Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Digest Number 1490
Julie Stauffer
<<client email>>
Not sure why you want to argue this with a business associate but.....
The woman basically doesn't seem to understand that information that is
necessary for school children is also necessary for unschoolers. If you are
going to paint a house, it doesn't matter your educational background, you
need to find out how much paint to buy. The difference in the educational
background is likely to show in the school child thinking there is "a" way
to figure the area and the unschooler being able to figure it several ways.
When my kids and I talk about arithmetic concepts we talk about the formulas
as simply shortcuts somebody figured out. They aren't magical unto
themselves.
2yos learn to talk because they want to communicate effectively. Kids learn
to spell because they want to communicate effectively. Gee whiz, I have a
graduate degree and still use spell check because I tend to overuse doubling
of letters.
This core of knowledge the woman talks about that all Americans need. Has
she ever gone from one school district to another? One state to another?
The kids learn different things. When my kids don't get a reference in a
conversation or television show, they ask about it. Shoot, I married a
yankee and his family doesn't use the colorful language and "sayings" my
family does. Had to sit and explain them to him. No big deal. He also has
a graduate degree.
Julie
Not sure why you want to argue this with a business associate but.....
The woman basically doesn't seem to understand that information that is
necessary for school children is also necessary for unschoolers. If you are
going to paint a house, it doesn't matter your educational background, you
need to find out how much paint to buy. The difference in the educational
background is likely to show in the school child thinking there is "a" way
to figure the area and the unschooler being able to figure it several ways.
When my kids and I talk about arithmetic concepts we talk about the formulas
as simply shortcuts somebody figured out. They aren't magical unto
themselves.
2yos learn to talk because they want to communicate effectively. Kids learn
to spell because they want to communicate effectively. Gee whiz, I have a
graduate degree and still use spell check because I tend to overuse doubling
of letters.
This core of knowledge the woman talks about that all Americans need. Has
she ever gone from one school district to another? One state to another?
The kids learn different things. When my kids don't get a reference in a
conversation or television show, they ask about it. Shoot, I married a
yankee and his family doesn't use the colorful language and "sayings" my
family does. Had to sit and explain them to him. No big deal. He also has
a graduate degree.
Julie
Bridget E Coffman
> >. I've just gotta say -- I don't think this*sounds like unschooling*.Betsy and Joanna,
> >
> > (Don't everyone reading groan in unison!)
> >
>
> GROAAAAAN.....lol
> Gotta say I agree with you Betsy.
> Rewarding for behavior is manipulative and directive and not(if you
> are bribing for math work to be done), IMO unschooling.
> Joanna
Until about two weeks ago, I would have disagreed with you. I have since
been led to believe that there is a very strict definition of what is and
is not unschooling so using that as a basis, I guess I agree that this is
not unschooling.
Bridget
~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~ ~\/~
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought
- Henri Bergson
Julie Stauffer
<<Does this kind of questioning go on forever with other people?>>
In a word, yes. We have gotten to where we only mention we homeschool in
response to direct questions about where the kids go to school and only
mention unschooling when not doing so would be lying.
We also have a racially mixed family of 5 adopted children. We get lots of
questions and to be honest, get tired of answering them. My biracial 2yos
hair is out of control, wild ringlets that tangles terribly. I suggested to
dh that we give her dreadlocks. He said no because it was one more thing to
answer questions about, only half joking.
Julie
In a word, yes. We have gotten to where we only mention we homeschool in
response to direct questions about where the kids go to school and only
mention unschooling when not doing so would be lying.
We also have a racially mixed family of 5 adopted children. We get lots of
questions and to be honest, get tired of answering them. My biracial 2yos
hair is out of control, wild ringlets that tangles terribly. I suggested to
dh that we give her dreadlocks. He said no because it was one more thing to
answer questions about, only half joking.
Julie