Inna Manni

Hi everyone,

I've been lurking here for a little while and I guess now that I
posted I might as well instroduce myself.

I am currently living in IL with my daughter (2), husband, and 3
dogs. Before I became a mom I was a web developer and a doula. But
trying to do the parenting thing right is taking up all of my time.

My two obstacles between myself and unschooling are my husband and my
mother. He, because he just doesn't understand how one can learn math
and science without setting up a classroom-like environment and
lecturing/giving homework. She, because she believes that one would
be socially stanted without school and would have no friends. I am
winning him over by giving him various articles with examples. Mom, I
have invited to the unschooling conference this August - of course,
my daughter is acting as bait. I hope she comes, and sees the other
unschoolers' children - that would be the best way to get her to stop
badgering me and telling me that I am just lazy and taking the easy
way out.

I have to say that though I am on many different MLs for my various
interests, you guys are the most well articulated, well mannered,
supportive and opinionated group! I wish I had the time to sit and
read every one of the 200+ posts/day ;)

Inna (spinfrog)



__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes
http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/signingbonus

J. Stauffer

<<<< My two obstacles between myself and unschooling are my husband and my
> mother.>>>>
********************************************

I am always so impressed with people who make decisions ahead of time (since
you don't have to decide about hsing until she reaches school age).

Since you have this time, I think you have an effective argument for your dh
about unschooling. Ask him to make a list of the things your daughter knows
NOW. How long of sentences she uses, does she recognize numbers, what
colors does she know, can she count, etc., etc., etc....

Have him make another list when she is 3, then 4, then 5. It will put her
unschooling progress right there in front of him. By the time she is 5, she
is liable to be able to recognize several numbers (mine learned by working
the microwave), tell the difference of greater or less (mine learned by
someone not sharing the cookies equally), simple addition and subtraction
(mine learned by figuring out how many more forks they needed to go back and
get to finish setting the table), etc..

He will see the math, the science, etc..

Good luck.

Julie S.

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/14/04 4:56:17 AM, SpinFrog@... writes:

<< I hope she comes, and sees the other
unschoolers' children - that would be the best way to get her to stop
badgering me and telling me that I am just lazy and taking the easy
way out. >>

Feel free to invite Marty over and introduce him to her. He's never been to
school, and he makes a pretty good first impression. He's 15 suddenly
(today). He used to be pretty shy, but no more.

-=-My two obstacles between myself and unschooling are my husband and my
mother. He, because he just doesn't understand how one can learn math
and science without setting up a classroom-like environment and
lecturing/giving homework. She, because she believes that one would
be socially stanted without school and would have no friends. -=-

They'll get over those things soon.

Here's some math stuff and links to Pam Sorooshian's MORE math stuff:

http://sandradodd.com/math

Sandra

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/14/2004 5:56:17 AM Central Standard Time,
SpinFrog@... writes:


> I am currently living in IL

There's a homeschooling (not strictly unschooling) conference coming up at
the end of March in Arlington Heights. We went when the kids were 2 and 3. It
changed my husband's life to see all those kids and parents behaving
respectfully towards each other.

Here's the link: http://www.homeeducatorsconference.org

Also, there's the Illinois HOUSE group - a secular, inclusive group, but some
chapters are more unschooly than others. www.illinoishouse.org.

Hope that helps. For my husband, seeing was believing. And I started on him
when the kids were really young. I leave stuff to read by the computer, so
he'll browse while burning cds. He's read all of John Holt that way. Sneaky?
Yes, but there's nothing like being greeted in the morning with "I was
reading John Holt this morning, and..."

Elizabeth (also in IL)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]