Re: teaching or learning?
Brown
Andi, I feel that it is important that on an unschooling list that we need to
be very aware that *teaching* is a very loaded word. You wrote:
that is unschooling. When you *help* someone by teaching them what you think
they want/need to learn, then you are treading on more uncertain ground. You
may know that in order for your child to learn his desired x, he first needs
to learn another step, y. But until he has recognised that for himself, any
teaching is not, IMO, unschooling.
For many people *teaching* bears the connotations of force / imposition / lack
of choice / an emphasis on something imposed from without, while *learning*
almost invariably implies something internal, something done and controlled by
the learner. As unschoolers (or in my case, aspiring unschoolers), we try to
keep that emphasis on the learner. One way we can remind ourselves of this is
through the careful use of language. I try to think and speak of myself as a
facilitator or a helper. My children (18, 15, 12, 9) may not have been to
school for more than a few weeks, but they live in the world, they have
friends at school, they watch TV, they have picked up that meaning of *teach*.
So I feel that, although some may not feel like that about the word, it is
better to avoid using it when talking about unschooling, just to avoid
confusion, and better not to use it with one's children, in preparation for
the time when they may interpret it negatively.
However, the use of a word in a different way to others does not change your
personal reality :-) You can use the word teach and still be an unschooler -
it's just that others may not recognise you!
Carol
be very aware that *teaching* is a very loaded word. You wrote:
> I personally cant say that. I will help isaac learn which some people callWhen you help someone learn what they ask you to help them with, then yes,
> teaching whenever he wants or asks. Maybe i am misunderstanding soemthing
> here or maybe i am just not a unschooler. i thought i was.
that is unschooling. When you *help* someone by teaching them what you think
they want/need to learn, then you are treading on more uncertain ground. You
may know that in order for your child to learn his desired x, he first needs
to learn another step, y. But until he has recognised that for himself, any
teaching is not, IMO, unschooling.
For many people *teaching* bears the connotations of force / imposition / lack
of choice / an emphasis on something imposed from without, while *learning*
almost invariably implies something internal, something done and controlled by
the learner. As unschoolers (or in my case, aspiring unschoolers), we try to
keep that emphasis on the learner. One way we can remind ourselves of this is
through the careful use of language. I try to think and speak of myself as a
facilitator or a helper. My children (18, 15, 12, 9) may not have been to
school for more than a few weeks, but they live in the world, they have
friends at school, they watch TV, they have picked up that meaning of *teach*.
So I feel that, although some may not feel like that about the word, it is
better to avoid using it when talking about unschooling, just to avoid
confusion, and better not to use it with one's children, in preparation for
the time when they may interpret it negatively.
However, the use of a word in a different way to others does not change your
personal reality :-) You can use the word teach and still be an unschooler -
it's just that others may not recognise you!
Carol
Andi Kaufman
CArol, thanks for your reply. you cleared up many things for me.
he has to isnt.
You
said that i thought it would be easier to learn regular division first. is
that what you mean?
conotation for the word but now i understand that others do.
Andi...domestic goddess and active volunteer
mom to Isaac
tl2b@...
Never Underestimate the Power of This Woman!
>When you help someone learn what they ask you to help them with, then yes,so helping to learn division cus he asked is unschooling. but telling him
>that is unschooling. When you *help* someone by teaching them what you think
>they want/need to learn, then you are treading on more uncertain ground.
he has to isnt.
You
>may know that in order for your child to learn his desired x, he first needswhat about the fact that isaac wanted to learn divison with a remainder and
>to learn another step, y. But until he has recognised that for himself, any
>teaching is not, IMO, unschooling.
said that i thought it would be easier to learn regular division first. is
that what you mean?
>For many people *teaching* bears the connotations of force / imposition / lackthat is what I have just learned. I guess i just didnt have a very negative
>of choice / an emphasis on something imposed from without, while *learning*
>almost invariably implies something internal, something done and controlled by
>the learner. As unschoolers (or in my case, aspiring unschoolers), we try to
>keep that emphasis on the learner. One way we can remind ourselves of this is
>through the careful use of language.
conotation for the word but now i understand that others do.
Andi...domestic goddess and active volunteer
mom to Isaac
tl2b@...
Never Underestimate the Power of This Woman!
[email protected]
<< You
said that i thought it would be easier to learn regular division first. is
that what you mean?>>
I would have shown him both ways right then and there, and he can tell you
when he's confused. What if you decide he WOULD be confused, but you're
wrong? What if he can learn it all at once because 1) he asked and 2) he's
ready and 3) he knows more than you think he does?
A "lesson" with unschoolers might last 30 seconds, or three hours. We've
found ourselves on the floor in the library at our house at midnight with
books all around because the kids have gotten interested in some question,
and until they stop asking more and looking at whatever I haul off the shelf
and show them, wee don't quit. I don't look at the clock and say, "That's 45
minutes; let's meet back heere tomorrow night, same time." And sometimes
they ask a question with the perfect potential for me to do a three hour
theme party, but they really just want a five word answer, and with "Thanks!"
they're off...
It can be difficult for new unschoolers to accept that learning doesn't come
in half hour or hour long blocks.
Sandra
>may know that in order for your child to learn his desired x, he first needs<<what about the fact that isaac wanted to learn divison with a remainder and
>to learn another step, y. But until he has recognised that for himself, any
>teaching is not, IMO, unschooling.
said that i thought it would be easier to learn regular division first. is
that what you mean?>>
I would have shown him both ways right then and there, and he can tell you
when he's confused. What if you decide he WOULD be confused, but you're
wrong? What if he can learn it all at once because 1) he asked and 2) he's
ready and 3) he knows more than you think he does?
A "lesson" with unschoolers might last 30 seconds, or three hours. We've
found ourselves on the floor in the library at our house at midnight with
books all around because the kids have gotten interested in some question,
and until they stop asking more and looking at whatever I haul off the shelf
and show them, wee don't quit. I don't look at the clock and say, "That's 45
minutes; let's meet back heere tomorrow night, same time." And sometimes
they ask a question with the perfect potential for me to do a three hour
theme party, but they really just want a five word answer, and with "Thanks!"
they're off...
It can be difficult for new unschoolers to accept that learning doesn't come
in half hour or hour long blocks.
Sandra
Andi Kaufman
>From: SandraDodd@...in this case you are probably right but there are times that I am the one
>
><< You
>>may know that in order for your child to learn his desired x, he first needs
>>to learn another step, y. But until he has recognised that for himself, any
>>teaching is not, IMO, unschooling.
>
><<what about the fact that isaac wanted to learn divison with a remainder and
>said that i thought it would be easier to learn regular division first. is
>that what you mean?>>
>
>I would have shown him both ways right then and there, and he can tell you
>when he's confused. What if you decide he WOULD be confused, but you're
>wrong? What if he can learn it all at once because 1) he asked and 2) he's
>ready and 3) he knows more than you think he does?
to make a decision cus i am grown up. and It is my responsibilty to keep
him safe. when it comes to knives, I would not let him just pick it up and
play with it. he wanted to do that 2 but i said, yes you can use it but
first you have to learn a bit about it.
>It can be difficult for new unschoolers to accept that learning doesn't comeI fuuly accept that. we just finished an hour long conversation on G-d. But
>in half hour or hour long blocks.
I will say that at 10 pm at nite i am not up to looking up things and
having big discussions. Isaaac can but my mind is gone by then
Andi...domestic goddess and active volunteer
mom to Isaac
tl2b@...
Never Underestimate the Power of This Woman!