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Shelly asked: <<<So what would a true unschooler do? Do I go with the
idea that he understands what kind of teacher she is, and must really be
interested, so let him take the class? Or he's young and forgiving and
doesn't realize she'll probably revert to her usual teaching style & he'll
come home crying again, so he shouldn't take the class?>>>

Shelly, I think that maybe a great way to word the question is "what would a
homeschooling mom that knows and loves her kids do?" Rather than reach to
achieve a standard conforming to unschooling, listen to the urge to learn and
the fabulous interest that remains in your son's voice as he's asking to take
her science class. He learned a valuable lesson in the process of the first
class. I would discuss it with him and remind him that there may be the same
situation. The fact that there is this great learning opportunity that he
really enjoyed and LEARNED from is what I understand homeschooling to be
about. The freedom for the children to have free reign in learning all they
can with all the opportunities we can give them.
I speak as a homeschooling mom that is not an expert but has wonderful
success and loves h/s. I don't intend to offend any unschooling mom's here
that think my post is a challenge to unschooling. I think when we strive to
fit a paradigm we may miss some extra bonuses in life. Sounds like your son
found a great bonus there and he would benefit from more of it.
Kristine


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

rumpleteasermom

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., balikris@a... wrote:

> I speak as a homeschooling mom that is not an expert but has
wonderful
> success and loves h/s. I don't intend to offend any unschooling
mom's here
> that think my post is a challenge to unschooling. I think when we
strive to
> fit a paradigm we may miss some extra bonuses in life. Sounds like
your son
> found a great bonus there and he would benefit from more of it.
> Kristine
>

Yes, this is very true. As long as the person who is attending the
classes is making the choice to go back, it should be fine.
Discussing the expectations is good. Discussing them with the teacher
is good also. And one of the things I stress with my girls when they
take a class is that the important part is that they learn and enjoy
it, not that they produce some evidence of the experience in the form
of tests or homework papers.

Bridget

joanna514

>
> Shelly, I think that maybe a great way to word the question
is "what would a
> homeschooling mom that knows and loves her kids do?" Rather than
reach to
> achieve a standard conforming to unschooling,>>


Considering she asked on an UNSCHOOLING list, I think the wording of
her question was just fine.



<<<listen to the urge to learn and
> the fabulous interest that remains in your son's voice as he's
asking to take
> her science class. He learned a valuable lesson in the process of
the first
> class.>>>

Maybe valuable, maybe not. I think it's important to question just
what kind of lesson he learned. And that is what this mom is
doing.



>>I would discuss it with him and remind him that there may be the
same
> situation. The fact that there is this great learning opportunity
that he
> really enjoyed and LEARNED from is what I understand homeschooling
to be
> about. The freedom for the children to have free reign in learning
all they
> can with all the opportunities we can give them.>>>

It's wonderful that, that is how you see homeschooling. Many do
not. This list is to discuss Unschooling. Not, to brainwash and
make people conform to some standard. There are many places and
people in the world who would be happy to fill children with lies
about how learning HAS to be. This list is a place where we can
discuss how to help our children through these situations. To THINK,
and not just conform.


> I speak as a homeschooling mom that is not an expert but has
wonderful
> success and loves h/s. I don't intend to offend any unschooling
mom's here
> that think my post is a challenge to unschooling. I think when we
strive to
> fit a paradigm we may miss some extra bonuses in life.>>

It is offensive to come to an unschooling board and tell people they
are stiving to meet a paradigm and missing bonuses because of it.
To basically put down unschooling and the strives people are making
to learn more about it.
Your post isn't a "challenge" as you seem to hope. But it is an
annoyance. It's something we get all the time IRL and other places
on the internet. This place is for talking about unschooling. NOT
to defend it.

Joanna Wilkinson

rumpleteasermom

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., "joanna514" <Wilkinson6@m...> wrote:
> >
> > Shelly, I think that maybe a great way to word the question
> is "what would a
> > homeschooling mom that knows and loves her kids do?" Rather than
> reach to
> > achieve a standard conforming to unschooling,>>
>
>
> Considering she asked on an UNSCHOOLING list, I think the wording of
> her question was just fine.
>
>

Joanna,

I think what Kristine is saying is that it is important to consider
what Shelly's son wants to do and not try to decide whether it fits
some artificial standard here.

If he wants to go back even after a bit of unpleasantness at the
beginning than he did learn something important - - he learned how to
disassociate the past negative feelings from the class in general. He
also probably has figured out how to deal with it now too. And in the
end, it sounds like it will be his decision to go back or not.

Bridget

joanna514

> Joanna,
>
> I think what Kristine is saying is that it is important to consider
> what Shelly's son wants to do and not try to decide whether it fits
> some artificial standard here.
>
> > Bridget


This was the question asked by Shelly,


<<As an unschooler, would you let a child take part, if they wanted
to,
knowing the teacher's style, despite possible harm to self-image?

Thanks!

Shelly >>


I would assume she wanted different UNSCHOOLERS opinions to take and
evaluate and use as she sees fit.
I see no "artificial standards" here. (another insulting
implication) I see people sharing their lives and their opinion
about education.
Just because people are curious as to how unschoolers would handle
situations, doesn't mean they are idiots who will blindly follow.
Have a little faith!
Joanna

Fetteroll

on 4/5/02 3:34 PM, joanna514 at Wilkinson6@... wrote:

> I would assume she wanted different UNSCHOOLERS opinions to take and
> evaluate and use as she sees fit.

Well, she's heard lots of good advice from some different points of view and
now we can *trust her* to decide what makes sense to her. :-)

Joyce

rumpleteasermom

I guess what I'm wondering is why you felt the need to shout
*unschoolers* at us.

Bridget

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., "joanna514" <Wilkinson6@m...> wrote:

>
> I would assume she wanted different UNSCHOOLERS opinions to take and
> evaluate and use as she sees fit.
> I see no "artificial standards" here. (another insulting
> implication) I see people sharing their lives and their opinion
> about education.
> Just because people are curious as to how unschoolers would handle
> situations, doesn't mean they are idiots who will blindly follow.
> Have a little faith!
> Joanna