Unschooling in a foreign country
下川 誉志彦
Hi
Like I guess everybody else at this point, I'm new to the list. I live
in Japan - I'm American, dh is Japanese, and ds (2yr - his real name is
Michael, but we call him Mook) is both. At first, about three months
ago, I started looking online for homeschooling resources because I was
planning to teach my son English and stuff after school. The more I
researched, the more interested I became until I decided to try to teach
my son at home (which is basically illegal here, but a very few do it
anyway, and are constantly hounded by child abuse and neglect
"authorities."). Now, I'm convinced I can not teach, but just help
learn, and I have never enjoyed being a mother more. These have been
the best three months of our lives. Mook is only two, but we've
pursued HIS interests, and his knowledge of bulldozers and other power
machines is incredible. I think he must know everything there is to
know about them (except how to operate one, of course, though he did ask
me to let him learn), and my own knowledge has grown. I never thought
learning anything was worthwhile, and hated school. But I went to
public schools from pre-school to college, and, well, I still have not
completely detoxed yet...:-)
We go to the park and collect leaves and watch the moon rise - just
enjoy life as it comes. While other mothers take their two year olds to
cram schools to learn to read and write and do math (as most mothers do
in Japan), Mook and I go outside and play soccer. While the other kids
are watching tv, Mook and I are reading about power shovels or airplanes
together. While other kids go to day care, Mook and I go for walks. We
really enjoy our life together - even more so because I'm not just
waiting 'til he's old enough to send him to school and get him out of
the house. I'm not trying to make him smarter than the kid next door.
But he does seem a lot happier. That's what's important to me.
We're saving up to move to the States, but don't know where or when. I
looked up homeschooling laws on the internet, and Idaho seems to have
the best - just do it - no papers or authorities - don't even have to
tell anyone. So we're thinking about there. Somewhere away from the
city - a place where we can go exploring, climb trees, go camping, etc.
in our own backyard. We've got to find a job first, and internet
searches and job services have not turned up anything.
I'm pregnant due in early November, and Mook is learning a little about
pregnancy and likes to go with me to the doctor and see the baby on the
ultrasound. He learns about whatever he likes - today he taught his
stuffed animals how to play soccer. Mook won...:-)
My husband is very supportive of my homeschooling, but not sure about
unschooling - not that I have to tell him. When he asks what we learned
today, I just tell him what we did in eduspeak, and he never knows any
different. He thinks learning can only take place in front of a text
book (never mind that I learned to speak and read Japanese by being
here and reading the back of the shampoo bottle - not from a text book).
We often take "field trips" to the store, or to an appointment, or
whatever. One day on the way home from the park, Mook stopped me so we
could watch power shovels at a nearby construction site for two hours.
(Another field trip.) He kept telling me what the machines were doing,
and the names of the parts of them - how they were being used, that kind
of thing. I never knew a two year old could be so smart. But I guess
they don't teach about bulldozers at cram school.
Anyway, to get past the "authorities," we've established our own
"school." We're working on it - getting a website, printing special
school letterhead stationary - selecting an official name. We're
thinking about "St. Michael's American Academy." hehe It's working so
far. But the law doesn't require him to be in school until he's six, so
we'll see what happens.
Well, time for our "cooking class."
Love, Melanie in Japan
Like I guess everybody else at this point, I'm new to the list. I live
in Japan - I'm American, dh is Japanese, and ds (2yr - his real name is
Michael, but we call him Mook) is both. At first, about three months
ago, I started looking online for homeschooling resources because I was
planning to teach my son English and stuff after school. The more I
researched, the more interested I became until I decided to try to teach
my son at home (which is basically illegal here, but a very few do it
anyway, and are constantly hounded by child abuse and neglect
"authorities."). Now, I'm convinced I can not teach, but just help
learn, and I have never enjoyed being a mother more. These have been
the best three months of our lives. Mook is only two, but we've
pursued HIS interests, and his knowledge of bulldozers and other power
machines is incredible. I think he must know everything there is to
know about them (except how to operate one, of course, though he did ask
me to let him learn), and my own knowledge has grown. I never thought
learning anything was worthwhile, and hated school. But I went to
public schools from pre-school to college, and, well, I still have not
completely detoxed yet...:-)
We go to the park and collect leaves and watch the moon rise - just
enjoy life as it comes. While other mothers take their two year olds to
cram schools to learn to read and write and do math (as most mothers do
in Japan), Mook and I go outside and play soccer. While the other kids
are watching tv, Mook and I are reading about power shovels or airplanes
together. While other kids go to day care, Mook and I go for walks. We
really enjoy our life together - even more so because I'm not just
waiting 'til he's old enough to send him to school and get him out of
the house. I'm not trying to make him smarter than the kid next door.
But he does seem a lot happier. That's what's important to me.
We're saving up to move to the States, but don't know where or when. I
looked up homeschooling laws on the internet, and Idaho seems to have
the best - just do it - no papers or authorities - don't even have to
tell anyone. So we're thinking about there. Somewhere away from the
city - a place where we can go exploring, climb trees, go camping, etc.
in our own backyard. We've got to find a job first, and internet
searches and job services have not turned up anything.
I'm pregnant due in early November, and Mook is learning a little about
pregnancy and likes to go with me to the doctor and see the baby on the
ultrasound. He learns about whatever he likes - today he taught his
stuffed animals how to play soccer. Mook won...:-)
My husband is very supportive of my homeschooling, but not sure about
unschooling - not that I have to tell him. When he asks what we learned
today, I just tell him what we did in eduspeak, and he never knows any
different. He thinks learning can only take place in front of a text
book (never mind that I learned to speak and read Japanese by being
here and reading the back of the shampoo bottle - not from a text book).
We often take "field trips" to the store, or to an appointment, or
whatever. One day on the way home from the park, Mook stopped me so we
could watch power shovels at a nearby construction site for two hours.
(Another field trip.) He kept telling me what the machines were doing,
and the names of the parts of them - how they were being used, that kind
of thing. I never knew a two year old could be so smart. But I guess
they don't teach about bulldozers at cram school.
Anyway, to get past the "authorities," we've established our own
"school." We're working on it - getting a website, printing special
school letterhead stationary - selecting an official name. We're
thinking about "St. Michael's American Academy." hehe It's working so
far. But the law doesn't require him to be in school until he's six, so
we'll see what happens.
Well, time for our "cooking class."
Love, Melanie in Japan
[email protected]
In a message dated 6/1/99 3:27:02 AM Central Daylight Time,
RXP10715@... writes:
<< He kept telling me what the machines were doing,
and the names of the parts of them - how they were being used, that kind
of thing. I never knew a two year old could be so smart. But I guess
they don't teach about bulldozers at cram school.
thing about unschooling is that you don't have to cram anything and when he's
12 he'll be telling you all about some other subject in exactly the same
detail! :)
Welcome! and tell us more about Japan! :)
Lisa
RXP10715@... writes:
<< He kept telling me what the machines were doing,
and the names of the parts of them - how they were being used, that kind
of thing. I never knew a two year old could be so smart. But I guess
they don't teach about bulldozers at cram school.
>>ROTF! No I guess they don't teach about bulldozers! You know what, the neat
thing about unschooling is that you don't have to cram anything and when he's
12 he'll be telling you all about some other subject in exactly the same
detail! :)
Welcome! and tell us more about Japan! :)
Lisa
[email protected]
In a message dated 6/1/99 07:29:17 AM, KaeKaeB2@... writes:
<< Welcome! and tell us more about Japan! :)
us about culture and language. Just a thought...Kimme
<< Welcome! and tell us more about Japan! :)
>>I second that motion. I studied Japanese in college. Maybe you could teach
us about culture and language. Just a thought...Kimme