for example,do you make dinner a math project or what
learning is going on. >>

We don't make dinner a math project.

Go to www.unschooling.com, which is the parent forum of this e-mail list, and
read articles in the library, and then go to the discussion area and read
lots! One thing in the library is a collection of definitions and
descriptions of unschooling. You could read for a week without sleeping and
not finish there.

If you have looked at all the good parts there, you might want to go to
http://sandradodd.com/unschooling

Sandra

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Pam Hartley

----------
>From: [email protected]
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Digest Number 2579
>Date: Tue, Oct 29, 2002, 2:29 PM
>

> Ok,so I'm still confused,is there supposed to be learning from doing these
> normal everyday things,for example,do you make dinner a math project or
> what learning is going on.

We just eat our dinner and sometime during that dinner everyone will learn
something (peas are revolting or Dad has a big shipping day tomorrow or the
cat likes pickles or E=MC squared, or whatever else happens to come up
during our dinner in the natural flow of things).

>I hope that doesn't sound like I think you're not
> teaching your kids anything

We don't do Me Teacher, You Student. We do learn from each other, including
them learning from me and vice versa.

>I just got a book on unschooling but haven't
> had time to read through it yet.I think I'd rather my kids be unschooled,I
> just worry about if they are & will learn anything.

What book? Read that and here and at www.unschooling.com -- you won't know
if you want to try unschooling or how to not be worried, if you don't make
time to find out. Unschooling works best when paired with Unworrying.

>If you go to the
> movies,do you make them tell about the story line or something?

No.

Unschooling is Un Schooling. No school. Not Doing School, even in disguise,
or with a spoonful of sugar. It's about banishing school (including tests,
grades, book reports, enforced curriculum, unit studies, dress-down Friday,
dress codes at all, grade levels, homework, raising hand to go to the
bathroom, getting to bed early so you can catch the bus, etc.) from our
lives.

>Maybe I do some unschooling & didn't know it. :)

You don't. :) Unschooling is not what you do between the math workbooks and
reading practice. You can't do it part-time.

I think you would find it very helpful to go to www.unschooling.com and read
the message boards there (not to say you're not welcome here, too, but it's
useful to go to the message boards because there are lots and lots of
messages just waiting there that will answer many of your questions about
What Unschooling Is).

Best wishes,

Pam

Betsy

**You could read for a week without sleeping and
not finish there. **

It may sound strange to someone who was once starved for information,
but the opportunity to read for a week without sleeping is not
universally regarded as a treat. ;-)

... on the other hand, I probably would also be unenthusiastic about
sleeping for a week without reading. 'Specially if I had to give up unschooling.com.

Betsy

Tia Leschke

>I just want to be abel to show my husband that they are learning & he's
more of the type that has to see it written down to prove they do do work &
learn.

Some people find it helpful, either for themselves or a nervous husband, to
keep a journal of what the kids do, noticing the "educational value" of what
they do. I wouldn't recommend doing it for long because you want to move as
quickly as you can away from subjects and "educational value" to the value
of everything they do. Also, talking about working and learning makes it
sound like you still think learning has to be hard work. It really doesn't.
Tia

Nicole Nichol

hi.
to answer your questions,i just came across the unschholing book by accident & I skimmed through it but it's more like a novel,I was hoping to find maybe a list of what unschoolers do in a regular day since I really don't have time right now t read an entire book with our house for sale,etc.

i can't see why they would hate movies if i ask them about it,when i watch something with my husband we discuss it,so i see nothing wrong about initiating the conversation.

lastly,my kids have never attended school of any sort so they do not know what "real" schools do.
Renee
SandraDodd@... wrote:
In a message dated 10/29/02 1:33:38 PM, mom23princess@... writes:

<< ,I just got a book on unschooling but haven't had time to read through it
yet.. . . . .Sorry about all the questions,I just want to know exactly what
all of you here do with your kids. >>

I just noticed you said you have a book but haven't read it yet. You should
read it! Otherwise we end up writing everthing that's already in your book.


<<If you go to the movies,do you make them tell about the story line or
something?>>

If you want to teach them to hate movies you might want to do that.


In the course of everyday real life people DO talk about movies though, and
that will happen.

Too many people take their kids out of school, but they take the school home
with them.

Sandra

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[email protected]

In a message dated 10/30/2002 7:47:14 AM Eastern Standard Time,
mom23princess@... writes:


> hi.
> to answer your questions,i just came across the unschholing book by
> accident & I skimmed through it but it's more like a novel,I was hoping to
> find maybe a list of what unschoolers do in a regular day since I really
> don't have time right now t read an entire book with our house for
> sale,etc.
>

Renee,
The first unschooling book I ever read was Mary Griffith's The Unschooling
Handbook. IMO, it's a great introduction to unschooling. It also features
antidotes by unschooling families about their days.
Amy Kagey
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marji

At 04:46 10/30/02 -0800, Nicole wrote:
>i can't see why they would hate movies if i ask them about it,when i watch
>something with my husband we discuss it,so i see nothing wrong about
>initiating the conversation.

Hi, Nicole! Do you see how discussing a movie you watched with your kids
is really different than "making them" tell you the "story line"? The
former is natural and just what friends do when they see an interesting
movie; the latter is testing. I have always noticed that my son resists
questions that are asked of him to test what he knows, and rightly
so. There's an ulterior this-is-good-for-you intent that goes along with
such questioning, and kids can see right through it. If you "make" them
tell you the story line of a movie, as though you want to make sure they
got out of it what YOU meant for them to get out of it, they will more than
likely not want to participate with you in these discussions. It's just
not real life, which is what unschooling hopefully is.

I hope that helps.

Marji

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marji

At 07:56 10/30/02 -0500, Amy wrote:
>...Mary Griffith's The Unschooling Handbook. IMO, it's a great
>introduction to unschooling. It also features
>antidotes by unschooling families about their days.

Antidotes?! Unschooling's not poisonous, is it? (BG)

Please forgive me, Amy (I just couldn't resist this one).

Marji :-)

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