Soooo....

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by tracilicious

Ok, so I am now officially a writer. The first ever article I've submitted for publication will be coming out in an unschooling magazine called Connections. I know it's only an ezine, but some huge names in the unschooling world write for this magazine. It's pretty highly respected. The only payment is a free subscription, but that's why I did it in the first place. I'm pretty excited.

Cool news T! Congrats!

What exactly is "unschooling?"

[tracilicious]

Thanks everyone!

KB, unschooling is a method of homeschooling also known as "whole life learning" or "child led learning." Basically it means that we trust that by nature humans are learners. Nothing needs to be done to make kids learn, it's just what they do. So you expose them to tons of stuff and you help them follow their passions. It's a term coined by John Holt. Sometimes kids want to learn something in a formal manner and will request a curriculum. That totally fits in with the unschoolng philosophy, but otherwise curriculums aren't used.

Dayna Martin's website has a good summary. And a youtube video as well.

We recently went to the NW Unschooling Conference and I was beyond amazed at all the kids there. The older kids treated the little kids like people, talking with them and helping them, and the teens treated the adults like people. They could definitely hold their own in a conversation with anyone of any age. Their interests were so diverse as well. Musicians, writers, fencers. It was really really cool.

[Strangler Lewis]

Congratulations. I'm looking forward to reading it.

Uncritically, of course.

About 20 years ago, I did a book review of "The Day I Became an Autodidact," which I imagine you've read. At the time, I thought Kendall Hailey had, as I've said in other contexts, that kind of Maya-Angelou-serenity you want to whack in the face with a big cartoon skillet. Now, of course, that we have kids in the maelstrom, my wife and I do talk about such things from time to time, so let us know when it comes out.

[MouseWife]

I think it is so great that there are options. We discussed them when our daughter was about to enter kindergarten but we were not well informed and thought that it was something we could not do. {we had a 'school' in our garage and would have 'lessons' with her, as well as the other kids prior to entering school}.

When the public school system disappointed me, I turned to homeschooling. I loved it. I didn't 'unschool' but, really, it was as close to it as I could while still meeting the requirements.

I only did it for two years {one per son} but I loved it. A friend of mine homeschooled and she was given everything~computer, internet, supplies {art, science,etc.} but she was required to check in daily via the internet. That sucks. I liked that I had more control.

I would recommend homeschooling/unschooling to anyone. Anyone who will give the proper time to it, that is. I know someone right now whose son would benefit from the one on one attention but she just refuses to even try it.

[wendybeth]

We've been home schooling for over four years now, and I am confident that it was the best decision we could have made for our girl. It's really not that hard, but it is time-consuming for the parents and you really have to be creative with regards to socialization opportunities. (Particularly as they get older). Next year we are joining a neighboring school district's home school program, as Tori's best friend goes there and they can be in the same 'class' together. If it works out, great, and if not it will be back to doing it completely on our own again.

[MouseWife]

I do wish our neighborhood had a local homeschool, the closest one is actually not in this city/county.

I did put them in a different school, smaller classrooms, magnet school. I get a lot of grief from some people but my family is happy and the kid is still doing great, still loves school, that is all that matters.

Like the fathers day card we gave the Hubby says 'Normal families are creepy'. {no offense to normal families... }

[wendybeth]

Hey- we gave Eric the same card!

[ozron]

Erin did well in elementary school, but by Jr. High she was not thriving in a traditional classroom setting. In a word, she was miserable.

When she got to ninth grade, she got into Portland Public Schools' alternative magnet school, the Metropolitan Learning Center. It's an experimental K-12 school centered on expeditionary learning, self-guided curriculum and outside-the-box thinking. She loved it, and learned at least as much about life and herself as about academics.

She never got a grade. Instead, she has a portfolio.

[MouseWife]

LOL wendybeth!!! How funny!! I really loved that card, I thought it was pefect. I had all of the kids sign it.

ozron~ that sounds like it was the best thing for daughter. I am glad there are options out there, I wish all parents would open their minds to the options out there.

[blueerica]

That magnate school reminds me of what I saw on Food Network last night - something about a public HS in NYC that was "Food and Finance." I would have loooooved to go there.

On that note, I've seriously considered homeschooling, at least in the event that the schools aren't good wherever I'm living. I think I was fortunate in that a majority of my teachers, elementary through high school, were rather good. (As I got older, I remember hearing how well Michigan treated their teachers, as opposed to other places they'd lived.)

If nothing else, as with my sisters, I'll always try to take what they're learning outside of the classroom. Because then it's an opportunity for mom to do the nerdy stuff she likes.