Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Was: Interrogated by a teacher Is: Interrogated by h...
[email protected]
In a message dated 1/18/03 9:11:11 AM Pacific Standard Time,
julie@... writes:
handle it or how they'd handle it. I remember recently when My children and
I were at a neighbor's house and they had family over. I was talking with a
few ladies at the table and they asked me if my daughter was in pre-school.
I said no, she's learning at home. During our discussion my daughter and a
little boy, who was almost 5, were laughing and playing at the table. The
father of the little boy came over and started drilling my daughter. He
started asking her questions. My daughter just stared at him and never
answered any of his questions. His son answered all of the questions. At
first I didn't understand why he was asking so many questions and then I
realized he must have been listening to the conversation about my daughter
not going to preschool and his son going to preschool. He left the table
with a proud smile on his face. He was proud that his son could regurgitate
facts on command, but my daughter couldn't answer any of his questions. My
daughter didn't seem to care and nor did I. I knew my daughter knew the
answers, but didn't want to answer them. It did give me an insight as to
what might happen to her as she gets older. Adults will be questioning her
and finding out what she's learning. At this point, it doesn't bother me,
but it might when she gets older, and if she feels hurt or belittled from the
questions. I don't know what I'll do then. Knowing me, I'll inform them and
give them more information than what they'll need.
This impressed them, but the skepticism didn't go away that
easily. They all decided that my daughter is an exceptionally
motivated, unique "good" girl. (This is what I've always
heard--"Your kids are really neat. My kids aren't like yours. They
don't have interests. They would veg out all day in front of the TV
so I have to require things of them...") We've always appeared to
be very unstructured compared to everyone we know. And my
kids have always had a lot of diverse interests that they pursue
on their own.
What parents don't realize is how quickly kids can become interested and
motivated on their own if they only had the opportunity. I believe TV and
other things are a way for kids (and adults) to get a way from the real
world, which isn't very fun, and to veg out in fantasy land.
Patti
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
julie@... writes:
> Patti, what have you done when your kids get the interrogation?My children are not of school age or a teenager so I don't know how I'd
> My poor 13 yodd went to dinner at a friend's house last night.
> These are the support group leaders for our homeschool group.
> My dd had shared a bit with her friend about our decision to put
> the reins in the hands of the kids for their education. I made
> certain that when she shared with her friends that she be careful
> not to say, "We don't have to do school any more." However, no
> matter how it gets explained, I'm finding out that kids hear "They
> don't do school any more."
>
>
handle it or how they'd handle it. I remember recently when My children and
I were at a neighbor's house and they had family over. I was talking with a
few ladies at the table and they asked me if my daughter was in pre-school.
I said no, she's learning at home. During our discussion my daughter and a
little boy, who was almost 5, were laughing and playing at the table. The
father of the little boy came over and started drilling my daughter. He
started asking her questions. My daughter just stared at him and never
answered any of his questions. His son answered all of the questions. At
first I didn't understand why he was asking so many questions and then I
realized he must have been listening to the conversation about my daughter
not going to preschool and his son going to preschool. He left the table
with a proud smile on his face. He was proud that his son could regurgitate
facts on command, but my daughter couldn't answer any of his questions. My
daughter didn't seem to care and nor did I. I knew my daughter knew the
answers, but didn't want to answer them. It did give me an insight as to
what might happen to her as she gets older. Adults will be questioning her
and finding out what she's learning. At this point, it doesn't bother me,
but it might when she gets older, and if she feels hurt or belittled from the
questions. I don't know what I'll do then. Knowing me, I'll inform them and
give them more information than what they'll need.
This impressed them, but the skepticism didn't go away that
easily. They all decided that my daughter is an exceptionally
motivated, unique "good" girl. (This is what I've always
heard--"Your kids are really neat. My kids aren't like yours. They
don't have interests. They would veg out all day in front of the TV
so I have to require things of them...") We've always appeared to
be very unstructured compared to everyone we know. And my
kids have always had a lot of diverse interests that they pursue
on their own.
What parents don't realize is how quickly kids can become interested and
motivated on their own if they only had the opportunity. I believe TV and
other things are a way for kids (and adults) to get a way from the real
world, which isn't very fun, and to veg out in fantasy land.
Patti
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 1/18/03 9:11:11 AM Pacific Standard Time,
julie@... writes:
want certain people to understand and want to take the time to explain what
they do and have done in the past week, they can do that. If there are
people in their lives who keep asking questions, seem ignorant about what
unschooling, relaxed schooling or homeschooling, she can supply them with
some materials to read, a list of what she's learning, a portfolio or
scrapbook of some of the things she's done and any other information that
might satisfy their curiosities and answer some of their questions. If your
daughter seems to be upset about all of the questions and feels they are only
asked in a sarcastic, mean, and hurtful way, maybe you can talk to whomever
is interrogating her.
I think the term "Unschooling" is a word that adults interpret as kids not
having to learn. They just do what they want, which would never include
reading, learning measurements by building a birdhouse, learn the parts of a
flower by planting flowers and observing their parts, learn geography by
studying the migration of different birds, etc. The idea that kids can learn
without someone dictating to them what they have to learn is too hard for
most people to digest. They can't seem to get past the idea that if someone
doesn't "teach" them, how will they learn? They don't seem to realize that
their children can be just like your daughter, ie. full of curiosities, lots
of motivation to learn, and be independent about their learning.
You may want to ask someone who is more experienced with unschooling older
children.
Patti
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
julie@... writes:
> Do you think kids ought to have to "defend" their way ofI don't think kids should have to defend their way of schooling, but if they
> schooling? How have your kids handled these kinds of "on the
> spot" interviews?
>
want certain people to understand and want to take the time to explain what
they do and have done in the past week, they can do that. If there are
people in their lives who keep asking questions, seem ignorant about what
unschooling, relaxed schooling or homeschooling, she can supply them with
some materials to read, a list of what she's learning, a portfolio or
scrapbook of some of the things she's done and any other information that
might satisfy their curiosities and answer some of their questions. If your
daughter seems to be upset about all of the questions and feels they are only
asked in a sarcastic, mean, and hurtful way, maybe you can talk to whomever
is interrogating her.
I think the term "Unschooling" is a word that adults interpret as kids not
having to learn. They just do what they want, which would never include
reading, learning measurements by building a birdhouse, learn the parts of a
flower by planting flowers and observing their parts, learn geography by
studying the migration of different birds, etc. The idea that kids can learn
without someone dictating to them what they have to learn is too hard for
most people to digest. They can't seem to get past the idea that if someone
doesn't "teach" them, how will they learn? They don't seem to realize that
their children can be just like your daughter, ie. full of curiosities, lots
of motivation to learn, and be independent about their learning.
You may want to ask someone who is more experienced with unschooling older
children.
Patti
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 1/18/03 12:39:11 PM, HappyMato2@... writes:
<< (This is what I've always
heard--"Your kids are really neat. My kids aren't like yours. They
don't have interests. They would veg out all day in front of the TV
so I have to require things of them...") >>
Right.
They would veg out all day BECAUSE they're requiring things of them.
Carts before horses.
Sandra
<< (This is what I've always
heard--"Your kids are really neat. My kids aren't like yours. They
don't have interests. They would veg out all day in front of the TV
so I have to require things of them...") >>
Right.
They would veg out all day BECAUSE they're requiring things of them.
Carts before horses.
Sandra