Are there any other whole-life unschoolers here?

[TubbyChicken]

Quote:
I love hearing about the things other homeschool families do as well! My kids are big history buffs so we are always doing something with history. Right now, they are wanting to learn to make some things from American Indian culture and I'm hoping to find a pow-wow we can go to. We also recently started discussing WWII, but have gone back to WWI since so much that happened during WWI had an effect on WWII (keep in mind my boys are 7 and 8 years old).

We have some meat birds right now, so we are keeping a journal of how much we spend on them so that when processing time comes, we can determine how much it costs per pound to raise our own meat.

We are part of a local co-op as well. We meet every Monday and my kids take classes like karate, music, drama, science, kid biz (a class where they learn to run a small business), needlework, and brain games. All the kids are homeschoolers and all the teachers are homeschool parents. No homework is required though some classes have optional homework. It is a great opportunity for my kids to learn some things that may not be my forte, and for me to offer my knowledge to others (I teach music and something called adventure club).

We play a lot of games as part of our day. Right now my kids are setting up a game of Clue, which of course helps teach reading and logical thinking. We love playing yahtzee which is great for working on math skills. We listen to books on cd every time we are in the car and that has really given their vocabularies a boost since they hear books that are more advanced than their reading skills.

So what things do you do?

I love the idea of listening to books on cd! My son is still very young, only 2 1/2...

We try to spend the day indulging his imagination, working with and around meeting his sensory needs and exploring the world.

Now that the weather is warming up we've been talking a lot about starting our garden, he will help me tend to the starting seeds and work on a very small garden of his own. He LOVES animals right now...Andora and I were just talking about planning a trip to the zoo this spring. We have lots of plans to hike, collect different leaves, spot some different animals and a few camping trips...

I'm also thinking about starting some swimming lessons and looking for a dance class that he could be a part of this summer. We go to the library once a week and he really enjoys that time.

 

[PurpleChicken]

This has been a very interesting thread.

For the sake of peaceful discourse I ask that everyone take a deep breath.
I have known Katy here on BYC for a long time and completely RESPECT
her opinion on things. Don't take her contributions to this thread as
a criticism or debate on un-home schooling. She is not a critical person
and is a very WISE woman.

We all acknowledge that both public schools, private schools, and home
schools can make mistakes. I think we are also all in agreement that
it takes a certain type of child and a certain type of parent to make
any type of schooling successful.

What I would be interested in seeing are the things that didn't work for
the children Katy knows and the things that do work for Angora, TubbyC,
and others.

Maybe we should start with something we all agree on and that is it's the
responsibility of the parent to manage or childrens' education, regardless
of the venue.

 

[Katy]

Thank you PC.

You are right...I don't care how any one chooses to school their kids. That's their choice. I just know there can very easily be a downside to it too and it's no more fool-proof than sending your kid to a public school. There are plenty of kids from both ways of schooling that struggle.

The sad thing is that a lot of the time by the time you find out whether or not you made the right choice for them it's hard to make a change.

 

[TubbyChicken]

I am feeling defensive...

I think I will take a step back for a while.

I'm sorry to those who were interested in continuing to talk and learn about home/unschooling...I would love if we could get back on track and share some ideas and personal stories...

I presumed people here, making a whole slew of unconventional choices, whether growing their own food, raising a flock of backyard chickens or or practicing other self sustainability practices would be a bit more respectful of the choice to educate one's children from home.

If in making that presumption, I ruffled some feathers (ha!) or offended anyone, I apologize...

 

[Dar]

I have not had time to read everything (sorry trying to get my chicken fix between shifts at work)...anyway...

I have 3 children..
child #1 is a "difficult" child does not like the structure of "traditional school"...was a huge challenge for the school system to handle him, so i decided to home school after child #3 was born.

I home schooled child #1 from age 9 to age 12 (i could no longer afford to stay at home

i had to work)

when child #1 went to re enter the public school system he had to take a series of tests to see the "damage that was done from not being in school for 3 years"...I was so mad but i just bit my tongue.

My son was entering grade 6 with a math level they they assessed at a grade 10 level, English at a first year university level, grade 10 history, grade 10 geography...and it went on and on and on.....

the school board could not believe their own tests they made him redo every single one!...

children #2 &3 have had no choice but to be in the public education system with a few adjustments...and i get proper heck each and every school year for my "ways"

I do NOT enforce homework rules...i feel that they have been at school from 8:30 - 3:30...thats enough for a young mind...but they come home and play...dont forget playing is a very important part of learning..

the games we play while making dinner are...I will name a country...say..Canada...then someone will have to name a country that starts with the letter A cause its the last letter of my country...(hope that makes sense)..

every child learns in a different way...and the more society learns to think outside of the box the easier it will be for people who have been thinking outside the box all their lives...

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

It's okay. We all have things we're passionate about Tubby (I have got to tell you that I feel so RUDE calling you that!).

Take a breather and come back when you can.

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

In Mass in order to homeschool(or unschool) A parent has to present an entire folder and educational guidline that they plan on using every year.
It gets reviewed and the you either get the "ok" to home school or you get denied and can not.

As far as unschooling goes. I did that the first 5 years of my daughters life. EVERYTHING was, has been and still is a learning opportunity. From the sun rising to the sun setting. we have read to her since before birth.
She still had a schedule that was followed. Kids NEED a schedule. sorry.. its a fact.

She is now in public KG and is reading above her grade level. She knows things that most other kids in her class do not. She is polite, well spoken(I have never talked "down" to her or used baby talk) She is confident and is thriving in the school. I am worried that with the cuts that are being made, and the class size next year going to be nearly 40 kids per class, that she is going to get "lost". That the other kids that are slower are going to get the extra attention. Knowing this I am going to keep up on her learning at home.

I have, and still am considering home schooling her. But she WANTS to go to school. She wants to be with her classmates and friends. I know that she will have friends from whatever activities she gets involved in. I am planning on getting a more local 4H going since she is interested in the chickens and animals and such.
When she gets home and on weekends she opens the workbooks we have and does those as well. She enjoys learning.

However. I have to say that just because a kid goes to a traditional (public/private) school during the week that doesnt mean that you cant enrich that education with "unschooling" methods.

We take her to the beach, the aquariums, the local art museum etc and she learns while out with us as well. She still learns while we are out shopping for food and such. We actually talk about the weather and such.
She knew ALL her colors with no confusion between the ones toddlers normally have issues with from before she could really talk. She knows the difference between the trees. horse breeds etc.

Using it WITH traditional schooling has worked and is working for us.

 

[debilorrah]

That sounds like a fun game!!!! I had to homeschool my son through high school because of the constant harassment from punks and the lack of structure from the teachers. Our schools here suck - 56% drop out rate average for all high schools in our area. Homeschooling didn't help him either. He dropped out and is now scrambling to get his GED while enrolled in online college courses.

Sometimes nothing works.

 

[bheila]

Quote:
Where there are differences in opinions there will always be someone offended and someone with ruffled feathers my dear

I don't see the reason for apologizing for having a different opinion.
Although I wouldn't "school" my children the way you do, they are your children and you feel that you are teaching them the best way.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Rhett&SarahsMom :

In Mass in order to homeschool(or unschool) A parent has to present an entire folder and educational guidline that they plan on using every year.
It gets reviewed and the you either get the "ok" to home school or you get denied and can not.

As far as unschooling goes. I did that the first 5 years of my daughters life. EVERYTHING was, has been and still is a learning opportunity. From the sun rising to the sun setting. we have read to her since before birth.
She still had a schedule that was followed. Kids NEED a schedule. sorry.. its a fact.

She is now in public KG and is reading above her grade level. She knows things that most other kids in her class do not. She is polite, well spoken(I have never talked "down" to her or used baby talk) She is confident and is thriving in the school. I am worried that with the cuts that are being made, and the class size next year going to be nearly 40 kids per class, that she is going to get "lost". That the other kids that are slower are going to get the extra attention. Knowing this I am going to keep up on her learning at home.

I have, and still am considering home schooling her. But she WANTS to go to school. She wants to be with her classmates and friends. I know that she will have friends from whatever activities she gets involved in. I am planning on getting a more local 4H going since she is interested in the chickens and animals and such.
When she gets home and on weekends she opens the workbooks we have and does those as well. She enjoys learning.

However. I have to say that just because a kid goes to a traditional (public/private) school during the week that doesnt mean that you cant enrich that education with "unschooling" methods.

We take her to the beach, the aquariums, the local art museum etc and she learns while out with us as well. She still learns while we are out shopping for food and such. We actually talk about the weather and such.
She knew ALL her colors with no confusion between the ones toddlers normally have issues with from before she could really talk. She knows the difference between the trees. horse breeds etc.

Using it WITH traditional schooling has worked and is working for us.

THIS is a very important post!!! The huge problem with ANY type of education is when parents don't take seriously the need to teach their children every second of the day. Public school is a huge part of my educational tools for my children...it is NOT their only education. I just feel I HAVE to depend on people more educated than myself to make sure they learn all the necessary subjects. Everything we do is about learning...as so many have said, play is a huge part of learning. My children are ahead of their peers and I make sure they stay that way. Reading is as much a part of their lives as breathing. I have drug my children out of bed to stand out in a LIGHT hail storm and discuss how and why there IS hail. We dig up rocks and discuss the various compositions of the rock and the types of fossils. We stop and dissect roadkill (if it is fresh LOL) and get some very cool anatomy lessons.

I guess what I wanted to say is, no matter how you choose to educate your children, whether through public school, private school, home school or un-school, parents HAVE to be teachers, too. It is when parents depend on someone else to be their child's sole educator that the children fail.​