Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] MIL's & hsing
[email protected]
In a message dated 12/17/02 1:13:41 PM !!!First Boot!!!,
scribblers2@... writes:
boys (which was great for MY boy). One of the kids brought a bag of matchbox
cars and all the little boys gathered on the sidewalk to play. One of the
moms immediately went over and began directing their play - not just their
play, their dialogue! I remember thinking "oh my god, if this is
homeschooling, I'm out of here"!
My MIL taught school for nearly 30 years so you can imagine what she thinks
of all this. Fortunately, DH is not close to his mom so we see her
infrequently (that sounds like a horrible thing to say, sorry). My parents
are quieter about their concerns but we still know they aren't behind us in
our decision.
One thing that has been a wonderful experience for me is to watch Michael in
his TaeKwon Do class. He's the only homeschooled kid - lots of little boys
in the class that are his age. The difference in behavior is astounding.
The other boys are wild animals - don't pay attention, run all over, don't
listen. I can only believe that it's because they've been forced to sit in a
classroom for 7 hours, forced to "listen" to a teacher, "forced" to obey,
"forced" to comply with someone's ideas about what they should be doing.
Maybe if our MIL's could see our children in a setting like this it would
help them understand what we're doing!
Beth Allen
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
scribblers2@... writes:
> So kids and I had a discussion.. aboutOne of my first homeschooling experiences with a group was at a park. All
> how well 8 yo handled it, about people being judgemental, and so on. I
> learned in this discussion that when they play with this woman's
> granddaughters, she consistently feels the need to direct their play.
>
boys (which was great for MY boy). One of the kids brought a bag of matchbox
cars and all the little boys gathered on the sidewalk to play. One of the
moms immediately went over and began directing their play - not just their
play, their dialogue! I remember thinking "oh my god, if this is
homeschooling, I'm out of here"!
My MIL taught school for nearly 30 years so you can imagine what she thinks
of all this. Fortunately, DH is not close to his mom so we see her
infrequently (that sounds like a horrible thing to say, sorry). My parents
are quieter about their concerns but we still know they aren't behind us in
our decision.
One thing that has been a wonderful experience for me is to watch Michael in
his TaeKwon Do class. He's the only homeschooled kid - lots of little boys
in the class that are his age. The difference in behavior is astounding.
The other boys are wild animals - don't pay attention, run all over, don't
listen. I can only believe that it's because they've been forced to sit in a
classroom for 7 hours, forced to "listen" to a teacher, "forced" to obey,
"forced" to comply with someone's ideas about what they should be doing.
Maybe if our MIL's could see our children in a setting like this it would
help them understand what we're doing!
Beth Allen
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 12/17/02 6:42:29 AM, EBA7009@... writes:
<< One thing that has been a wonderful experience for me is to watch Michael
in
his TaeKwon Do class. He's the only homeschooled kid - lots of little boys
in the class that are his age. The difference in behavior is astounding.
The other boys are wild animals - don't pay attention, run all over, don't
listen. >>
This happened with my two younger kids in karate class.
Kirby has been at the same dojo since he was nine, is established socially,
is the ranking teenager these days (older ones having gone off to school in
other places), and teaches once a week.
But both Marty and Holly tried the school too. Separately they complained of
the other kids not listening, not taking it seriously, not trying if the
sensei wasn't right there watching, of trying to keep THEM from paying
attention.
And lest people think my kids are humorless, they aren't. But they thought
people were going there to learn karate! And they didn't want to waste time
or be uncooperative.
Both of them dropped out after their first belt test. Said they had no
interest in being with those other kids.
I was sad, but glad Kirby kept up.
Marty didn't like ice hockey, either, the year he played. On the ice was
fine, but he didn't like the locker-room life, nor the way the other kids'
dads treated them. It was stressful for him being around shame and meanness,
it seemed.
He still skates for fun sometimes, but has no interest in hockey or
competitions.
Sandra
<< One thing that has been a wonderful experience for me is to watch Michael
in
his TaeKwon Do class. He's the only homeschooled kid - lots of little boys
in the class that are his age. The difference in behavior is astounding.
The other boys are wild animals - don't pay attention, run all over, don't
listen. >>
This happened with my two younger kids in karate class.
Kirby has been at the same dojo since he was nine, is established socially,
is the ranking teenager these days (older ones having gone off to school in
other places), and teaches once a week.
But both Marty and Holly tried the school too. Separately they complained of
the other kids not listening, not taking it seriously, not trying if the
sensei wasn't right there watching, of trying to keep THEM from paying
attention.
And lest people think my kids are humorless, they aren't. But they thought
people were going there to learn karate! And they didn't want to waste time
or be uncooperative.
Both of them dropped out after their first belt test. Said they had no
interest in being with those other kids.
I was sad, but glad Kirby kept up.
Marty didn't like ice hockey, either, the year he played. On the ice was
fine, but he didn't like the locker-room life, nor the way the other kids'
dads treated them. It was stressful for him being around shame and meanness,
it seemed.
He still skates for fun sometimes, but has no interest in hockey or
competitions.
Sandra