Unschoolers choosing to use books
Larla Dey
<<.� She has a 10 year
<<old who hates math and is using a textbook.�� Do you have any
<<suggestions for user friendly math books.>>
<<<If she uses a textbook or makes her kids use even user-friendly <<<math
books,
<<<she's not unschooling and to pretend or believe otherwise will be a
<<<big rock
<<<in the road for her getting to real unschooling and (MAYBE) <<<arranging
life so
<<<that her 10 year old doesn't hate math from now on.
<<<Sandra
Hi! I've been reading this list for a couple months, this is the topic
that's begged my reply, so I need to introduce myself, my name is Larla. I'm
a grown unschooler from NJ, age twenty, who's learned to use the world as my
teacher including books, textbooks, kind folks, art supplies, and even
schools. I'm finishing my last year at Sarah Lawrence College in New York,
studying theater (multimedia activist performance art) and educational
reform, cause I've got a lot of empathy for kids that have unfree schools
and don't yet have the options to leave school...
I'm going into education for a little while as a theater teacher to
facilitate free expression in schools and help deconstruct emotional,
academic and physical walls that keep kids in school... am writing a book
called Homeschooling, The Arts, and Educational Reform, which is why I
subscribed to this list. If anybody has any suggestions of books to read
that will help me articulate ideas of unschooling, my goal is to share the
things that I've learned from unschooling and arts with teachers, artists,
parents and kids, to help inspire change toward holistic free learning in
and out of schools.
okay, and the reason that i am writing now is cause i agree with sandra,
that forcing anyone to use any particular book is not unschooling. however,
books are neutral tools in the world like any other tool. if made to use a
book the kid may well resent the book. if a kid chooses to use a book and
truly wants to learn what's inside it, that is a valid unschooling choice
and positive use of a tool whether it is a math textbook or calvin and
hobbes comic book.
math is indeed a language that is used to decribe the world, and most of us
have learned languages with the help of books. it is dangerous to learn only
from books, yet i think it is dangerous also to say flat out that what
another is doing is not unschooling. i chose to use lots of books as an
unschooler, chose to abandon them when they were boring. if your kids are
learning everything they want to without books, that's all good, and if they
one day say, mama i want to read this book now! then that's all good too and
i'm fairly confident that your unschooling path is wide enough to accomodate
and make connections between that book and everything else in the world.
to the mama bear who's wondering about the math books she's using, maybe the
kid needs a break from math books. or from being told to use them. in the
meantime find the math in everyday life, cooking and sewing and buying
groceries and drawing patterns, and if a math book becomes an interest to
little bear, maybe check out saxon math texts, i used them as a kid, liked
them cause they had lessons i could teach myself from and included lots of
examples from real life including science language and experiments, i was
into science...
keep in mind tho that i liked them only after a long break from math, and
only when i had picked them out, chose how much to do from them at any given
time, checked my own work with full access to the teacher's manual and
answer guide, fixed my own mistakes with a little input from my papa, and
was free to skip problems in their often lengthy problem sets, and of
course, was free to bring the book to the park or coffee shop and to do
countless hours of doing 'nothing', painting, biking, running around,
climbing trees, and reading other interesting books.
hmmm a lengthy intro, many thanks to the thoughts that reach me every day
from this very conscious group of people.
peace and love,
larla dey maloney :-)
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
<<old who hates math and is using a textbook.�� Do you have any
<<suggestions for user friendly math books.>>
<<<If she uses a textbook or makes her kids use even user-friendly <<<math
books,
<<<she's not unschooling and to pretend or believe otherwise will be a
<<<big rock
<<<in the road for her getting to real unschooling and (MAYBE) <<<arranging
life so
<<<that her 10 year old doesn't hate math from now on.
<<<Sandra
Hi! I've been reading this list for a couple months, this is the topic
that's begged my reply, so I need to introduce myself, my name is Larla. I'm
a grown unschooler from NJ, age twenty, who's learned to use the world as my
teacher including books, textbooks, kind folks, art supplies, and even
schools. I'm finishing my last year at Sarah Lawrence College in New York,
studying theater (multimedia activist performance art) and educational
reform, cause I've got a lot of empathy for kids that have unfree schools
and don't yet have the options to leave school...
I'm going into education for a little while as a theater teacher to
facilitate free expression in schools and help deconstruct emotional,
academic and physical walls that keep kids in school... am writing a book
called Homeschooling, The Arts, and Educational Reform, which is why I
subscribed to this list. If anybody has any suggestions of books to read
that will help me articulate ideas of unschooling, my goal is to share the
things that I've learned from unschooling and arts with teachers, artists,
parents and kids, to help inspire change toward holistic free learning in
and out of schools.
okay, and the reason that i am writing now is cause i agree with sandra,
that forcing anyone to use any particular book is not unschooling. however,
books are neutral tools in the world like any other tool. if made to use a
book the kid may well resent the book. if a kid chooses to use a book and
truly wants to learn what's inside it, that is a valid unschooling choice
and positive use of a tool whether it is a math textbook or calvin and
hobbes comic book.
math is indeed a language that is used to decribe the world, and most of us
have learned languages with the help of books. it is dangerous to learn only
from books, yet i think it is dangerous also to say flat out that what
another is doing is not unschooling. i chose to use lots of books as an
unschooler, chose to abandon them when they were boring. if your kids are
learning everything they want to without books, that's all good, and if they
one day say, mama i want to read this book now! then that's all good too and
i'm fairly confident that your unschooling path is wide enough to accomodate
and make connections between that book and everything else in the world.
to the mama bear who's wondering about the math books she's using, maybe the
kid needs a break from math books. or from being told to use them. in the
meantime find the math in everyday life, cooking and sewing and buying
groceries and drawing patterns, and if a math book becomes an interest to
little bear, maybe check out saxon math texts, i used them as a kid, liked
them cause they had lessons i could teach myself from and included lots of
examples from real life including science language and experiments, i was
into science...
keep in mind tho that i liked them only after a long break from math, and
only when i had picked them out, chose how much to do from them at any given
time, checked my own work with full access to the teacher's manual and
answer guide, fixed my own mistakes with a little input from my papa, and
was free to skip problems in their often lengthy problem sets, and of
course, was free to bring the book to the park or coffee shop and to do
countless hours of doing 'nothing', painting, biking, running around,
climbing trees, and reading other interesting books.
hmmm a lengthy intro, many thanks to the thoughts that reach me every day
from this very conscious group of people.
peace and love,
larla dey maloney :-)
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
Jon and Rue Kream
First off, hi, and I agree with most of what you said. What I'm curious
about is, in what way do you think it is dangerous to say what someone is
doing is not unschooling? The word unschooling has to mean SOMETHING, just
like any other word, and I feel very confident in saying that making someone
do math is not unschooling. Of course, if my kids want to use a textbook
(or any other resource), pick it up themselves, and use it how and when they
choose to that can be part of their unschooling experience. But if I tell
my kids, "it's math time, here's your book", or if I make sure we play
Yahtzee once a week to sneak some math in they are not directing their own
learning; they are NOT unschooling.
Another thing I'm curious about (but this part isn't directed at Larla), is
why people are so anxious to be called unschoolers. If a parent doesn't
want to send their kids to school, but believes they need to be taught
certain subjects, we have a word for that - homeschooler. For me it's a
totally different set of beliefs. -Rue
-----Original Message-----
From: Larla Dey [mailto:larladey@...]
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2001 4:39 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Unschoolers choosing to use books
<<. She has a 10 year
<<old who hates math and is using a textbook. Do you have any
<<suggestions for user friendly math books.>>
<<<If she uses a textbook or makes her kids use even user-friendly <<<math
books,
<<<she's not unschooling and to pretend or believe otherwise will be a
<<<big rock
<<<in the road for her getting to real unschooling and (MAYBE) <<<arranging
life so
<<<that her 10 year old doesn't hate math from now on.
<<<Sandra
Hi! I've been reading this list for a couple months, this is the topic
that's begged my reply, so I need to introduce myself, my name is Larla. I'm
a grown unschooler from NJ, age twenty, who's learned to use the world as my
teacher including books, textbooks, kind folks, art supplies, and even
schools. I'm finishing my last year at Sarah Lawrence College in New York,
studying theater (multimedia activist performance art) and educational
reform, cause I've got a lot of empathy for kids that have unfree schools
and don't yet have the options to leave school...
I'm going into education for a little while as a theater teacher to
facilitate free expression in schools and help deconstruct emotional,
academic and physical walls that keep kids in school... am writing a book
called Homeschooling, The Arts, and Educational Reform, which is why I
subscribed to this list. If anybody has any suggestions of books to read
that will help me articulate ideas of unschooling, my goal is to share the
things that I've learned from unschooling and arts with teachers, artists,
parents and kids, to help inspire change toward holistic free learning in
and out of schools.
okay, and the reason that i am writing now is cause i agree with sandra,
that forcing anyone to use any particular book is not unschooling. however,
books are neutral tools in the world like any other tool. if made to use a
book the kid may well resent the book. if a kid chooses to use a book and
truly wants to learn what's inside it, that is a valid unschooling choice
and positive use of a tool whether it is a math textbook or calvin and
hobbes comic book.
math is indeed a language that is used to decribe the world, and most of us
have learned languages with the help of books. it is dangerous to learn only
from books, yet i think it is dangerous also to say flat out that what
another is doing is not unschooling. i chose to use lots of books as an
unschooler, chose to abandon them when they were boring. if your kids are
learning everything they want to without books, that's all good, and if they
one day say, mama i want to read this book now! then that's all good too and
i'm fairly confident that your unschooling path is wide enough to accomodate
and make connections between that book and everything else in the world.
to the mama bear who's wondering about the math books she's using, maybe the
kid needs a break from math books. or from being told to use them. in the
meantime find the math in everyday life, cooking and sewing and buying
groceries and drawing patterns, and if a math book becomes an interest to
little bear, maybe check out saxon math texts, i used them as a kid, liked
them cause they had lessons i could teach myself from and included lots of
examples from real life including science language and experiments, i was
into science...
keep in mind tho that i liked them only after a long break from math, and
only when i had picked them out, chose how much to do from them at any given
time, checked my own work with full access to the teacher's manual and
answer guide, fixed my own mistakes with a little input from my papa, and
was free to skip problems in their often lengthy problem sets, and of
course, was free to bring the book to the park or coffee shop and to do
countless hours of doing 'nothing', painting, biking, running around,
climbing trees, and reading other interesting books.
hmmm a lengthy intro, many thanks to the thoughts that reach me every day
from this very conscious group of people.
peace and love,
larla dey maloney :-)
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.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
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
about is, in what way do you think it is dangerous to say what someone is
doing is not unschooling? The word unschooling has to mean SOMETHING, just
like any other word, and I feel very confident in saying that making someone
do math is not unschooling. Of course, if my kids want to use a textbook
(or any other resource), pick it up themselves, and use it how and when they
choose to that can be part of their unschooling experience. But if I tell
my kids, "it's math time, here's your book", or if I make sure we play
Yahtzee once a week to sneak some math in they are not directing their own
learning; they are NOT unschooling.
Another thing I'm curious about (but this part isn't directed at Larla), is
why people are so anxious to be called unschoolers. If a parent doesn't
want to send their kids to school, but believes they need to be taught
certain subjects, we have a word for that - homeschooler. For me it's a
totally different set of beliefs. -Rue
-----Original Message-----
From: Larla Dey [mailto:larladey@...]
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2001 4:39 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Unschoolers choosing to use books
<<. She has a 10 year
<<old who hates math and is using a textbook. Do you have any
<<suggestions for user friendly math books.>>
<<<If she uses a textbook or makes her kids use even user-friendly <<<math
books,
<<<she's not unschooling and to pretend or believe otherwise will be a
<<<big rock
<<<in the road for her getting to real unschooling and (MAYBE) <<<arranging
life so
<<<that her 10 year old doesn't hate math from now on.
<<<Sandra
Hi! I've been reading this list for a couple months, this is the topic
that's begged my reply, so I need to introduce myself, my name is Larla. I'm
a grown unschooler from NJ, age twenty, who's learned to use the world as my
teacher including books, textbooks, kind folks, art supplies, and even
schools. I'm finishing my last year at Sarah Lawrence College in New York,
studying theater (multimedia activist performance art) and educational
reform, cause I've got a lot of empathy for kids that have unfree schools
and don't yet have the options to leave school...
I'm going into education for a little while as a theater teacher to
facilitate free expression in schools and help deconstruct emotional,
academic and physical walls that keep kids in school... am writing a book
called Homeschooling, The Arts, and Educational Reform, which is why I
subscribed to this list. If anybody has any suggestions of books to read
that will help me articulate ideas of unschooling, my goal is to share the
things that I've learned from unschooling and arts with teachers, artists,
parents and kids, to help inspire change toward holistic free learning in
and out of schools.
okay, and the reason that i am writing now is cause i agree with sandra,
that forcing anyone to use any particular book is not unschooling. however,
books are neutral tools in the world like any other tool. if made to use a
book the kid may well resent the book. if a kid chooses to use a book and
truly wants to learn what's inside it, that is a valid unschooling choice
and positive use of a tool whether it is a math textbook or calvin and
hobbes comic book.
math is indeed a language that is used to decribe the world, and most of us
have learned languages with the help of books. it is dangerous to learn only
from books, yet i think it is dangerous also to say flat out that what
another is doing is not unschooling. i chose to use lots of books as an
unschooler, chose to abandon them when they were boring. if your kids are
learning everything they want to without books, that's all good, and if they
one day say, mama i want to read this book now! then that's all good too and
i'm fairly confident that your unschooling path is wide enough to accomodate
and make connections between that book and everything else in the world.
to the mama bear who's wondering about the math books she's using, maybe the
kid needs a break from math books. or from being told to use them. in the
meantime find the math in everyday life, cooking and sewing and buying
groceries and drawing patterns, and if a math book becomes an interest to
little bear, maybe check out saxon math texts, i used them as a kid, liked
them cause they had lessons i could teach myself from and included lots of
examples from real life including science language and experiments, i was
into science...
keep in mind tho that i liked them only after a long break from math, and
only when i had picked them out, chose how much to do from them at any given
time, checked my own work with full access to the teacher's manual and
answer guide, fixed my own mistakes with a little input from my papa, and
was free to skip problems in their often lengthy problem sets, and of
course, was free to bring the book to the park or coffee shop and to do
countless hours of doing 'nothing', painting, biking, running around,
climbing trees, and reading other interesting books.
hmmm a lengthy intro, many thanks to the thoughts that reach me every day
from this very conscious group of people.
peace and love,
larla dey maloney :-)
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.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
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
A. Yates
Larla,
It is really nice to hear form grown homeschoolers. I personally love it.
There are many times I doubt, just like most of us do. Other times I feel just
fine with our own way of doing things. This is all normal human behavior, I
think.
On the subject of unschooling/homeschooling. I don't think it matters one way
or the other. I don't care what if what we do is called anything. It is just
life, and we do it to the best we can at each moment. All I know is we don't
send our kids to school. Beyond that we are just exploring, living, being....
I think that is why when someone starts asking me alot of questions about
homeschooling/unschooling...or how I do it, I am usually stymied. We just "do".
We use whatever we want, whenever we want it...
Like paper hats and salamanders. Chicken coops to computers. I could go on and
on (even more than I already have)
Anyway..it is great to hear from you grown homeschoolers. Sometimes I do worry,
and when I hear that you've done it, your happy, and enjoying life, then I know
I truly am doing the right thing.
Thanks,
Ann
Larla Dey wrote:
It is really nice to hear form grown homeschoolers. I personally love it.
There are many times I doubt, just like most of us do. Other times I feel just
fine with our own way of doing things. This is all normal human behavior, I
think.
On the subject of unschooling/homeschooling. I don't think it matters one way
or the other. I don't care what if what we do is called anything. It is just
life, and we do it to the best we can at each moment. All I know is we don't
send our kids to school. Beyond that we are just exploring, living, being....
I think that is why when someone starts asking me alot of questions about
homeschooling/unschooling...or how I do it, I am usually stymied. We just "do".
We use whatever we want, whenever we want it...
Like paper hats and salamanders. Chicken coops to computers. I could go on and
on (even more than I already have)
Anyway..it is great to hear from you grown homeschoolers. Sometimes I do worry,
and when I hear that you've done it, your happy, and enjoying life, then I know
I truly am doing the right thing.
Thanks,
Ann
Larla Dey wrote:
> <<. She has a 10 year
> <<old who hates math and is using a textbook. Do you have any
> <<suggestions for user friendly math books.>>
>
> <<<If she uses a textbook or makes her kids use even user-friendly <<<math
> books,
> <<<she's not unschooling and to pretend or believe otherwise will be a
> <<<big rock
> <<<in the road for her getting to real unschooling and (MAYBE) <<<arranging
> life so
> <<<that her 10 year old doesn't hate math from now on.
>
> <<<Sandra
>
> Hi! I've been reading this list for a couple months, this is the topic
> that's begged my reply, so I need to introduce myself, my name is Larla. I'm
> a grown unschooler from NJ, age twenty, who's learned to use the world as my
> teacher including books, textbooks, kind folks, art supplies, and even
> schools. I'm finishing my last year at Sarah Lawrence College in New York,
> studying theater (multimedia activist performance art) and educational
> reform, cause I've got a lot of empathy for kids that have unfree schools
> and don't yet have the options to leave school...
>
> I'm going into education for a little while as a theater teacher to
> facilitate free expression in schools and help deconstruct emotional,
> academic and physical walls that keep kids in school... am writing a book
> called Homeschooling, The Arts, and Educational Reform, which is why I
> subscribed to this list. If anybody has any suggestions of books to read
> that will help me articulate ideas of unschooling, my goal is to share the
> things that I've learned from unschooling and arts with teachers, artists,
> parents and kids, to help inspire change toward holistic free learning in
> and out of schools.
>
> okay, and the reason that i am writing now is cause i agree with sandra,
> that forcing anyone to use any particular book is not unschooling. however,
> books are neutral tools in the world like any other tool. if made to use a
> book the kid may well resent the book. if a kid chooses to use a book and
> truly wants to learn what's inside it, that is a valid unschooling choice
> and positive use of a tool whether it is a math textbook or calvin and
> hobbes comic book.
>
> math is indeed a language that is used to decribe the world, and most of us
> have learned languages with the help of books. it is dangerous to learn only
> from books, yet i think it is dangerous also to say flat out that what
> another is doing is not unschooling. i chose to use lots of books as an
> unschooler, chose to abandon them when they were boring. if your kids are
> learning everything they want to without books, that's all good, and if they
> one day say, mama i want to read this book now! then that's all good too and
> i'm fairly confident that your unschooling path is wide enough to accomodate
> and make connections between that book and everything else in the world.
>
> to the mama bear who's wondering about the math books she's using, maybe the
> kid needs a break from math books. or from being told to use them. in the
> meantime find the math in everyday life, cooking and sewing and buying
> groceries and drawing patterns, and if a math book becomes an interest to
> little bear, maybe check out saxon math texts, i used them as a kid, liked
> them cause they had lessons i could teach myself from and included lots of
> examples from real life including science language and experiments, i was
> into science...
>
> keep in mind tho that i liked them only after a long break from math, and
> only when i had picked them out, chose how much to do from them at any given
> time, checked my own work with full access to the teacher's manual and
> answer guide, fixed my own mistakes with a little input from my papa, and
> was free to skip problems in their often lengthy problem sets, and of
> course, was free to bring the book to the park or coffee shop and to do
> countless hours of doing 'nothing', painting, biking, running around,
> climbing trees, and reading other interesting books.
>
> hmmm a lengthy intro, many thanks to the thoughts that reach me every day
> from this very conscious group of people.
> peace and love,
> larla dey maloney :-)
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.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
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[email protected]
In a message dated 03/08/2001 11:54:34 PM !!!First Boot!!!,
skreams@... writes:
Some of us fall between the cracks. Maybe you would think I should just say
"relaxed homeschooler." Certainly we are not "school-at-home" homeschoolers.
I think some of the ideas appeal and they work some of the time for some of
us but we are not 100% squeaky clean -- in thoughts or deeds.
Nance
skreams@... writes:
. If a parent doesn't
want to send their kids to school, but believes they need to be taught
certain subjects, we have a word for that - homeschooler. For me it's a
totally different set of beliefs. -Rue
Some of us fall between the cracks. Maybe you would think I should just say
"relaxed homeschooler." Certainly we are not "school-at-home" homeschoolers.
I think some of the ideas appeal and they work some of the time for some of
us but we are not 100% squeaky clean -- in thoughts or deeds.
Nance
Johanna
Larla, It is so encouraging to hear from a grown unschooler! I struggle with
meeting expectations and trying not to pressure my children in what they
learn. I have a Question for you. did you find it dificult going into a
college environment? Do you think you had more confidence in yourself
because of your educational lifestyle? I have 5 children of school age and
my 16 year old daughter has been homeschooled for only three years. I am
just now learning about unschooling and am fascinated by it.Thanks for your
comments.
Johanna
meeting expectations and trying not to pressure my children in what they
learn. I have a Question for you. did you find it dificult going into a
college environment? Do you think you had more confidence in yourself
because of your educational lifestyle? I have 5 children of school age and
my 16 year old daughter has been homeschooled for only three years. I am
just now learning about unschooling and am fascinated by it.Thanks for your
comments.
Johanna
----- Original Message -----
From: Larla Dey <larladey@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2001 3:39 PM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Unschoolers choosing to use books
> <<. She has a 10 year
> <<old who hates math and is using a textbook. Do you have any
> <<suggestions for user friendly math books.>>
>
> <<<If she uses a textbook or makes her kids use even user-friendly <<<math
> books,
> <<<she's not unschooling and to pretend or believe otherwise will be a
> <<<big rock
> <<<in the road for her getting to real unschooling and (MAYBE)
<<<arranging
> life so
> <<<that her 10 year old doesn't hate math from now on.
>
> <<<Sandra
>
> Hi! I've been reading this list for a couple months, this is the topic
> that's begged my reply, so I need to introduce myself, my name is Larla.
I'm
> a grown unschooler from NJ, age twenty, who's learned to use the world as
my
> teacher including books, textbooks, kind folks, art supplies, and even
> schools. I'm finishing my last year at Sarah Lawrence College in New York,
> studying theater (multimedia activist performance art) and educational
> reform, cause I've got a lot of empathy for kids that have unfree schools
> and don't yet have the options to leave school...
>
> I'm going into education for a little while as a theater teacher to
> facilitate free expression in schools and help deconstruct emotional,
> academic and physical walls that keep kids in school... am writing a book
> called Homeschooling, The Arts, and Educational Reform, which is why I
> subscribed to this list. If anybody has any suggestions of books to read
> that will help me articulate ideas of unschooling, my goal is to share the
> things that I've learned from unschooling and arts with teachers, artists,
> parents and kids, to help inspire change toward holistic free learning in
> and out of schools.
>
> okay, and the reason that i am writing now is cause i agree with sandra,
> that forcing anyone to use any particular book is not unschooling.
however,
> books are neutral tools in the world like any other tool. if made to use a
> book the kid may well resent the book. if a kid chooses to use a book and
> truly wants to learn what's inside it, that is a valid unschooling choice
> and positive use of a tool whether it is a math textbook or calvin and
> hobbes comic book.
>
> math is indeed a language that is used to decribe the world, and most of
us
> have learned languages with the help of books. it is dangerous to learn
only
> from books, yet i think it is dangerous also to say flat out that what
> another is doing is not unschooling. i chose to use lots of books as an
> unschooler, chose to abandon them when they were boring. if your kids are
> learning everything they want to without books, that's all good, and if
they
> one day say, mama i want to read this book now! then that's all good too
and
> i'm fairly confident that your unschooling path is wide enough to
accomodate
> and make connections between that book and everything else in the world.
>
> to the mama bear who's wondering about the math books she's using, maybe
the
> kid needs a break from math books. or from being told to use them. in the
> meantime find the math in everyday life, cooking and sewing and buying
> groceries and drawing patterns, and if a math book becomes an interest to
> little bear, maybe check out saxon math texts, i used them as a kid, liked
> them cause they had lessons i could teach myself from and included lots of
> examples from real life including science language and experiments, i was
> into science...
>
> keep in mind tho that i liked them only after a long break from math, and
> only when i had picked them out, chose how much to do from them at any
given
> time, checked my own work with full access to the teacher's manual and
> answer guide, fixed my own mistakes with a little input from my papa, and
> was free to skip problems in their often lengthy problem sets, and of
> course, was free to bring the book to the park or coffee shop and to do
> countless hours of doing 'nothing', painting, biking, running around,
> climbing trees, and reading other interesting books.
>
> hmmm a lengthy intro, many thanks to the thoughts that reach me every day
> from this very conscious group of people.
> peace and love,
> larla dey maloney :-)
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.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
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
[email protected]
We use books.
We use LOTS of books.
We don't use textbooks in the school-way of "using books."
The idea that there are schoolbooks and that is "using books" is something
which will inhibit/prohibit unschooling.
We use LOTS of books.
We don't use textbooks in the school-way of "using books."
The idea that there are schoolbooks and that is "using books" is something
which will inhibit/prohibit unschooling.
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/8/2001 4:27:46 PM Pacific Standard Time,
skreams@... writes:
skreams@... writes:
Another thing I'm curious about (but this part isn't directed at Larla), is
why people are so anxious to be called unschoolers.
Because it's cool, it seems.
It has happened for years--people appealing, basically, to PLEASE be called
unschoolers even though they require math exercises, or make their kids
write, or test their kids every year, or... or... but they really DO want to
be declared unschoolers, so it must be the coolest thing of all. I don't
hear anyone else saying "PLEASE call me a structured homeschooler even though
I didn't buy a curriculum" or
"What do you MEAN what I'm doing doesn't qualify as unit studies!?"
April Spitzer
Seems weird to me, because I am an unschooler that still calls myself a
homeschooler to everybody but fellow unschoolers, because I just don't want
to get into my reasons and the whole thing...
April
----Original Message Follows----
From: SandraDodd@...
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Unschoolers choosing to use books
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 00:17:29 EST
In a message dated 3/8/2001 4:27:46 PM Pacific Standard Time,
skreams@... writes:
It has happened for years--people appealing, basically, to PLEASE be called
unschoolers even though they require math exercises, or make their kids
write, or test their kids every year, or... or... but they really DO want
to
be declared unschoolers, so it must be the coolest thing of all. I don't
hear anyone else saying "PLEASE call me a structured homeschooler even
though
I didn't buy a curriculum" or
"What do you MEAN what I'm doing doesn't qualify as unit studies!?"
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
homeschooler to everybody but fellow unschoolers, because I just don't want
to get into my reasons and the whole thing...
April
----Original Message Follows----
From: SandraDodd@...
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Unschoolers choosing to use books
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 00:17:29 EST
In a message dated 3/8/2001 4:27:46 PM Pacific Standard Time,
skreams@... writes:
> Another thing I'm curious about (but this part isn't directed at Larla),is
> why people are so anxious to be called unschoolers.Because it's cool, it seems.
It has happened for years--people appealing, basically, to PLEASE be called
unschoolers even though they require math exercises, or make their kids
write, or test their kids every year, or... or... but they really DO want
to
be declared unschoolers, so it must be the coolest thing of all. I don't
hear anyone else saying "PLEASE call me a structured homeschooler even
though
I didn't buy a curriculum" or
"What do you MEAN what I'm doing doesn't qualify as unit studies!?"
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com