[email protected]

Maybe someone can help me with my Unschooling venture. I have been reading
the post...haven't ventured yet :0)...but I am thinking about it. I have been
reading and have found some really good ideas. I do have a question
though...my children are all into the computer and electronic games. I don't
drive (soon though) so how do I get them away from the computer games and the
electronic stuff? I know that there is learning in everything, but can you
help me find it? I am excited about this new venture and I am a little scared
to.

Are my children going to get what they need? Will they score high, even at
grade level on standardized tests? How will I explain this one to my sister
who is always wondering what I am doing next? She doesn't too much say
anything about what I do, she supports me to the best of her ability. My
concern is not being able to explain these things and my reasonings for
Unschooling to family, friends etc.

Should I run out and purchase books or something? See, I am confused. I don't
see where the learning is coming in when we are sitting around the house all
day long and there is basically nothing in our neighborhood but the cars that
pass our street. We are planning on purchasing Marine World Passes for the
season, would that be educational? Or would that be directed learning if I
chose to take them to see the animals as opposed to it just happening or them
wanting to see the animals?

Please help me!

:0) Trying to get a grip on the reality of all this...beat me if you have to
:0)





Moving in the direction that makes you happy is merely making the decisions
today that lead you to your destiny tomorrow.
.··-.¸.-··. (`'·.¸(`'·.¸
¸.·'´)¸.·'´) .··-.¸.-··.
`·. .·´ -
Batiste - `·. .·´
`·´ (¸.·'´(¸.·'´
`'·.¸)`'·.¸) `


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

Fetteroll

on 5/21/02 6:32 PM, dbatiste7@... at dbatiste7@... wrote:

> so how do I get them away from the computer games and the
> electronic stuff?

How could your husband get you away from something you enjoyed?

By offering something even better?

Try doing things *you* enjoy that they could join in. Cooking something new,
planting a kid friendly garden, washing the car, digging in the dirt and
seeing what you turn up, playing some music you've never heard before.

> Are my children going to get what they need?

It depends. If they're choosing TV and computers because there isn't
anything that's as meaningful, then they're choosing the best of the least.

Are you interested and curious about life? Do you have interests that you
get excited about such that your enthusiasm will infect your kids?

> Will they score high, even at
> grade level on standardized tests?

If they don't need to know something at a particular age, does it matter?
Worrying about standardized tests can interfer with unschooling.

> Should I run out and purchase books or something?

Only if you don't have any books in the house! ;-)

Can you get a weekly trip to the library so you (and perhaps they) can pick
out books and software and CD's and books on tape?

> there is basically nothing in our neighborhood but the cars that
> pass our street.

How many pass in an hour? What kind? Does the volume and type change during
the day? How many Volkswagon bugs pass by in an hour?

> We are planning on purchasing Marine World Passes for the
> season, would that be educational? Or would that be directed learning if I
> chose to take them to see the animals as opposed to it just happening or them
> wanting to see the animals?

It depends. Are you going because it's educational or because it's fun? Are
you making the type of offers you would to a friend or because you're trying
to direct your kids to do the things you want them to do? Thinking about
that might help you answer your own question.

Joyce

[email protected]

-=-.my children are all into the computer and electronic games. I don't

drive (soon though) so how do I get them away from the computer games and the

electronic stuff? I know that there is learning in everything, but can you

help me find it?-=-


http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hollow/1093/unschooling.html

Kathy Ward has a really great unschooling section in her family webpages.
At the bottom of the page noted above, there's a link to her article on video
games. This is WELL worth reading.

Sandra

[email protected]

In a message dated 5/22/02 7:16:44 AM, fetteroll@... writes:

<< > there is basically nothing in our neighborhood but the cars that
> pass our street.

How many pass in an hour? What kind? Does the volume and type change during
the day? How many Volkswagon bugs pass by in an hour? >>

When Kirby was little and we were poor, most of his toys were from thrift
stores, and we found things to do that cost nothing.

A block from our house was a major street (Wyoming Blvd, for those who know
Albuquerque), and we would walk up there sometimes and sit on a low wall and
watch the cars go by. Sometimes something really exciting like a bus or tow
truck pulling something interesting or a fire truck would go by. Sometimes
an antique car.

But one game we played was secretly math and music and patterns, and it was
this:

"Car" was said on the same note. "Truck" was said a third higher (like do to
mi) and "Van" was the fifth (so). So the three together would have made a
major chord. Kirby didn't know this, but he DID pick up the pattern without
any instruction, because it was a game. So we would sing car car car car
VAN truck car and it sounded like bugle music. When he could sing some of
his own and I was singing other ones, it made harmonies. He was too little
to maintain that, and would get on my note, but it didn't matter. We weren't
"singing," or looking for patterns or tunes, just speaking on a tone without
holding them out.

This will be gibberish (sorry) to some, but it was a way to turn traffic flow
into a musical game.

Sandra

[email protected]

Thank you for your input Joyce. You have answered my big question in regards
to how to do this thing. Okay, a good point you made when you used the
"friend thing" as an example. I would go to Marine World with my friend to
have fun, not to teach her anything. I would go to the mall with my friend to
have fun, not to teach her anything. I go the library with my friend to have
fun and to see what new things we can happen-chance upon, not to teach her
anything.

THANK YOU!!



Moving in the direction that makes you happy is merely making the decisions
today that lead you to your destiny tomorrow.
.··-.¸.-··. (`'·.¸(`'·.¸
¸.·'´)¸.·'´) .··-.¸.-··.
`·. .·´ -
Batiste - `·. .·´
`·´ (¸.·'´(¸.·'´
`'·.¸)`'·.¸) `


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

[email protected]

Thanks



Moving in the direction that makes you happy is merely making the decisions
today that lead you to your destiny tomorrow.
.··-.¸.-··. (`'·.¸(`'·.¸
¸.·'´)¸.·'´) .··-.¸.-··.
`·. .·´ -
Batiste - `·. .·´
`·´ (¸.·'´(¸.·'´
`'·.¸)`'·.¸) `


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

[email protected]

I have done this with my 4 year old just having fun. We would spell the cars
out really fast. Example, if we saw a truck, I would spell the word truck and
then say the word. If we saw a van I would spell van and then say the word.
So, one day his grandfather came over and Ticky looked out of the window and
said, "Paw-paw, you don't have a v-a-n! Don't you know you have a t-r-u-c-k?"
My father about fell off of his rocker. He was shocked...and so was I. He
never spelled the words when I spelled them, he only repeated them. So, of
course, I was surprised to hear him spelling these words.

So, I have been unschooling (in a sense) and didn't even know it ;) How
refreshing!

Maybe someone can give me some advice on helping my little one recognize the
sounds of the alphabet. Does anyone have any suggestions?



Moving in the direction that makes you happy is merely making the decisions
today that lead you to your destiny tomorrow.


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

[email protected]

In a message dated 5/22/02 9:46:44 AM, dbatiste7@... writes:

<< Maybe someone can give me some advice on helping my little one recognize
the
sounds of the alphabet. Does anyone have any suggestions? >>


There's a tape Discovery Toys used to put out (still might) called "Sounds
Like Fun." It's monotonous, and everything is about lullaby-speed <bwg>, but
the songs are pretty sweet. Some are traditional, most are original, all
done by the same woman accompanying herself on guitar. But one is letter
sounds, and the tape comes with a little chart with pictures. ALL my kids
really liked that tape. It's not the spiffiest of recording engineering, but
it's pretty spiff for easy concepts painlessly presented.

She's only dealing with initial sounds, but it was useful.

Still, my kids read late, and we had that tape way before unschooling was
part of the scene, but they still sing those songs sometimes today. It's how
they learned the months in order, and how they learned to count by tens.

Sandra

Tia Leschke

>"Car" was said on the same note. "Truck" was said a third higher (like do to
>mi) and "Van" was the fifth (so). So the three together would have made a
>major chord. Kirby didn't know this, but he DID pick up the pattern without
>any instruction, because it was a game. So we would sing car car car car
>VAN truck car and it sounded like bugle music. When he could sing some of
>his own and I was singing other ones, it made harmonies. He was too little
>to maintain that, and would get on my note, but it didn't matter. We weren't
>"singing," or looking for patterns or tunes, just speaking on a tone without
>holding them out.
>
>This will be gibberish (sorry) to some, but it was a way to turn traffic flow
>into a musical game.

What a neat idea! You have a real talent, Sandra, which I'm working on
acquiring.
Tia


No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
*********************************************
Tia Leschke
leschke@...
On Vancouver Island

[email protected]

In a message dated 5/21/2002 2:35:34 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
fetteroll@... writes:


> I suspect that's why you can
> often find unopened kids at garage sales

Cute, Joyce <G>. Brings up all KINDS of weird possibilities <BEG>.

--pamS


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