Paula Sjogerman

on 9/11/03 11:12 PM, [email protected] at
[email protected] wrote:

> Weird, isn't. I have to ring other homeschoolers up and arrange things.
> Very rarely do we meet someone out on the fly like that. Gives a new
> meaning to spontaneity and freedom.


Liza, you should move to Chicago! We do usually arrange things, but there
are tons of homeschoolers and my kids are out and about with groups as much
as they want to be.

Paula

J. Stauffer

<<Still there are no school aged kids on the playground>>

I don't know the ages of your children but we have something of the same
problem here in semi-rural Texas. Lots and lots of homeschoolers but all
are sitting at the kitchen table until 3 or 4 with a stack of workbooks.

What has worked for us is the kids simply following their passions. They
find people of all varying ages who share their interests and it has led to
lots of friendships. Adriane is in gymnastics about 9 hours a week and her
best friend right now is 2 years younger than herself. Zach is only 10 but
is really into skeet shooting with 4-H. Most of the kids he hangs out with
are much older. We also do utilize the local "school at home" support group
for the kids to meet more kids their own age. I figure if the kids find
people they like to spend time with, it isn't particularly important that
all the parents agree on educational philosophy.

Julie

Shyrley

Paula Sjogerman wrote:

>on 9/11/03 11:12 PM, [email protected] at
>[email protected] wrote:
>
>
>
>>Weird, isn't. I have to ring other homeschoolers up and arrange things.
>>Very rarely do we meet someone out on the fly like that. Gives a new
>>meaning to spontaneity and freedom.
>>
>>
>
>
>Liza, you should move to Chicago! We do usually arrange things, but there
>are tons of homeschoolers and my kids are out and about with groups as much
>as they want to be.
>
>Paula
>
>
>
>
Man, did I ever move to the wrong place. Here there are tons of
homeschoolers but 99.9% of them at school-at-home and Christian. I gave
up phoning people due to the fact that even on a nice non-humid day they
wouldn't come play cos of 'lessons' or 'tests' or the child had showed
disrespect that morning and was grounded all day until they 'learned'.
We now only see 2 people and the kids are very lonely :-(

Shyrley


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[email protected]

In a message dated 9/12/03 9:38:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jnjstau@...
writes:

> don't know the ages of your children but we have something of the same
> problem here in semi-rural Texas. Lots and lots of homeschoolers but all
> are sitting at the kitchen table until 3 or 4 with a stack of workbooks.
>
> What has worked for us is the kids simply following their passions. They
> find people of all varying ages who share their interests and it has led to
> lots of friendships. Adriane is in gymnastics about 9 hours a week and her
> best friend right now is 2 years younger than herself. Zach is only 10 but
> is really into skeet shooting with 4-H. Most of the kids he hangs out with
> are much older. We also do utilize the local "school at home" support group
> for the kids to meet more kids their own age. I figure if the kids find
> people they like to spend time with, it isn't particularly important that
> all the parents agree on educational philosophy.
>

I hate to copy all of what Julie said.. but, I just wanted to say DITTO to
all of it. The situation is much the same here in NC. Homeschooling is growing
by leaps and bounds, unschooling is a bit slower :-) We just have to make
adjustments for the school at home crowd.. Play group is in the afternoon...
it seems they limit a lot of "field trips" ( we just call them "going to so
and so"..lol) ..There is usually some curriculum, testing, grade level talk
among the mothers, but Pam and I just kind of tune it out or nod and smile..
Until unschooling becomes more popular around here, I guess she and I will just
continue to be the wierd ones.. LOL. It's funny though, because we think THEY
are wierd.. Yesterday, a gorgeous day at the park..perfect weather.. One
mother said they had to go home because her daughter didn't finish her school
work that morning. And another mother promised her son a "mega reward" for
reciting the American's Creed. Our kids were watching a soccer game and eating
cow tails.. lol

Teresa


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liza sabater

On Friday, September 12, 2003, at 09:51 AM, Shyrley wrote:
> Man, did I ever move to the wrong place. Here there are tons of
> homeschoolers but 99.9% of them at school-at-home and Christian. I gave
> up phoning people due to the fact that even on a nice non-humid day
> they
> wouldn't come play cos of 'lessons' or 'tests' or the child had showed
> disrespect that morning and was grounded all day until they 'learned'.
> We now only see 2 people and the kids are very lonely :-(
>
> Shyrley


You know what Shyrley, I have to agree with you. It did not even
occurred to me, while writing my original post. So in the end, it all
ends up being a result of the schooling mentality. It's amazing to me
how much of a stronghold it has in our society.

Unschooling, even more so than homeschooling, is definitely a way of
life.

/ l i z a, nyc
============================
http://culturekitchen.com
http://liza.typepad.com

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