Entrepreneur

Our oldest son worked at Wendy's for the past 15 months, he just left this weekend. They hated to see him go, they loved him, he showed up on time and did his job. They offered him a management position, but he knew the salary just wasn't worth the hours and the stress.

He has been planning on starting his own business for quite sometime now. Learning, researching, saving his money and buying equipment and products. He has finally launched it, he has only done a few jobs so far and customers are very pleased with his work.

We are just so proud of him for finding something he loves to do and to be able to make money and be his own boss. We raised them to follow their interests and passion and to be anything they want to be.

I believe that he will be successful in this because it is what he wants and he is willing to work for it.

Here is a link to his Facebook page, he will be getting a website up soon.
https://www.facebook.com/Glossworksmd?fref=ts

Autodidact

Autodidact means self taught.

My children have always been unschooled, they learn naturally. They look things up, ask questions, think and figure things out.

There is a quote from Ivan Illich that says:

"School prepares for the alienating institutionalization of life by teaching the need to be taught"

My kids do not have that need, they have never had teaching, lessons, curriculum and tests.They are incredibly knowledgeable about various things. I could not have begun to teach them what they know. They have truly learned so much in their own way and time. It's their life and mind and nobody should control that but them.

They don't have fear of learning or trying something, they just dive in and figure it out. I'm here as their facilitator not their teacher.

My youngest son is 9, he has now created 3 websites, he did 99% of it himself, he asked a few questions along the way.

When one hasn't been hindered by schooling or teaching, learning is as natural as breathing.

My kids are amazing people!

How do you know?

People ask homeschoolers/unschoolers questions like, "How do you know they are learning?"

That is right up there with *What about socialization* for me....

How do you know without testing or grading or curriculum?

How do you know?

Well I live with them for starters, pay attention to your kids and you will be amazed at what they know.

I do have an example.

My middle son reads articles online and then tells me about them. That is reading comprehension, right?

He reads, absorbs, and then reiterates in his own words.

Each day my kids learn so many new things and they explore ideas and concepts and discuss them.


Children absorb and make connections everyday, they are learning beings. I know that they know because they exhibit knowledge and understanding on a daily basis.

Testing, grades and curriculum are unnecessary tools in the game of real life learning.

Those are school tools and they don't measure true knowledge or understanding. They are artificial markers just as school is an artificial environment not conducive to real learning.

Unschooling...Learning through Living

I'm a strong advocate for Unschooling, I want all people of all ages to be free to learn in their way and in their time.

It's especially important for children to be able to learn without force, coercion, scopes, sequences, tests and grades...

I've always said we are unschoolers and we are as in we don't do school, nothing that resembles school. My kids are truly free from any kind of school ways.

In that respect and in my opinion Unschooling IS living and learning, it is natural, it is free.

School is completely Unnecessary and a complete waste of precious youth. We lock our children away for 12 years then expect them to be prepared for the real world all the while keeping them from it.

We live in the real world here and now and always have, no schooling to interfere with our real lives.

Real learning takes place every minute of everyday.

Natural learning doesn't look like school and shouldn't be quantified into subjects to appease some government entity that is completely clueless about real learning.

Life without school

Our kids have never been to school and I'm pretty sure they won't ever. I know I can't predict the future but we live as if school didn't exist because in our lives it doesn't.

We want freedom from the standards, grades, tests, subjects, schedule etc...

We live and learn each day without school.

Learning is as natural as breathing when one has never been stifled by schooling.

Learning is not a chore, it is not a lesson given by a teacher, it is not something only done Monday through Friday from 8-2.

Learning is a personal thing between the learner and the world. We can't make someone learn, sure we can try but it's artificial.

Learning through Living is the best and most easy way to learn anything.

When we want information, we seek it out, we research on the web, go to the library, ask someone who we believe may know, watch tv/movies, experiment, try something new, be creative.

School is not essential to life and it really is a hazard to an individual's learning style.

When one is not schooled, they know how they learn best and they just do it.

Think outside of the box, leap outside of the box, it's worth it!

I am amazed everyday by my children, they truly Learn through Living!

Tuesday

Why do mosquito bites itch?
Hawaiian Islands
Cyborgs
Robots
Pictionary
Clue
Wallaby
Butterflies
Kangaroos
Rabbits
Tongue Twisters
Legos
PS2
WOW
TV
Internet
Store
Drawing
Lots of questions and talking

That's off the top of my head,
I have a hard time remembering everything. I normally wouldn't care but  need to  learn how to keep track of stuff when I start registering.

So I think that I will try to keep tab on things we learn about.

Learning happens

We all know the phrase *shit happens* right?

Well *Learning happens*

It is natural, it is individual, it is real and it is part of being alive and kicking.

Learning happens!

No shit!

Some days it explodes!

Some times there is so much info being shared, discussed and researched in this house that I can't keep up.

Lots of great stuff was discovered tonight, Jason said is it after midnight yet?

Ha ha! Of course we learned lots of stuff on Learn Nothing Day because we know it's impossible not to learn.

Learn Nothing Day

It's impossible!

Jared woke up and sat up in bed and asked me for his space book and some paper. He drew the different shapes that the moon makes before he even got out of bed.

I really hope that people out there who don't get unschooling have a wake up call.

You know the phrase *shit happens*

Well *learning happens*

You can't stop it, it's as natural as breathing, at least for my kids it is.

Always unschooled kids who were never told what, when, or how to learn, live and learn naturally.

To stop learning is to stop living.

Happy Learn Nothing Day!

I assume we all failed :)

Who needs school anyway?

This post is mostly inspired by my 5 year old at the moment, it is completely inspired by all of my children. I have been living with, learning with and from, facilitating and observing my kids since I became a mom 12 1/2 years ago. The learning process is an awesome thing to observe and be a part of. Kids do learn naturally when they are not forced and when their own process isn't stifled or interfered with.

I firmly believe that forced schooling inhibits the natural process and causes problems. Those problems could be labeled as learning disabilities. When a child is forced to try to read before their brains are able to connect the dots it can cause learning difficulties. I believe this can happen with anything forced.

My kids have always been unschooled so I have watched this process, it's not some mysterious thing that only certain people can unlock. Kids do not need to be schooled, they just need to be in an environment conducive to learning.

I could only imagine my little boy in school, first off he wouldn't sit still or be quiet. He is in constant motion, it's how he learns, it's who he is. He would be bored to tears in K while they are teaching the alphabet because he can read and write, in cursive too. Could you imagine this...I'm sorry Jared we aren't learning cursive until 3rd grade, WTF? Well he already learned it. WHY? Because he wanted to that's why. He knows SO much I could never write it down, I witness the learning, I answer a TON of questions each day, his brain does the rest.

All of my kids are at different stages of development and learning and I would never want to interfere with their internal clock. They know when they are ready to grasp a concept, they know HOW to learn. They do not need some teacher giving them tidbits of information to memorize and regurgitate. They do not need to be tested or graded, they know what they know and will learn what they need when they need it.

I am so blessed to live and learn along side these beautiful children.

I stand by my belief that school is no place for children, it is government babysitting at best.

**Disclaimer** My oldest was briefly forced curriculum for an hour a day for 6 weeks when he was 6 years old. I just would like to say always unschooled except for 6 weeks out of his 12 1/2 year life :)

"I did not learn"

Jared has been reading more and more each day. Just tonight he was lining up his hot wheels and reading the sponsors. This one is cheerios, chex, bad boy, reeses, mom why does this say polar power? Mom why can I read these words?

I said well you just learned how to read. I did not learn, what did I do homework or something? I didn't learn I just know how to write and spell and read that's all, I just know how.

Out of the mouths of babes:)

I did not learn, I just know how.

I love it!

Learning happens, you can't deny it!

What spurs imagination?

So many times you see people post that all their kids do is play video games or watch tv, when will they get up and DO something?!

In our house tv and games actually promote many things. It is not uncommon to see my kids acting out a game or something they saw on tv.

Lately my kids have been playing Runescape outside, they dress up and they play it.

We just recently saw the Apple Dumpling Gang and the kids loved it, I have been getting older movies for them through Netflix

Last night and today they are dressed up as outlaws and playing like the guys on the movie.

Jason always says that Jared lives vicariously through a video game. He is always acting, and everything he does is a game. He has been playing Club Penguin and so now he tells me that I have to check on my pet. He being my pet, he makes faces and tells me how much rest, health and energy my pet has.

My kids have learned so much from playing games and yes it does lead to research and gaining more information as their questions arise. There is a vast amount of information to gain, we just go with our interests and find out answers to our questions. So many questions... One thing leads to another, it's a natural progression when learning isn't forced or coerced.

You can also learn *subjects* by playing games, it has helped my kids read, type, spell, draw, do math, history, geography and on and on just by having an interest and playing a game or watching a movie.

I do not do subjects, I don't separate our life, we live and learn period.

A few weeks ago Kieran was doing work for someone on Runescape where the guy paid Kieran to collect so many herbs(or whatever it was) Jason gave him the idea to hire someone else to help and pay them a little less then what he is making. So he did just that, got the job done in less time and still made money.

There are so many examples of real learning that takes place everyday in so many ways, I could never document it all. I just know that my kids are learning what they need when they need it. I am here to facilitate and help and stay out of their way when necessary.

Quick example, Jared asks me how to spell words that he is writing down but he tells me not to spell the ones he knows how to. So he says wait mom, don't say anything I know this one.

Neverending questions?

Jared is constantly asking me questions, I mean almost non stop.

All sorts of questions...
How do you spell ____?
What is 100 +10?
What does grounded mean? (he heard it on The Incredibles)
How many zeros in a trillion?
Is kazillion a real word?
How long does it take to build a road?
How many days until I'm 100 years old?
What does ground mean?
What does _____mean? He has been asking what everyday words mean, those are hard to answer.
He just asked me what 3+3+3+3 is, is that 12? He answered his own question.
He just wrote 1,ooo,ooo on his doodle board, with commas, now he is making a trillion.
He drew a map of our road too.
Thank God for doodle boards, he uses his constantly
He asks some really thought provoking questions too, like when are Grandma Lynn (my mom) and Grandpa Hank (new stepdad) going to have kids, LOL!
How come ghosts are white?

I wish I could remember all of his questions, they are so constant. He has a unique perspective just like all kids do.

Learning is Living, Living is Learning

It is so apparant to me how natural learning happens everyday in many ways. I just watch my kids and see the growth, the connections, the imagination, the wonder, the questions, the answers. We were created to learn but so many are inhibited by the forced compulsary schooling whether at school or at home that they lose so much of that natural innate desire and ability.

I observe my children and others who I am around and I really do my best not to judge or compare. Some things are obvious and attributed to schooling or parenting and some things are subtle and definitely all things are individual to the child.

I see the learning and it is awesome. So many people just don't give unschooling a chance, a chance to really see it flourish. I read so many emails from so many different groups that it can become a blur. There have been recent posts about someone who wants to unschool but can't let go of the schoolish mindset and therefore has been wavering back and forth and the kids are confused to say the least. I wonder why this person wants to unschool so bad but hasn't yet deschooled. Why unschool? Well I have all the answers for that question but only you can answer it for yourself.

This lifestyle of learning is an awesome lifestyle. No inhibitions or forced learning, no scopes and sequences, no grades or grade levels, no tests, no teachers, no school. Just real life, real learning, real living, real people doing what they want and learning as they go.

"There is no difference between living and learning-it is impossible and harmful and misleading to think of them as being separate" ~John Holt

Learning happens

In an environment conducive to learning while living, learning happens as a natural progression, you can't stop it.

Here's the latest example from last night. Cassie and I were playing tic-tac-toe in her room and Jared came in and started playing with his doodleboard. He asked me what 100 and 4 make so I told him 104, he proceeded to write 100+4=104 on his board, he then kept asking me questions and writing things down and many he figured out on his own.

He has exploded lately with reading, writing, spelling and now math, major learning spurt happening here. I looked at Cassie and I said *See, I don't ever want you to believe that you have to go to school to learn anything* You know schooled friends can fill her head with stuff...

She just smiled so big and said *Hurry give me a book he reads better than me*

Path to reading

One thing that people question about unschooling is reading, I suppose math is the other biggie. This post will focus mostly on learning to read as a natural part of living.

The latest feat is Jared, he has been sight reading many words for awhile now, mostly from video games, computer, and store logos.

He is always asking me how to spell something and what does this word say and he makes up his own words too. He does very well with sounds and also sight so he has learned from both.

He gets on the computer and types in words to hear the music he wants, we have iTunes so he plays that a lot. He just loves music and Weird Al and from that he wants to see the videos then he wants to hear the real songs.

Yesterday he called me over to tell me someting, he pointed to a sentence and read it to me. I said that is cool Jare you are reading. He then proceeded to get mad and tell me he isn't. Those of you who have an intense child know what I mean.

The natural progression is awesome, watching the learning process unfold before my eyes. Learning is natural, reading is natural, learning how to read by living with words is a natural extension.

Brennan turned 9 in May, he would be considered a late reader by society but he is starting to read in his time. He is finally getting it and putting it together. A big help for him is playing Runescape, he is reading more each day and typing and spelling and learning. He reads a lot of words and learns more each day, just like Jared is and Cassie too.

Cass has lots of sight word recognition, she knows how to spell many words and she also sounds them out. All of my kids read at various ages and stages, all from living, all from unschooling, no lessons, no tests, no curriculum. Real life learning!!

I didn't mention Kieran but he has been reading since 5 and reads any word that comes before him.

Unschooling Voice

Are you a voice for unschooling? I try to be every day to anybody who will listen.

I have some influence on real life friends and I hope some on my cyber friends. Sometimes I think that NOBODY is listening but then I get a little email or a few words that tell me otherwise. Keep those coming I haven't gotten one in awhile.

I try so hard to help people understand the effects of public school but also of school at home. Some people want us all to rally together as homeschoolers, support each other for doing something different. While I can see the point of this I personally believe that school at home can be just as damaging. If a child is in an authoritarian parenting school with no choice but to sit and do Abeka, what do they do for themselves? At least if they go to school they can come home but if school IS home then they are stuck.

I just feel bad for all the kids who are sent away or who are stuck without any choice. I wish I could educate the parents so that they could open their eyes to their own dumbing down and see what they are doing to their kids.

Real, natural learning was around long before compulsary schooling. What the hell does the government know about learning anyway. Too many people have given up their rights and are being taken over by government interference . It is apparant that we can't think for ourselves and need someone else to think for us...NOT! Sorry this wasn't meant to be an attack on the government, LOL that is a separate issue :)

I love, live and breathe unschooling, it is what it is, it is freedom in learning, it is choice, it is life long living and learning, it is awesome. So tell someone about it!!!!