Advice Needed
[email protected]
Hi everyone! New to the list and am seriously
considering homeschooling. There is much more
info available than I realized! I have three
girls and two are in school, 4th grade & kindergarten.
Until last year I felt my 9 year old was stimulated
and challenged, not anymore! I don't think my
children are necessarily gifted but they are
certainly capable of much more than what is
currently being offered in public school.
I realize that pre-planning is the key to a
successful start in educating them at home.
I have visited many web sites and requested info
from some regarding Home school association
memberships. I have been told not to go through
my school district. I also ordered a book titled
"Homeschool Almanac"
I would appreciate any suggestions or comments
from those of you who could help me make this
a smooth transition for my girls. Specifically
what I need to look for in an association,
Curriculum and other tips. Thanks a bunch!
considering homeschooling. There is much more
info available than I realized! I have three
girls and two are in school, 4th grade & kindergarten.
Until last year I felt my 9 year old was stimulated
and challenged, not anymore! I don't think my
children are necessarily gifted but they are
certainly capable of much more than what is
currently being offered in public school.
I realize that pre-planning is the key to a
successful start in educating them at home.
I have visited many web sites and requested info
from some regarding Home school association
memberships. I have been told not to go through
my school district. I also ordered a book titled
"Homeschool Almanac"
I would appreciate any suggestions or comments
from those of you who could help me make this
a smooth transition for my girls. Specifically
what I need to look for in an association,
Curriculum and other tips. Thanks a bunch!
Sue
Hi mcmich@... [what's your name?],
My advice is to just do it, take the children out of school and let
them deschool for a while, they will need it. Then after watching
them deschooling you may find [as I did] that your children learn
lots of stuff without being taught.
This can be a difficult concept to grasp while still in the school
mindset, where we are encouraged to believe that children are
empty vessels just waiting to be filled with information, and that the
only way you can fill their heads is to force feed them.
I believe that nothing could possibly be further from the truth, why
look at all an infant learns in its first few years on the planet, a
whole language, lots of complicated interactions between people,
they know so much about the world, and no-one ever sat them at a
desk and made them "learn". Real learning comes from curiosity
and needs, and schooling merely seems to limit these things. The
flame of curiosity is all but extinguished by schools attempt to
make learning such a big deal, and when locked away from the real
world for so many hours each day children have little in the way of
needs, except maybe to escape from education.
I have found that my daughter [1 1/2 years in school] and my son
[6yrs in school] have regained that natural curiosity, it took very
little time for my daughter but my son veged out and did nothing
that seemed to indicate any return of his spirit for almost a year.
Now after over three years away from school's damaging influence
they are real learners following their interests and needs and
teaching themselves through interaction with others, real life
experiences, the internet, cd roms, books etc.
UNSCHOOLING IS GREAT ! ! ! ! ! ! !
- Sue -
The Winona Farm in Minnesota Welcomes Unschoolers All Year Round
My website: http://members.xoom.com/sue_m_e
Farm website: http://homepage.rconnect.com/winfarm
Farm newsletter: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Winonafarm
"To believe in something, and not to live it, is to be dishonest."
-Mahatma Gandhi
My advice is to just do it, take the children out of school and let
them deschool for a while, they will need it. Then after watching
them deschooling you may find [as I did] that your children learn
lots of stuff without being taught.
This can be a difficult concept to grasp while still in the school
mindset, where we are encouraged to believe that children are
empty vessels just waiting to be filled with information, and that the
only way you can fill their heads is to force feed them.
I believe that nothing could possibly be further from the truth, why
look at all an infant learns in its first few years on the planet, a
whole language, lots of complicated interactions between people,
they know so much about the world, and no-one ever sat them at a
desk and made them "learn". Real learning comes from curiosity
and needs, and schooling merely seems to limit these things. The
flame of curiosity is all but extinguished by schools attempt to
make learning such a big deal, and when locked away from the real
world for so many hours each day children have little in the way of
needs, except maybe to escape from education.
I have found that my daughter [1 1/2 years in school] and my son
[6yrs in school] have regained that natural curiosity, it took very
little time for my daughter but my son veged out and did nothing
that seemed to indicate any return of his spirit for almost a year.
Now after over three years away from school's damaging influence
they are real learners following their interests and needs and
teaching themselves through interaction with others, real life
experiences, the internet, cd roms, books etc.
UNSCHOOLING IS GREAT ! ! ! ! ! ! !
- Sue -
The Winona Farm in Minnesota Welcomes Unschoolers All Year Round
My website: http://members.xoom.com/sue_m_e
Farm website: http://homepage.rconnect.com/winfarm
Farm newsletter: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Winonafarm
"To believe in something, and not to live it, is to be dishonest."
-Mahatma Gandhi
[email protected]
Hi, my name is Lisa and I have been homeschooling my children since
January. I have no support for homeschooling on my side of the family
except my husband (whose idea it orginally was to hs)and my children
who are totally all for it. I love having my children home with me
all day long and enjoy being with them. I just started the
unschooling approach about a month or two ago. I love it and so do
the children! I would never send them back to ps again unless the
children insisted that they wanted to go. But, I don't think that
will happen anytime soon! Anyway my problem is my mom. She just
totally opposes the idea of homeschooling especially unschooling. I
tried to keep the whole unschooling idea in the closet, hidden from
her so I wouldn't have to try to explain the idea behind it all. She
is so narrow minded on the subject and argues that the kids "will
never learn beyond what I know or what's around them to know." I
tried to tell her that children will learn in any area that interests
them far beyond what I know or can tell them. That I have learned far
beyond what she or any public school has taught me. That I went on to
learn things in areas that interest me. I know I don't live my life
or raise my children to make her happy but it bothers me when I don't
have her support. Does anyone know how I could handle this situation
better? I get so upset and teary eyed everytime she puts me down for
what I feel like is best for my children. Then I start wondering if
they won't learn properly. Will they learn enough by unschooling. Can
anyone reassure me of my decision to homeschool?
Lisa, whose confused and upset at the moment.
January. I have no support for homeschooling on my side of the family
except my husband (whose idea it orginally was to hs)and my children
who are totally all for it. I love having my children home with me
all day long and enjoy being with them. I just started the
unschooling approach about a month or two ago. I love it and so do
the children! I would never send them back to ps again unless the
children insisted that they wanted to go. But, I don't think that
will happen anytime soon! Anyway my problem is my mom. She just
totally opposes the idea of homeschooling especially unschooling. I
tried to keep the whole unschooling idea in the closet, hidden from
her so I wouldn't have to try to explain the idea behind it all. She
is so narrow minded on the subject and argues that the kids "will
never learn beyond what I know or what's around them to know." I
tried to tell her that children will learn in any area that interests
them far beyond what I know or can tell them. That I have learned far
beyond what she or any public school has taught me. That I went on to
learn things in areas that interest me. I know I don't live my life
or raise my children to make her happy but it bothers me when I don't
have her support. Does anyone know how I could handle this situation
better? I get so upset and teary eyed everytime she puts me down for
what I feel like is best for my children. Then I start wondering if
they won't learn properly. Will they learn enough by unschooling. Can
anyone reassure me of my decision to homeschool?
Lisa, whose confused and upset at the moment.
Stephanie Holzbaur
---> I have no support for homeschooling on my side of the family .>>>
Lisa
I know what you are going through. We knew we were going to
homeschool/unschool before our son was born. It took my mom a while
to get homeschooling, now she needs to get unschooling. She just
sent us a huge expensive box full of school, flash cards & workbooks.
Our son is only 5 so she has a little time to get the whole idea.
What we did was to take her to a homeschool/unschool conference.
Also giving someone a book doesn't always help but if you copied some
passages that might help her more than an entire book, she may never
read. Also avoid the type that puts down school. Show the benefits
of homeschool/unschool on their own merits.
My mom is also excited to be able to share her interest with our
son.
Stephanie H. upstate NY
Lisa
I know what you are going through. We knew we were going to
homeschool/unschool before our son was born. It took my mom a while
to get homeschooling, now she needs to get unschooling. She just
sent us a huge expensive box full of school, flash cards & workbooks.
Our son is only 5 so she has a little time to get the whole idea.
What we did was to take her to a homeschool/unschool conference.
Also giving someone a book doesn't always help but if you copied some
passages that might help her more than an entire book, she may never
read. Also avoid the type that puts down school. Show the benefits
of homeschool/unschool on their own merits.
My mom is also excited to be able to share her interest with our
son.
Stephanie H. upstate NY
Anita Bower
I think the beginning of unschooling is the hardest for others to
understand and accept.
My parents were teachers and committed to education. They never criticized
me. But, it took a number of years for them to see that our way works.
Perhaps your mother will change her mind, or at least soften some, when she
sees that your children are curious and learning and developing good
character traits as time goes on. It can take time.
Anita
PA
"There are many will claim to tell you what is due from you, but only one
who can shear through the many, and reach the truth. And that is you, by
what light falls for you to show the way." Brother Cadfael in "The Devil's
Novice" by Ellis Peters.
understand and accept.
My parents were teachers and committed to education. They never criticized
me. But, it took a number of years for them to see that our way works.
Perhaps your mother will change her mind, or at least soften some, when she
sees that your children are curious and learning and developing good
character traits as time goes on. It can take time.
Anita
PA
"There are many will claim to tell you what is due from you, but only one
who can shear through the many, and reach the truth. And that is you, by
what light falls for you to show the way." Brother Cadfael in "The Devil's
Novice" by Ellis Peters.