Out first day of unschooling
Maria
Well, it's been an exciting day for us all today. I didn't use any
workbooks seatwork or anything like that.
First my husband took the girls grocery shopping, and let them pay
the cashier. Then he took them to the bank, and let them talk to
some of the tellers.
Then they came home and watched Lord Of the Rings cartoon with the
closed captioning on.
Then they helped cook dinner, and helped read from the cookbook.
They also made eggrolls from scratch, that we fried. (They LOVED
that)
After we ate, the had a bath and played with several different kinds
of soaps. Then me and Mirial read from the butterfly book. Mariah
didn't want to read anything today, so after all the children went
to bed she asked if she could have a satin hands treatment. Satin
Hands is a product I sell that includes 4 steps, cream, buff, cleanse
then lotion. So I told her I'd give her a treatment if she would
give me one. When it came her turn, she asked which tube was first,
I told her the emollient cream. It took her about 5 minutes to
figure out which one was the right one, then we went to the buffing
cream, then the cleansing gel and last the lotion.
She read every one of the lotion bottles, and didn't even realize
that she was learning...lol That may not be a big deal to some, but
she actually read some, no matter how minor, and that's a HUGE deal
to me. I gave her a traveler size set and told her she could now do
her own hands every day, and if she had any problems remembering
which was which, to ask me. So she may learn buffing before she does
bird, but hey a word is a word to me...lol
We didn't get to make the birdhouses, it rained most of the day.
So I think we covered evey required topic today. Science was the
soaps and butterflies. Math was the cooking (they had to measure the
spoons of filling for each eggroll) and paying for the groceries.
Social Studies was at the bank, the teller was nice and explained a
bit about her job to them, so they learned a bit about economics (no
we didn't plan that, but happy go lucky Mirial asked her about what
she was doing behind the counter and they both started asking
questions) and the reading was the movie and book and lotions.
As for the time, I'm going to give them both some money tomorrow to
buy them a cheap watch each, and I'm also going to buy a larger clock
with hands. Next week we'll schedule some things to do based on time
of day, and let them "Remind" me when it's time to go. I think they
will love that MUCH better than worksheets. Say we have to leave her
at 2:45 every day to go to the park for 30 minutes. I'm also going
to start letting them earn a dime here, and a quarter there for
various tasks they may do around the house (like help keep an eye on
baby sister while I cook, or like helping me fold the towels) so they
can start saving more than just their allowance.
Time and money and measuring are the only things that concern me
about the math.
I see tons of ways for them to learn about science and social studies
and math now that I am sitting back and watchign just what we are
doing that they can learn from. Still tryign to find other ways to
throw reading in, but it's a good start with bug books and the satin
hands. I think I may also re bottle all the shampooes, bubble baths
and conditioners in the house. Put them in same types of bottles,
where they can't see the colors, and just put plain labels on them,
then let them pick them out as they take thier baths, so they will
learn those words without realizing it.
Hmm, now that i think about it, I can probably get some of those
little tubs at wal mart also. Put crayons in one, paper in the
other, puzzle pieces in others etc. and label those, it'll help
organize and also help them recognize those words.
OK anoter loooong post, but I am quite surprised at how the day
turned out, surprised they did learn some things, and very surprised
that neither of them got mad, or cried all day except when they were
trying to fuss over who's turn it was to do an eggroll.
I think this is going to work!!!
Maria
workbooks seatwork or anything like that.
First my husband took the girls grocery shopping, and let them pay
the cashier. Then he took them to the bank, and let them talk to
some of the tellers.
Then they came home and watched Lord Of the Rings cartoon with the
closed captioning on.
Then they helped cook dinner, and helped read from the cookbook.
They also made eggrolls from scratch, that we fried. (They LOVED
that)
After we ate, the had a bath and played with several different kinds
of soaps. Then me and Mirial read from the butterfly book. Mariah
didn't want to read anything today, so after all the children went
to bed she asked if she could have a satin hands treatment. Satin
Hands is a product I sell that includes 4 steps, cream, buff, cleanse
then lotion. So I told her I'd give her a treatment if she would
give me one. When it came her turn, she asked which tube was first,
I told her the emollient cream. It took her about 5 minutes to
figure out which one was the right one, then we went to the buffing
cream, then the cleansing gel and last the lotion.
She read every one of the lotion bottles, and didn't even realize
that she was learning...lol That may not be a big deal to some, but
she actually read some, no matter how minor, and that's a HUGE deal
to me. I gave her a traveler size set and told her she could now do
her own hands every day, and if she had any problems remembering
which was which, to ask me. So she may learn buffing before she does
bird, but hey a word is a word to me...lol
We didn't get to make the birdhouses, it rained most of the day.
So I think we covered evey required topic today. Science was the
soaps and butterflies. Math was the cooking (they had to measure the
spoons of filling for each eggroll) and paying for the groceries.
Social Studies was at the bank, the teller was nice and explained a
bit about her job to them, so they learned a bit about economics (no
we didn't plan that, but happy go lucky Mirial asked her about what
she was doing behind the counter and they both started asking
questions) and the reading was the movie and book and lotions.
As for the time, I'm going to give them both some money tomorrow to
buy them a cheap watch each, and I'm also going to buy a larger clock
with hands. Next week we'll schedule some things to do based on time
of day, and let them "Remind" me when it's time to go. I think they
will love that MUCH better than worksheets. Say we have to leave her
at 2:45 every day to go to the park for 30 minutes. I'm also going
to start letting them earn a dime here, and a quarter there for
various tasks they may do around the house (like help keep an eye on
baby sister while I cook, or like helping me fold the towels) so they
can start saving more than just their allowance.
Time and money and measuring are the only things that concern me
about the math.
I see tons of ways for them to learn about science and social studies
and math now that I am sitting back and watchign just what we are
doing that they can learn from. Still tryign to find other ways to
throw reading in, but it's a good start with bug books and the satin
hands. I think I may also re bottle all the shampooes, bubble baths
and conditioners in the house. Put them in same types of bottles,
where they can't see the colors, and just put plain labels on them,
then let them pick them out as they take thier baths, so they will
learn those words without realizing it.
Hmm, now that i think about it, I can probably get some of those
little tubs at wal mart also. Put crayons in one, paper in the
other, puzzle pieces in others etc. and label those, it'll help
organize and also help them recognize those words.
OK anoter loooong post, but I am quite surprised at how the day
turned out, surprised they did learn some things, and very surprised
that neither of them got mad, or cried all day except when they were
trying to fuss over who's turn it was to do an eggroll.
I think this is going to work!!!
Maria
Valerie
Maria, I've enjoyed watching you learn about unschooling, and all of
the ways the children are learning are great. The real joy, however,
will come when you realize you don't even have to think of what they
are learning or how. Life doesn't need to be divided into school
subjects. Cooking doesn't have to be math, just cooking. There is no
way you can stop them from learning. It's going to happen naturally
and with no effort or worry from you. If everything becomes a
learning experience in a schoolish way, then the joy of learning
dissolves. Imagine how much fun yesterday would have been for you if
you didn't have to figure out which subjects had been covered. Just
live and let it happen.
You're doing great, btw. You have a wonderful attitude.
love, Valerie
the ways the children are learning are great. The real joy, however,
will come when you realize you don't even have to think of what they
are learning or how. Life doesn't need to be divided into school
subjects. Cooking doesn't have to be math, just cooking. There is no
way you can stop them from learning. It's going to happen naturally
and with no effort or worry from you. If everything becomes a
learning experience in a schoolish way, then the joy of learning
dissolves. Imagine how much fun yesterday would have been for you if
you didn't have to figure out which subjects had been covered. Just
live and let it happen.
You're doing great, btw. You have a wonderful attitude.
love, Valerie
Betsy
**There is no way you can stop them from learning. It's going to happen
naturally and with no effort or worry from you.**
Maybe this is the hardest deschooling "lesson" of all -- that worry
isn't constructive.
Betsy
naturally and with no effort or worry from you.**
Maybe this is the hardest deschooling "lesson" of all -- that worry
isn't constructive.
Betsy
Mary Bianco
>From: "Maria" <lyciall@...>Maria, it does sound like you are getting there and have the idea. I just
>I see tons of ways for them to learn about science and social studies
>and math now that I am sitting back and watchign just what we are
>doing that they can learn from. Still tryign to find other ways to
>throw reading in, but it's a good start with bug books and the satin
>hands. I think I may also re bottle all the shampooes, bubble baths
>and conditioners in the house. Put them in same types of bottles,
>where they can't see the colors, and just put plain labels on them,
>then let them pick them out as they take thier baths, so they will
>learn those words without realizing it.
want to interject one litte thing here. An take it for what it's worth but
it seems like you are putting too much effort in having the girls learn
"naturally." I mean all this changing bottles and stuff. The girls "will" do
it on their own whether you lable bottles or not. Are you going to stick
pieces of paper on all the furniture labeling it too? I know people who do
that. The kids will get it on their own when they are ready to get it. There
are labels and signs everywhere, you'll find them doing it on their own when
the time comes for each one of them. My son reads everything now becuas he's
really into reading. My daughter does some but not like him. In the house,
when we eat when we drive, it's endless. Sometimes I have no idea what he's
talking about because I'm busy cooking or watching the road. Point is, I
never labeled anything or closed captioned anything or did flash cards or
anything even near that. They WILL get it.
Mary B
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Valerie
--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., Betsy <ecsamhill@e...> wrote:
learning. Worry isn't constructive at any time for any purpose.
love, Valerie
> **There is no way you can stop them from learning. It's going tohappen
> naturally and with no effort or worry from you.**It's also the hardest life lesson of all... but sooooo worth
>
> Maybe this is the hardest deschooling "lesson" of all -- that worry
> isn't constructive.
>
> Betsy
learning. Worry isn't constructive at any time for any purpose.
love, Valerie
MO Milligans
At 04:35 AM 9/14/02 +0000, you wrote:
Sounds like you had a good first day :) Congrats! :)
Todd
Our HOME page
http://rambleman.tripod.com/index.html
>OK anoter loooong post, but I am quite surprised at how the day==
>turned out, surprised they did learn some things, and very surprised
>that neither of them got mad, or cried all day except when they were
>trying to fuss over who's turn it was to do an eggroll.
>
>I think this is going to work!!!
>
>Maria
Sounds like you had a good first day :) Congrats! :)
Todd
Our HOME page
http://rambleman.tripod.com/index.html