Re: Goddard College: Vermont College
James Selvage
Sara,
Can you tell me more about the master's program in educational alternatives. Sounds
like something I would like to pursue!
BTW, I have been lurking for a while, and this email made me brave enough to
introduce myself. My name is Erin. I am relatively new to unschooling and have
been searching the web for everything I can find in relation to this. We have been
homeschooling our children for five years, with various success, but normally I
would last about til November with a curriculum and then just do bits and pieces
through the rest of the year. We usually just kept up the reading, writing,
arithmetic. But, I am now empowered and have determine not to even keep up with the
math (which was my hardest battle, internally of course). Both children love to
read, and they are definitely more educated than I was at their ages. (They are 11yo
ds, 10yo dd). My son hates to write, and hates math, but I am hoping this will
change without my pressure.
I have appreciated the list so much, thanks for all of your input!
Can you tell me more about the master's program in educational alternatives. Sounds
like something I would like to pursue!
BTW, I have been lurking for a while, and this email made me brave enough to
introduce myself. My name is Erin. I am relatively new to unschooling and have
been searching the web for everything I can find in relation to this. We have been
homeschooling our children for five years, with various success, but normally I
would last about til November with a curriculum and then just do bits and pieces
through the rest of the year. We usually just kept up the reading, writing,
arithmetic. But, I am now empowered and have determine not to even keep up with the
math (which was my hardest battle, internally of course). Both children love to
read, and they are definitely more educated than I was at their ages. (They are 11yo
ds, 10yo dd). My son hates to write, and hates math, but I am hoping this will
change without my pressure.
I have appreciated the list so much, thanks for all of your input!
Thomas and Nanci Kuykendall
Both children love to
trouble remembering what it was like to be a child at various ages, let
alone how educated they actually were (not to be confused with remembering
how much they thought they knew at the time.) I am one of those people who
has TOO vivid a memory, and often remember things I don't want to. As a
result, I decided to homeschool long before I ever had children, just
because I remember how much I hated school and am not going to do that to
my own kids. Regardless of where you live and what the schools are like,
David id right, there are those key elements that never go away. It is the
nature of the IS system to keep kids helpless, voiceless, passive,
receptacles. The old common image of the children as empty cups for the
teacher to fill.
This of course does not give the children credit for even being people and
having anything important to share or add, even to their own education.
It's the same old addage about children being seen (looking cute) and not
heard, being unformed, incomplete people who are usually not worthy company
for us lofty adults, and aren't we all grateful to, and in awe of teachers,
who CHOOSE to associate with hordes of the little monsters every day and
make it their life's work?
I for one have a great deal of respect for children, for what they know and
for their feelings. I don't like jokes at children's expense either. Some
people call it teasing, but if it is something you would not do to an
adult, than it is an abuse of power. It is our job to protect and guide
children, not mislead and make fools of them. I remember what it felt like
to be made fun of by an adult, and it was awful and humiliating.
Maybe that's the trouble with our culture, we forget what it was like to be
a child and so perpetuate behaviors that are unhealthy. What do you all
think?
Nanci K.
>read, and they are definitely more educated than I was at their ages.Sort of puts it all in perspective doesn't it? Most folks though, have
trouble remembering what it was like to be a child at various ages, let
alone how educated they actually were (not to be confused with remembering
how much they thought they knew at the time.) I am one of those people who
has TOO vivid a memory, and often remember things I don't want to. As a
result, I decided to homeschool long before I ever had children, just
because I remember how much I hated school and am not going to do that to
my own kids. Regardless of where you live and what the schools are like,
David id right, there are those key elements that never go away. It is the
nature of the IS system to keep kids helpless, voiceless, passive,
receptacles. The old common image of the children as empty cups for the
teacher to fill.
This of course does not give the children credit for even being people and
having anything important to share or add, even to their own education.
It's the same old addage about children being seen (looking cute) and not
heard, being unformed, incomplete people who are usually not worthy company
for us lofty adults, and aren't we all grateful to, and in awe of teachers,
who CHOOSE to associate with hordes of the little monsters every day and
make it their life's work?
I for one have a great deal of respect for children, for what they know and
for their feelings. I don't like jokes at children's expense either. Some
people call it teasing, but if it is something you would not do to an
adult, than it is an abuse of power. It is our job to protect and guide
children, not mislead and make fools of them. I remember what it felt like
to be made fun of by an adult, and it was awful and humiliating.
Maybe that's the trouble with our culture, we forget what it was like to be
a child and so perpetuate behaviors that are unhealthy. What do you all
think?
Nanci K.
[email protected]
In a message dated 11/24/99 8:24:24 AM Pacific Standard Time,
jselvage@... writes:
<< We have been
homeschooling our children for five years, with various success, but
normally I
would last about til November with a curriculum and then just do bits and
pieces
through the rest of the year >>
Hi Erin,
Welcome! I can relate to this because we used to do it this way, too.
We were unschooling most of the year before but the difference is that now we
embrace it instead of feeling vaguely guilty about it!
Lucy in Calif.
jselvage@... writes:
<< We have been
homeschooling our children for five years, with various success, but
normally I
would last about til November with a curriculum and then just do bits and
pieces
through the rest of the year >>
Hi Erin,
Welcome! I can relate to this because we used to do it this way, too.
We were unschooling most of the year before but the difference is that now we
embrace it instead of feeling vaguely guilty about it!
Lucy in Calif.
[email protected]
In a message dated 11/24/99 3:34:52 PM Eastern Standard Time,
LASaliger@... writes:
<< We were unschooling most of the year before but the difference is that now
we
embrace it instead of feeling vaguely guilty about it! >>
HELP!!! I still feel guilty. I don't think it's going to pass soon LOL
Laura
LASaliger@... writes:
<< We were unschooling most of the year before but the difference is that now
we
embrace it instead of feeling vaguely guilty about it! >>
HELP!!! I still feel guilty. I don't think it's going to pass soon LOL
Laura
[email protected]
In a message dated 11/24/99 9:25:59 AM Pacific Standard Time,
tn-k4of5@... writes:
<< Maybe that's the trouble with our culture, we forget what it was like to be
a child and so perpetuate behaviors that are unhealthy. What do you all
think? >>
So true, Nanci. I always wonder how any adult can say they don't like
kids; it's like saying they don't like humans or themselves. A lot of adults
seem to want kids to behave like miniature adults. Even those who remember
their childhoods don't always apply it to the kids now. They'll tell stories
about things they did or adults who they thought were mean and then get mad
at a kid for doing something very similar to what they did AND end up acting
very similar to the adult in their story whom they disliked as a kid.
Too often we don't see kids as full human beings. We focus too much on
how they affect us at any given moment. Of course, we do that with adults,
too, but kids have far less power than adults so they're much more apt to be
victimized by this. When we deal with a particular kid, maybe we need to
focus on remembering how we felt at that age, what we were like, and then
keep relating it back to that kid.
I remember when I was a kid, there were certain adults who I found it
impossible to ever envision them being young. It wasn't because of their
age. My grandmother looked plenty old to me but when I listened to her
stories or played games with her, it was easy to imagine her young. But
there were some people who seemed so mean, so lacking in any sense of humor,
so rule oriented, that it seemed like they must have been born that way. I
remember those feelings a lot and when I do, I always think, "Ugh! I hope
I'm not being that way now!"
Lucy in Calif.
tn-k4of5@... writes:
<< Maybe that's the trouble with our culture, we forget what it was like to be
a child and so perpetuate behaviors that are unhealthy. What do you all
think? >>
So true, Nanci. I always wonder how any adult can say they don't like
kids; it's like saying they don't like humans or themselves. A lot of adults
seem to want kids to behave like miniature adults. Even those who remember
their childhoods don't always apply it to the kids now. They'll tell stories
about things they did or adults who they thought were mean and then get mad
at a kid for doing something very similar to what they did AND end up acting
very similar to the adult in their story whom they disliked as a kid.
Too often we don't see kids as full human beings. We focus too much on
how they affect us at any given moment. Of course, we do that with adults,
too, but kids have far less power than adults so they're much more apt to be
victimized by this. When we deal with a particular kid, maybe we need to
focus on remembering how we felt at that age, what we were like, and then
keep relating it back to that kid.
I remember when I was a kid, there were certain adults who I found it
impossible to ever envision them being young. It wasn't because of their
age. My grandmother looked plenty old to me but when I listened to her
stories or played games with her, it was easy to imagine her young. But
there were some people who seemed so mean, so lacking in any sense of humor,
so rule oriented, that it seemed like they must have been born that way. I
remember those feelings a lot and when I do, I always think, "Ugh! I hope
I'm not being that way now!"
Lucy in Calif.
[email protected]
>>>Nanci K writes:It's the same old adage about children being seen (looking cute) and
not heard, being unformed, incomplete people who are usually not worthy
company for us lofty adults, and aren't we all grateful to, and in awe of
teachers, who CHOOSE to associate with hordes of the little monsters
every day and make it their life's work?>>>
It amazes me that a teacher would rather spend the day with 20-30 other
children than to stay home with their own. OTH, they don't have to
connect emotionally with the students. If a student doesn't do well,
isn't it usually because "their parents aren't involved enough in their
education"? They manage to put the blame elsewhere.
>>> I don't like jokes at children's expense either. Some people call itteasing, but if it is something you would not do to an adult, than it is
an abuse of power.>>>>
I was raised with a lot of sarcasm, and sometimes find myself using it.
I really have to work on that.
Mary Ellen
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
Victor Hugo
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