Kolleen

>And I don't understand why those people don't just join in at an
>eclectic homeschoolers website?
>Ren


Because there is no expert on the term, and it isn't up for ownership.

Some people follow the Holt/GWS definition, since the man did coin the
term that is being discussed. Some people want to want it to fit only
under their conditions.

So how would one go about saying 'you should go join another group' or
'okay, you can stay'.

It isn't something that is up for anyone to decide.

So far, in this discussion on 'unschooling'. We seem to come up with a
basic starting point. Which is that the learning takes place by the
child's agenda, nobody elses.

After that.. it becomes grey.

Yes, its a shame Holt didn't leave a magic Harry Potterish hat that we
can put on our heads and be told what 'house' we belong to...

kolleen

[email protected]

In a message dated 3/21/02 9:23:49 AM, Kolleen@... writes:

<< Yes, its a shame Holt didn't leave a magic Harry Potterish hat that we
can put on our heads and be told what 'house' we belong to... >>

Holt didn't even have kids. He was writing about how learning works, and the
necessity of freedom.

People with children since then have discovered how to make his theories
work, in practice, in families.

There are people here whose kids have never even been to school, who are now
teens, or grown. Why are you resisting people sharing their experiences?
Why are you defending those who are basically saying that pure unschooling
doesn't exist, or doesn't work? It does at my house. I've seen many, many
other families who are making it work GLORIOUSLY well.

Sandra

Kolleen

>There are people here whose kids have never even been to school, who are now
>teens, or grown. Why are you resisting people sharing their experiences?
>Why are you defending those who are basically saying that pure unschooling
>doesn't exist, or doesn't work? It does at my house. I've seen many, many
>other families who are making it work GLORIOUSLY well.
>
>Sandra


Never said anything about not sharing experiences. Reread all that I've
written, on any list, and experience is what I encourage.

The defense is in the obscurities of anything beyond a child-led agenda
for learning.

Has somebody here said they coerce their child's learning and called
themselves an unschooler? I must of missed that.

I think it great if unschooliing, pure, radical or *insert words of
choice here* works for you. There is nothing better for a child than at
atmosphere with that dynamic.

I, myself, grew up unschooling and my son unschools. Since unschooling
wasn't a term 45ish years ago.. our very forward thinking family did our
best to adapt to the laws at the time, especially in a suburban area.

Our family now includes things that _I_ personally like to add to the
paradigm such as vaccinating a baby who doesn't ask for it, especially
with all the inforamtion out there that proves what a farce they are
(which means it doesn't fall under the safety unbrella)... breastfeeding
on demand... family bed and a host of other things in the spirit in
which _I_ see our lives.

But nobody owns the word and the defintion isn't written in stone. If it
does get written in stone, and I don't agree with it, I'll gladly move on
to another one.

But as Helen Hegener so eloquently wrote about the beauty of the word is
that it isn't so clearly defined, I can't imagine it being under the
scrutiny of just a select few, can you?

I beleive when this list became moderated, the explaination of how the
discussion will go started with the words 'Because unschooling means
different things to different people...'

If that has changed.. if Helen has renounced her moderators and decided
to let it fall into a defining group, let somebody please make that
announcement.

regards,
kolleen


"People take different roads seeking
fulfillment and happiness. Just
because they're not on your road
doesn't mean they've gotten lost."
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

alaurashome

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., Kolleen <Kolleen@m...> wrote:
> Yes, its a shame Holt didn't leave a magic Harry Potterish hat
that we
> can put on our heads and be told what 'house' we belong to...
>
> kolleen

Oh I want one of those hats. Can I get a wand too. I am so sick of
housecleaning. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we really could magic
away our messes?

Alaura