DiamondAir

> From: Mac and Carol Brown <mjcmbrwn@...>
> I also think that there is a danger in discovering a child's 'gifts' in
> that everyone may then focus on those things. But in my own life, I have
> found that the things I am good at (NB I am no way gifted at anything),
> are not necessarily the things I am passionate about. I'm sure that a
> lot of my depression over the years has been because I have been pushed
> towards the things that came easily, and away from the things I really
> wanted to do even though they didn't come naturally or well.


Oooh, this is SUCH an important point, especially as it related to the whole
"giftedness" thing. Where oh where did our culture get the idea that
something is only worth doing if it is done to some arbitrary standard of
"goodness"?? Why can't I just play the piano and SUCK but love it?? Or play
the piano and take 20 years to be able to play the pieces that someone else
can play in 2 and not care?? Why does it matter so much that things are done
quickly, easily, or perfectly, instead of that they are done joyfully,
passionately, and enduringly?? My college swim coach put a huge emphasis on
love of the sport, and taught me that an enduring love of swimming,
exercise, and having a healthy body were much more important than winning
some tin medal in a competition that no-one would remember once it was over.
He was so right about this, as about so many life lessons he taught me.
While many of my fellow swim team members who had been pushed to excel from
very young ages (some started on swim teams at age 4!?!) were just going
through the motions, I who had walked on to the swim team at age 20 with no
competitive experience was just feeling the blossoming of a life passion.
Most likely, very few of them continue to swim, but for me it is an ongoing
love that I make sure I practice weekly. So while I was not a "successful"
swimmer in that I didn't win very many medals, I have a wonderful passion
for swimming that will endure my whole life and keep my body strong and
limber, and in good health. How do we define success? As unschoolers, our
greatest gift is that we can re-define it to help our children become people
who are not hindered in their pursuit of their life's passions by someone
else's definitions of success.

Blue Skies!
-Robin-
Mom to Mackenzie (8/28/96) "An archeologist is someone interested in old
bones, like Grandma's!!"
and Asa (10/5/99) who her brother calls "turbo baby"
http://www.geocities.com/the_clevengers Flying Clevenger Family

Samantha Stopple

>
> Where oh where did our culture
> get the idea that
> something is only worth doing if it is done to some
> arbitrary standard of
> "goodness"?? Why can't I just play the piano and
> SUCK but love it?? Or play
> the piano and take 20 years to be able to play the
> pieces that someone else
> can play in 2 and not care?? Why does it matter so
> much that things are done
> quickly, easily, or perfectly, instead of that they
> are done joyfully,
> passionately, and enduringly??

When I read I think it was "Siblings Without Rivalry"
the parents shared alot of their stories about thier
experience as siblings to learn how to be different
with their kids.

One woman had a sibling who was more musically gifted
while she herself love playing piano although she
struggle with it. She liked taking the time to figure
it all out. But her mother maybe thinking she was
helping maybe not discouraged her and encourage her
musically gifted child. Maybe we have a fear if a
child struggles with something that they are wasting
their time and they should find something that they do
easily. Or if they work hard on something that to our
own eyes they struggle with they are wasting their
time not finding their gifts.

I can't think how many times as I grew older that I
didn't take up new things because I thought my
learning time for it was over because I could never be
a 'professional' at it.

I also didn't do a lot of things I wanted to do for
fun that if I had my life to live over again I would.
I've always wanted to work in a coffee shop. I have
wanted to work in a bakery and as a naturalist in a
park. Or heck maybe I will do it. I'll just have to do
it when my kids are a little more independent.


Peace,
Samantha



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Ashley

Hello,

I joined this list a few weeks ago and have really been enjoying all your
posts. I don't feel I have much to contribute at this point as we are just
starting out on this adventure (my kids are 5 and 2), but I've found this to
be a terrifically thoughtful, stimulating, intelligent, articulate,
supportive, civilized group and really look forward to being a part of the
discussions in the years to come.

One question for you all. I participate in an parenting listserve
associated with my college. It's good bunch of people. Several of them are
currently struggling with school and learning issues with their kids. As I
read of their trials I keep saying to myself, "homeschooling would solve
this problem." Most of them are totally unfamiliar with homeschooling and,
in addition, were themselves all very academically driven and successful and
are, for the most part, pretty high achievers in their professional lives.
All of which means that they have certain biases, having been so successful
at school themselves, but are also open-minded, good at research and open to
new ideas, and want the best for their kids (really the best, not just the
"best" schools and the "best" jobs.)

So here's the question (sorry, I do tend to be long-winded): What titles
would you all recommend for someone who is just beginning to learn about
homeschooling? I have a shelf full of books on the subject, but am having a
hard time picking out the two or three that would best introduce the idea to
someone for whom it is brand new. Also, what two or three websites would you
most recommend to help open their eyes to the possibilities of
homeschooling?

Thanks all for your advice,

Ashley, in Northern California, mom to Willis, 5, and Frances, 2
>

[email protected]

Hoomeschooling for Excellence would be the first book I would reccommend.  
Three of the Colfax's sons went to Harvard on scholarship and the 4th believe
Yale.

I would have considered myself academically driven (i was g/t in school, 4.0
college HOMESCHOOLING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS  HOMESCHOOLING FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS  etc), and this book really helped with all the doubters.

The Homeschooling Handbook by Mary Griffith and The Homeschooling Book of
Answers by Linda Dobson are also great resources.

I am currently waiting for 3 books by John Holt that I ordered this week.  
Anything by him and everything by him I understand is a must especially once
you have committed to the ideal.

Here is the site for his books   Holt GWS Web Site

Good luck.  You can't make your friends homeschool - but you can certainly
offer them some wonderful reading.  Believe me, it will leave them wanting
more.  That is what happened to me.  I originally was considering this for my
son for next September and this pas Sept. I read the Colfax's story, then the
Book of Answers and by Septembers end I wanted to begin at the Christmas
break.  Well, thanks to good old public school small mindedness, I stopped
sending my son by the last week of October and offically notified them 11/1.

Have not regretted one minute.  

Other sites:
How To Start Homeschooling
HOMESCHOOLING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Jon's Homeschool Resource Page

Best of luck.  If they have an open mind, and believe there must be a better
way than what public or even private school is offering - they will be
intrigued to learn more, at a minimum.

Dawn

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/12/01 5:24:20 PM Pacific Standard Time,
Zahmiller@... writes:

<< Hoomeschooling for Excellence would be the first book I would reccommend.
Three of the Colfax's sons went to Harvard on scholarship and the 4th
believe
Yale. >>


I would recommend one on basic homeschooling, one on unschooling, and David's
And the Skylark Sings With Me, which he described as community-based
education. That way they can get a very good idea of the different ways
people can homeschool, and would have a good chance of finding something that
appeals to them.

candice

candice

April Spitzer

>From: "Ashley" <aharvie@...>

>So here's the question (sorry, I do tend to be long-winded): What titles
>would you all recommend for someone who is just beginning to learn about
>homeschooling?

I think the best first book is "The Homeschooling Book of Answers, or 88 Q &
A about homeschooling" by Linda Dobson. (the title is something like that-)

April

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[email protected]

About a year ago, I read a book called "Wishcraft". It is about figuring
out what you would like to do and how to allow yourself the resources to
do it. I spent my 20's doing a lot of things on a whim. Lived in a
remote part of Alaska, stayed on Hawaii for 3 months in a tent, worked
only when I needed cash) My parents thought I had lost it and were so
relieved when I finally went back to college (for a degree that is not
earning me any money right now).
Mary Ellen
Gain weight... Stay Active... Get Smarter...
New Year's Resolutions are EASY for Babies!
<Hi and Lois>

Samantha wrote:
I also didn't do a lot of things I wanted to do for fun that if I had my
life to live over again I would. I've always wanted to work in a coffee
shop. I have wanted to work in a bakery and as a naturalist in a park. Or
heck maybe I will do it. I'll just have to do it when my kids are a
little more independent.

Samantha Stopple

--- megates@... wrote:
> About a year ago, I read a book called "Wishcraft".
> It is about figuring
> out what you would like to do and how to allow
> yourself the resources to
> do it. I spent my 20's doing a lot of things on a
> whim


I was going to recommend this book too! It helped me
realize whatever work I do need to be outdoors and
physical. So it has lead me to one new new passion/
Nature Awareness seems more important. I just got my
Kamana II Naturalist Program from the Wilderness
Awareness School yesterday. I am so excited!

Isn't learning grand!

But there is still a part of me that wants to work in
a bakery and other things. But to do that would be to
take time awoy from other interests so there is always
a balance. I think what's different about my thinking
now is I am making a concsious choice not to persue my
on a whim job learning because I want to do something
else.

Hey Betsy I think it was the other Electrical
Engineer. Where did you go to college? I knew a Besty
in college would you be her? Did you go to Kansas
State?

Peace,
Samantha

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Carol Gilliam

I would like to make a recommendation for a good hs. book. It is not an
unschooling
book in anyway- but many of the ideas contained are good for helping mom's
set up
an atomosphere of a learning enviornment in their home. You can take the
ideas you
might like and incorporate them. It is very inspriational has helped me see
that
our hs homes need to be complete learning places for all kinds of things.
You can
skip any structred lesson stuff and just glean what you want. It is The
Whole Hearted
Child by The Clarkson's. It is a Christian book, but still has lots of meat
for new
hschoolers.
I am just getting into the mode of thinking unschooling and would like to
say that
after 1 1/2 years of searching and reading and praying that my heart is
finally tending
to be led to a more relaxed way of thinking this hs thing. It has been a
very heavy burden
to wonder and worry if your kids are adding up to what other's are learning
at school and
as I read more and more about unschooling my heart has been eased of worry
and I am beginning
to relax. At least for this week.
Carol in NC
----------
>From: "Ashley" <aharvie@...>
>To: <[email protected]>
>Subject: RE: [Unschooling-dotcom]good hs book titles?
>Date: Fri, Jan 12, 2001, 6:36 PM
>

>Hello,
>
>I joined this list a few weeks ago and have really been enjoying all your
>posts. I don't feel I have much to contribute at this point as we are just
>starting out on this adventure (my kids are 5 and 2), but I've found this to
>be a terrifically thoughtful, stimulating, intelligent, articulate,
>supportive, civilized group and really look forward to being a part of the
>discussions in the years to come.
>
>One question for you all. I participate in an parenting listserve
>associated with my college. It's good bunch of people. Several of them are
>currently struggling with school and learning issues with their kids. As I
>read of their trials I keep saying to myself, "homeschooling would solve
>this problem." Most of them are totally unfamiliar with homeschooling and,
>in addition, were themselves all very academically driven and successful and
>are, for the most part, pretty high achievers in their professional lives.
>All of which means that they have certain biases, having been so successful
>at school themselves, but are also open-minded, good at research and open to
>new ideas, and want the best for their kids (really the best, not just the
>"best" schools and the "best" jobs.)
>
>So here's the question (sorry, I do tend to be long-winded): What titles
>would you all recommend for someone who is just beginning to learn about
>homeschooling? I have a shelf full of books on the subject, but am having a
>hard time picking out the two or three that would best introduce the idea to
>someone for whom it is brand new. Also, what two or three websites would you
>most recommend to help open their eyes to the possibilities of
>homeschooling?
>
>Thanks all for your advice,
>
>Ashley, in Northern California, mom to Willis, 5, and Frances, 2
>>
>
>
>Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
>Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
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>
>

Susan (mother to 5 in Fla)

I just got this site for an Interactive Frog Dissection.
http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/frog/ Let's you go through the
dissection without the smell or the weak stomachs some get.