Re:inclined towards unschooling, and anxious, totally...
edgeofchaos
----- Original Message -----
From: edgeofchaos
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, 22 January, 2003 8:16 PM
Subject: Re:inclined towards unschooling, and anxious, totally...
Dear Sandra,
I am a reader of your articles in HEM, as well as of your posts on Unschooling-dotcom. I admire your wisdom and experience, and would appreciate some advice.
I am a mom of 2 kids, ages 3 and 5+. Neither child has ever been to daycare, preschool, or school. I have mountains of books on homeschooling, unschooling, classical education and the like.
Unfortunately, I am lacking in the arenas of confidence and well-being as they relate to my participation in the "education" of my children.
Recently I went to my 1st review under an umbrella group. The reviewer is a Christian who operates under the OK of her church. I am not religiously affiliated; I am placing myself and children under this umbrella to avoid BOE scrutiny/ interference. I went to the review with a daily log detailing our family's activities as they related to living, loving, learning,discovering and amazement--with a dash of humour thrown in here and there. The reviewer was almost astounded with the format and amount of information. Alas, when all was said and done, she didn't even read what was made available for her, but wanted instead, an outline form to keep for her records, and worksheet books/ papers as proof that my child was actually doing "required" work.
Well, I had been anxious before, what with my young 'uns spending mucho time on the computer playing games, in front of the TV watching cartoons fervently, ( in addition to many other activities, discussions, etc. both in and out of doors,) and disdainful of any coercion period. Now with the specter of workbooks looming on the near horizon, I am approaching meltdown and am very unsure of myself, and what the future holds. I am attracted to what I understand of unschooling. Then when I pick up a book like The Well~Trained Mind, by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer, I freak out and want to throw in the towel.
I am afraid that I have not developed even myself to an "acceptable" degree and have a Swiss cheese archetype to show for my personal curriculum model.
If you have read thus far, thank-you for your time. Should you choose to reply, I would be immensely grateful.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Betsy
**Recently I went to my 1st review under an umbrella group. The
reviewer is a Christian who
operates under the OK of her church. I am not religiously affiliated;
I am placing myself
and children under this umbrella to avoid BOE scrutiny/ interference.**
Hi, "edgeofchaos" --
What state are you in? Are you familiar with the laws of your state
that pertain to homeschoooling? A good, local homeschooling group, or a
state homeschooling organization can fill you in on laws, plus give you
current information about the homeschooling "climate" in your state. I
just want to say that homeschooling really isn't dangerous. (In the USA.)
I know a few homeschoolers who are into classical education and none of
them do everything that is outlined in The Well Trained Mind. I don't
see how anyone could possibly do all that. I think trying to do all
that is a recipe for a nervous breakdown.
That said, I still do have occasional fits of nervousness about whether
enough learning is happening in my house. I just try not to give in to them.
Betsy
reviewer is a Christian who
operates under the OK of her church. I am not religiously affiliated;
I am placing myself
and children under this umbrella to avoid BOE scrutiny/ interference.**
Hi, "edgeofchaos" --
What state are you in? Are you familiar with the laws of your state
that pertain to homeschoooling? A good, local homeschooling group, or a
state homeschooling organization can fill you in on laws, plus give you
current information about the homeschooling "climate" in your state. I
just want to say that homeschooling really isn't dangerous. (In the USA.)
I know a few homeschoolers who are into classical education and none of
them do everything that is outlined in The Well Trained Mind. I don't
see how anyone could possibly do all that. I think trying to do all
that is a recipe for a nervous breakdown.
That said, I still do have occasional fits of nervousness about whether
enough learning is happening in my house. I just try not to give in to them.
Betsy
Have a Nice Day!
I'm not Sandra, but we have pretty rigourous requirements in PA, including an end of year evaluation.
We have the advantage of choosing our own evaluators though.
Is it possible for you to find another umbrella, or to use another evaluator within the umbrella you have?
I'd start there before freaking out over textbooks and such. You need an end of year resource that agrees with your philosophy.
What state are you in?
Kristen
We have the advantage of choosing our own evaluators though.
Is it possible for you to find another umbrella, or to use another evaluator within the umbrella you have?
I'd start there before freaking out over textbooks and such. You need an end of year resource that agrees with your philosophy.
What state are you in?
Kristen
----- Original Message -----
From: edgeofchaos
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 9:13 PM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re:inclined towards unschooling, and anxious, totally...
----- Original Message -----
From: edgeofchaos
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, 22 January, 2003 8:16 PM
Subject: Re:inclined towards unschooling, and anxious, totally...
Dear Sandra,
I am a reader of your articles in HEM, as well as of your posts on Unschooling-dotcom. I admire your wisdom and experience, and would appreciate some advice.
I am a mom of 2 kids, ages 3 and 5+. Neither child has ever been to daycare, preschool, or school. I have mountains of books on homeschooling, unschooling, classical education and the like.
Unfortunately, I am lacking in the arenas of confidence and well-being as they relate to my participation in the "education" of my children.
Recently I went to my 1st review under an umbrella group. The reviewer is a Christian who operates under the OK of her church. I am not religiously affiliated; I am placing myself and children under this umbrella to avoid BOE scrutiny/ interference. I went to the review with a daily log detailing our family's activities as they related to living, loving, learning,discovering and amazement--with a dash of humour thrown in here and there. The reviewer was almost astounded with the format and amount of information. Alas, when all was said and done, she didn't even read what was made available for her, but wanted instead, an outline form to keep for her records, and worksheet books/ papers as proof that my child was actually doing "required" work.
Well, I had been anxious before, what with my young 'uns spending mucho time on the computer playing games, in front of the TV watching cartoons fervently, ( in addition to many other activities, discussions, etc. both in and out of doors,) and disdainful of any coercion period. Now with the specter of workbooks looming on the near horizon, I am approaching meltdown and am very unsure of myself, and what the future holds. I am attracted to what I understand of unschooling. Then when I pick up a book like The Well~Trained Mind, by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer, I freak out and want to throw in the towel.
I am afraid that I have not developed even myself to an "acceptable" degree and have a Swiss cheese archetype to show for my personal curriculum model.
If you have read thus far, thank-you for your time. Should you choose to reply, I would be immensely grateful.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT
~~~~ Don't forget! If you change topics, change the subject line! ~~~~
If you have questions, concerns or problems with this list, please email the moderator, Joyce Fetteroll (fetteroll@...), or the list owner, Helen Hegener (HEM-Editor@...).
To unsubscribe from this group, click on the following link or address an email to:
[email protected]
Visit the Unschooling website: http://www.unschooling.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
I'm glad you sent this here. I looked for the original one earlier today and
couldn't find it.
It's usually better to ask hundreds of people than one person anyway.
In a message dated 1/22/03 7:19:24 PM, edgeofchaos@... writes:
<< Unfortunately, I am lacking in the arenas of confidence and well-being as
they relate to my participation in the "education" of my children. >>
Where do you think you'll get those things?
How did you learn to feed babies? From books before you had babies?
How did you learn to hold and carry a baby? How did you learn to change
diapers?
All that happens on the job. So does unschooling.
You need to just be DOING it, not reading about it. And as you do it it will
start to make more and more sense. Every success will give you confidence.
<<...but wanted instead, an outline form to keep for her records, and
worksheet books/ papers as proof that my child was actually doing "required"
work.>>
Ask her for samples of other families' records?
Find a different umbrella group?
Learn to see the learning happening in all the things you're doing. You can
do that.
<<Well, I had been anxious before, what with my young 'uns spending mucho
time on the computer playing games, in front of the TV watching cartoons
fervently, ( in addition to many other activities, discussions, etc. both in
and out of doors,) and disdainful of any coercion period. >>
You shouldn't need coercion to write down what they've learned.
<<Now with the specter of workbooks looming on the near horizon>>
You shouldn't have to use workbooks if you don't want to.
<<I am afraid that I have not developed even myself to an "acceptable" degree
and have a Swiss cheese archetype to show for my personal curriculum model.>>
Forget curriculum then. You don't need one.
Please read these and actually DO some of the stuff. Reading and being
surrounded by readings and verbal input is like surrounding yourself with
articles on diapering and nursing, but not actually picking up the baby and
doing it, and looking at the baby to see what she thinks about it, and
smiling and cooing back and forth.
The same way the kids can learn from videos and computer games and stuff, YOU
can be learning too, with them, not necessarily the same things. DO what you
want them to do. Do it with them and start to feel the rhythm of natural
learning.
http://sandradodd.com/truck
http://sandradodd.com/deschooling
http://sandradodd.com/museum
Sandra
couldn't find it.
It's usually better to ask hundreds of people than one person anyway.
In a message dated 1/22/03 7:19:24 PM, edgeofchaos@... writes:
<< Unfortunately, I am lacking in the arenas of confidence and well-being as
they relate to my participation in the "education" of my children. >>
Where do you think you'll get those things?
How did you learn to feed babies? From books before you had babies?
How did you learn to hold and carry a baby? How did you learn to change
diapers?
All that happens on the job. So does unschooling.
You need to just be DOING it, not reading about it. And as you do it it will
start to make more and more sense. Every success will give you confidence.
<<...but wanted instead, an outline form to keep for her records, and
worksheet books/ papers as proof that my child was actually doing "required"
work.>>
Ask her for samples of other families' records?
Find a different umbrella group?
Learn to see the learning happening in all the things you're doing. You can
do that.
<<Well, I had been anxious before, what with my young 'uns spending mucho
time on the computer playing games, in front of the TV watching cartoons
fervently, ( in addition to many other activities, discussions, etc. both in
and out of doors,) and disdainful of any coercion period. >>
You shouldn't need coercion to write down what they've learned.
<<Now with the specter of workbooks looming on the near horizon>>
You shouldn't have to use workbooks if you don't want to.
<<I am afraid that I have not developed even myself to an "acceptable" degree
and have a Swiss cheese archetype to show for my personal curriculum model.>>
Forget curriculum then. You don't need one.
Please read these and actually DO some of the stuff. Reading and being
surrounded by readings and verbal input is like surrounding yourself with
articles on diapering and nursing, but not actually picking up the baby and
doing it, and looking at the baby to see what she thinks about it, and
smiling and cooing back and forth.
The same way the kids can learn from videos and computer games and stuff, YOU
can be learning too, with them, not necessarily the same things. DO what you
want them to do. Do it with them and start to feel the rhythm of natural
learning.
http://sandradodd.com/truck
http://sandradodd.com/deschooling
http://sandradodd.com/museum
Sandra