Unschooling and electronics

 My latest article at an Unschooling Life
http://anunschoolinglife.com/unschooling-and-electronics/

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.

Lots of gaming going on

My kids have been on a gaming streak these past few days, Lego Star Wars, Zoo Tycoon 2 and Battlefield 2 are the choices. They are really working on them, all 4 of them are playing lots.



I think it's great! The only challenge is sharing the computer :)



I guess they were getting burned out on Runescape and needed a change. Usually they don't all want the computer or gamecube at the same time.

Jared just got Lego Star Wars II for his birthday for the PS2, so they have been playing that, dh included.

Brenny is back at Runescape, he was on for quite awhile today. The neighbor kid two doors down wasn't feeling well so he was on also and they were on the phone while playing. They were helping each other out. Brennan is reading more and more each day and he is spelling and typing too, all because of Runescape.

Something funny... to me

We had a barbeque at our best friends house tonight. It was their family, my family and 2 other families, we all homeschool.

We were all having a blast and my friend and I were there with one of the other moms just chatting and laughing and having a good old time.

Then the other mom(I'm not using their names) said that her son had been grounded for a month and hasn't been playing video games. He just started playing again today, he does not have unlimited access anyway, it's not a privilege.
He has to do school and finish before dinner time which is usually around 6pm before he can play video games. He has about 4 subjects a day to do.

Well my friend knows that I am what I am and I just said *what did she say, she is speaking a foreign language*

This may be one of those had to be there moments but I was serious, what do you mean by school and subjects? What do you mean that video games are a privilege? I'm so confused!!!!!

I'm not sure if she knows we are radical unschoolers or what but they all laughed when I said that.

We don't do school we don't do subjects and there are definitely no priveleges, video games are in the house and there for the taking.

AHHHHHH I know that some people will never understand but one thing that is awesome is that my best friend is reading Holt and Gatto and she says I'm rubbing off on her. If I can even help one family relax and deschool it's all good!

tv, video games, limitations, rules...

I asked a fellow blogger where to begin since I'm new at this and she said start where you are now. So today on a yahoo group I belong to there were discussions of limiting tv and video games. I always have a hard time with these posts because these things have never been limited in our house and are not an issue. Sure my kids watch tv and play video games whenever they want, they also do lots of other things that interest them. I firmly believe that if these things were limited or used as a reward or punishment then there would be some sort of power given to them. As it is they hold no power and they are just another tool or resource, they are also a form of entertainment and learning.

What really got me was how the parent talked about how the kids have to explicity behave and clean up before they can play or watch. If they act up they can't play and get grounded from it, HUH!!!!!

I always wonder how these kids feel when their parents put such limits on them. I wonder if the husband told the wife that since she didn't do the dishes when he wanted that she had to go to bed early I don't know, it's all stupid to me. Where is the respect in these homes, where is the joy of learning, where is the compatibility, where is the real living?

More to come on this subject but right now my kids are calling...