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In a message dated 9/15/02 2:19:34 AM, mabeitzel@... writes:

<< I have bargained with a most uncompromising entity and
lost a part of our family in the deal. >>

{{{{{Michelle}}}}}

This is sad, and I read your whole post almost without remembering to breathe.

Children are pretty good at putting ugly memories away if they get filled up
with better ones, so I don't think the perspective you have now will last
long. School will become a tiny blip in the past instead of a dark mountain
shadowing your days.

There is a woman I've known since I was a teenager and she already had kids.
I knew her for years before I realized one of her arms is almost entirely
non-functional. She probably was given much grief in school about it, but
she cooks and sews (like a world-class artist, in both fields) and does all
kinds of things and I just hadn't even seen it. Hers was a birth injury.

Sandra

Betsy

** She lacks the confidence to learn.**

What she's observed could lead her to believe that homework is terrible
torture and teachers are uncaring and inflexible.

Betsy

mabeitzel

Thanks Sandra...it isn't the feeling I always have....just when I
get on a roll and dredge it up again. I know that with time those
wounds will heal, but it angers me that they are there to begin
with. And yes, I probably wrote the whole post without remembering
to breathe!! <pulling out my tai chi tape> I am scheduled to go
into the school for his IEP review to see if any services can still
be given along with our homeschooling. I am planning on continuing
speech and OT therapy, but it is really hard to go in the school.
Especially since the principal thinks I'm "nuts." Oh well - won't
be the last person to think that :)
Michelle Beitzel



--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., SandraDodd@a... wrote:
>
> In a message dated 9/15/02 2:19:34 AM, mabeitzel@y... writes:
>
> << I have bargained with a most uncompromising entity and
> lost a part of our family in the deal. >>
>
> {{{{{Michelle}}}}}
>
> This is sad, and I read your whole post almost without remembering
to breathe.
>
> Children are pretty good at putting ugly memories away if they get
filled up
> with better ones, so I don't think the perspective you have now
will last
> long. School will become a tiny blip in the past instead of a
dark mountain
> shadowing your days.
>
> There is a woman I've known since I was a teenager and she already
had kids.
> I knew her for years before I realized one of her arms is almost
entirely
> non-functional. She probably was given much grief in school about
it, but
> she cooks and sews (like a world-class artist, in both fields) and
does all
> kinds of things and I just hadn't even seen it. Hers was a birth
injury.
>
> Sandra

mabeitzel

Exactly! That is what I am working with right now. She told my
husband that she doesn't want to learn to read...she gives up on
schoolish things before she tries...so of course now having found
unschooling we don't do schoolish things!
Michelle

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., Betsy <ecsamhill@e...> wrote:
> ** She lacks the confidence to learn.**
>
> What she's observed could lead her to believe that homework is
terrible
> torture and teachers are uncaring and inflexible.
>
> Betsy

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/15/02 6:38:24 PM, mabeitzel@... writes:

<< Exactly! That is what I am working with right now. She told my
husband that she doesn't want to learn to read...she gives up on
schoolish things before she tries...so of course now having found
unschooling we don't do schoolish things! >>

You could tell her "You don't have to read. You can live with me forever and
I will read to you anytime you need something read."

Gradually she'll learn to read in spite of all else, but that might be a warm
comfy blanket for her while she's recovering.

Tell her I know teens who didn't read until they were teens. Two are in the
other room right now. (Their mom, Carol, wrote it up, and it's at
http://sandradodd.com/reading, and also in the library at www.unschooling.com)

Sandra