Unschooling to public school
Have a Nice Day!
I've been giving this a lot of thought.
IF a child wanted to go back to school and was considered to be "behind", there are really only two subjects that it could happen in:
Arithmetic (not mathematics), and grammar, right?
I mean math and language ARE all around us, but its not often that we actually have to sit down and do arithmetic on paper just for its own sake or diagram a sentence on a routine basis. So, I would guess that these are the two areas that would be weakest for unschoolers going to public school.
And I would bet that Sandra is probably right. With all the working kids do with math concepts and language, a cram session would probably be enough to familiarize them with the language of arithmetic or grammar as it looks on paper.
Just musing after reading my own list of things the kids have been up to for the past 3 weeks. Its amazing how much we *do*!! Its amazing how much they are learning just from life itself. It makes me wonder why on earth I ever worried!
Can you tell its been awhile since I sat down and wrote it down?? LOL
Kristen
****************************************************************
Today is even more important than tomorrow because "today" is a gift, and "tomorrow" might never come.
Today is where hope lives because today is when we can make things better than yesterday.
The only thing we can be sure of is today and life isn't worth living if it isn't lived in joy for as many moments of today as we can manage.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
IF a child wanted to go back to school and was considered to be "behind", there are really only two subjects that it could happen in:
Arithmetic (not mathematics), and grammar, right?
I mean math and language ARE all around us, but its not often that we actually have to sit down and do arithmetic on paper just for its own sake or diagram a sentence on a routine basis. So, I would guess that these are the two areas that would be weakest for unschoolers going to public school.
And I would bet that Sandra is probably right. With all the working kids do with math concepts and language, a cram session would probably be enough to familiarize them with the language of arithmetic or grammar as it looks on paper.
Just musing after reading my own list of things the kids have been up to for the past 3 weeks. Its amazing how much we *do*!! Its amazing how much they are learning just from life itself. It makes me wonder why on earth I ever worried!
Can you tell its been awhile since I sat down and wrote it down?? LOL
Kristen
****************************************************************
Today is even more important than tomorrow because "today" is a gift, and "tomorrow" might never come.
Today is where hope lives because today is when we can make things better than yesterday.
The only thing we can be sure of is today and life isn't worth living if it isn't lived in joy for as many moments of today as we can manage.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
kayb85 <[email protected]>
> IF a child wanted to go back to school and was considered tobe "behind", there are really only two subjects that it could happen
in:
>When I was in school, they only taught grammar through 8th grade.
> Arithmetic (not mathematics), and grammar, right?
After that we took literature and composition courses.
If you really think there's a possibility that your kids might want
to go to school, you could innocently call your school district and
ask for a list of which courses are offered in which grades.
Sheila
Have a Nice Day!
If you really think there's a possibility that your kids might want
to go to school, you could innocently call your school district and
ask for a list of which courses are offered in which grades. <<<<
I could. I guess my worry was always that it would take soooo loooonggggg to catch up.
In fact, with the right materials and an interested child, it would probably take no time at all. I mean, anyone can add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Anyone can get it with fractions, decimals, percents, and ratios. Reading a thermometer will give us negative numbers, algebra is just solving for an unknown, and there isn't a whole lot more to know until you hit trig, and calculus which I don't know much about simply because I never took calculus and never needed it. I didn't do well with trig because we weren't given any real life apps, but i"m sure they are out there or it wouldn't exist!
The only thing that is *not* natural about math or grammar is how its all written down on paper.
Kristen
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to go to school, you could innocently call your school district and
ask for a list of which courses are offered in which grades. <<<<
I could. I guess my worry was always that it would take soooo loooonggggg to catch up.
In fact, with the right materials and an interested child, it would probably take no time at all. I mean, anyone can add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Anyone can get it with fractions, decimals, percents, and ratios. Reading a thermometer will give us negative numbers, algebra is just solving for an unknown, and there isn't a whole lot more to know until you hit trig, and calculus which I don't know much about simply because I never took calculus and never needed it. I didn't do well with trig because we weren't given any real life apps, but i"m sure they are out there or it wouldn't exist!
The only thing that is *not* natural about math or grammar is how its all written down on paper.
Kristen
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In a message dated 12/16/02 9:54:22 PM, litlrooh@... writes:
<< IF a child wanted to go back to school and was considered to be "behind",
there are really only two subjects that it could happen in:
Arithmetic (not mathematics), and grammar, right? >>
Handwriting
spelling
(why not mathematics? they might not know names of triangles/angles, etc.)
geography
They could be practically clueless on how schools operate--not knowing what
they need permission to do, not knowing what they're expected to bring to
class, or in what format "answer the questions at the end of the chapter"
might take.
But those things can be caught up with pretty easily, if the parents or some
school-going friends are willing to coach them.
Sandra
<< IF a child wanted to go back to school and was considered to be "behind",
there are really only two subjects that it could happen in:
Arithmetic (not mathematics), and grammar, right? >>
Handwriting
spelling
(why not mathematics? they might not know names of triangles/angles, etc.)
geography
They could be practically clueless on how schools operate--not knowing what
they need permission to do, not knowing what they're expected to bring to
class, or in what format "answer the questions at the end of the chapter"
might take.
But those things can be caught up with pretty easily, if the parents or some
school-going friends are willing to coach them.
Sandra
Betsy
**If you really think there's a possibility that your kids might want
to go to school, you could innocently call your school district and
ask for a list of which courses are offered in which grades. **
Some schools even have this information on their websites. (I hate to
talk to strangers on the phone, so I love the web!)
Betsy
to go to school, you could innocently call your school district and
ask for a list of which courses are offered in which grades. **
Some schools even have this information on their websites. (I hate to
talk to strangers on the phone, so I love the web!)
Betsy
Have a Nice Day!
----- Original Message -----
From: SandraDodd@...
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 1:35 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Unschooling to public school
In a message dated 12/16/02 9:54:22 PM, litlrooh@... writes:
<< IF a child wanted to go back to school and was considered to be "behind",
there are really only two subjects that it could happen in:
Arithmetic (not mathematics), and grammar, right? >>
Handwriting
spelling
(why not mathematics? they might not know names of triangles/angles, etc.)
geography
<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I suppose thats true. I guess I wasn't worried about those just because my own kids already know some of that.
>>>>>They could be practically clueless on how schools operate--not knowing what
they need permission to do, not knowing what they're expected to bring to
class, or in what format "answer the questions at the end of the chapter"
might take.<<<<
Oh yes...I forgot those, I guess I just took that for granted that they wouldn't know that stuff...except my kids have been in school at different times and almost all their friends are in school so they have some idea.
Its funny when my kids think they want to go back to school and then their friends come over and say "You mean you get to do THAT??" (Like sleep all day or stay up all night on a weeknight).
Or even get to go to the grocery store and pick things out that *they* like.
And I loved it when my HUSBAND said just last night, "you mean YOU have to stand outside and LINE UP to go into the school building??" And when they told him "yes", he asked "even if its raining???". ANd sure enough, the answer was yes.
LOLOLOLOL He really didn't know that. l had to tell him that yes indeed, it was true and I had it out with one of the teachers way back when, when they made the kids stand out in the pouring rain for over 10 minutes just because of this stupid "rule".
Kristen
But those things can be caught up with pretty easily, if the parents or some
school-going friends are willing to coach them.
Sandra
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In a message dated 12/17/2002 12:36:44 AM Central Standard Time,
SandraDodd@... writes:
since the ankle break. As we were walking in - me on one crutch holding
Julia's hand, she holding Nathan's, the elementary school's bell rang. It's
electronic and loud. Nathan asked what it meant. I said it either meant the
kids could finally stand up or that they all had to sit down. Hee, hee. He
thought about that a minute and said "But I don't want to sit down, I want to
get a book on Swan Lake."
This morning the kids were watching Frosty the Snowman and the teacher in the
beginning makes them all sit down to watch the magician instead of looking
out the window at the snow. Nathan asked why she didn't have a bell to make
them sit down...
Elizabeth
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
SandraDodd@... writes:
> They could be practically clueless on how schools operate--not knowing whatYesterday I took the kids to the library - my first solo outing with them
> they need permission to do, not knowing what they're expected to bring to
> class, or in what format "answer the questions at the end of the chapter"
> might take.
>
since the ankle break. As we were walking in - me on one crutch holding
Julia's hand, she holding Nathan's, the elementary school's bell rang. It's
electronic and loud. Nathan asked what it meant. I said it either meant the
kids could finally stand up or that they all had to sit down. Hee, hee. He
thought about that a minute and said "But I don't want to sit down, I want to
get a book on Swan Lake."
This morning the kids were watching Frosty the Snowman and the teacher in the
beginning makes them all sit down to watch the magician instead of looking
out the window at the snow. Nathan asked why she didn't have a bell to make
them sit down...
Elizabeth
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]