It’s easy unschooling when everything’s going well, but what about when it’s not?
Last year my family went through a serious financial crisis, my husband lost his job and was out of work for 4 months.
We have never had a lot of money, always lived on one income, paycheck to paycheck but when there was no paycheck for months life was completely different.
We have always unschooled and in my mind and life unschooling isn't about academics, it's about learning through living. Unschooling is a philosophy and it's a lifestyle, we live therefore we learn.
So I was very stressed out, high blood pressure, anxiety, hormones out of whack, just not well. I've been having health issues for awhile and the stress from that situation really made me much worse.
The kids really did well, I mean we all adjusted going without things we were used to having. Relying on help from friends and strangers. So many of my online friends helped us through, I will never forget the generosity, I hold it in my heart.
It was hard but we were honest with the kids about not having any money, we ran out of things and couldn't replace them. We did just eek by with the bare necessities. We only lost power once, briefly and lost internet for a week or two.
We stayed home mostly and just used the things we had in the house to play with. We met some wonderful *angels* who blessed us greatly at Christmas. Yes, we had Christmas with presents and food all given to us by kind, generous people.
We learned a lot about kindness and helping others. We also learned that some agencies that are supposed to help you in time of need was just a bunch of bureacratic bullshit.
I believe because we have always unschooled that the kids just kept doing what they do the best they could. We learned a lot of real life stuff in those months. We grew stronger and closer and had to work together even more than usual.
We had to move (foreclosure) so we just did what we had to do to pack and clean and move. We are in a much better place physically and mentally now. My husband got a job at the end of December and we are climbing our way out of the hole that unemployment caused.
We have also been able to help several people in the past few months and it feels so good to help someone who truly needs it.
So while things seemed to be going all wrong, we perservered and stuck together and got through it.
Unschooling for us truly is a way of life, we adjust and go with lifes turns and twists all the while learning so much each day.
Because I am that mom, I lost count on how many times Jared said *mom, look* so my train of thought is gone...
This post was inspired by the Enjoy Life Unschooling Carnival.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
I'm that mom
This post is inspired by Ronnie go to the link and see lots of entries in the comments :)
I've been trying to think about what makes me *that mom* I mean honestly I just do what I do for my kids because they are awesome people who deserve to be loved, respected and really listened to.
I honor their likes and dislikes, I cut the crust off the bread, I make them what they want to eat regardless if it's what I made for everyone else.
They play hockey in the living room and build forts and do experiments in the bathroom.
I'm that mom that inspires neighbor kids to want to spend all day at our house and ask me to adopt them.
I'm that mom that let's her kids BE kids. Play in the mud, play in the rain, play in the hose, get dirty and explore. Guess what kids are washable :)
I'm that mom that reads the same book over and over, that answers countless questions each day, that comes when called to:
Mom, come here.
Mom, look.
Mom, what is this?
I'm that mom who does her best to find a way to say yes, even if it's not now but let's figure out how we could do that.
I'm that mom that will play a game with her child even if she really didn't want to because it makes the kid happy and in turn it makes me feel good.
Today I was that mom who let her 8 yr old play with a plastic produce bag in Whole Foods. He had a blast playing with that bag, it kept him occupied the whole time :)
I'm that mom who wants her kids to be happy and free and does her best to make that possible.
I've been trying to think about what makes me *that mom* I mean honestly I just do what I do for my kids because they are awesome people who deserve to be loved, respected and really listened to.
I honor their likes and dislikes, I cut the crust off the bread, I make them what they want to eat regardless if it's what I made for everyone else.
They play hockey in the living room and build forts and do experiments in the bathroom.
I'm that mom that inspires neighbor kids to want to spend all day at our house and ask me to adopt them.
I'm that mom that let's her kids BE kids. Play in the mud, play in the rain, play in the hose, get dirty and explore. Guess what kids are washable :)
I'm that mom that reads the same book over and over, that answers countless questions each day, that comes when called to:
Mom, come here.
Mom, look.
Mom, what is this?
I'm that mom who does her best to find a way to say yes, even if it's not now but let's figure out how we could do that.
I'm that mom that will play a game with her child even if she really didn't want to because it makes the kid happy and in turn it makes me feel good.
Today I was that mom who let her 8 yr old play with a plastic produce bag in Whole Foods. He had a blast playing with that bag, it kept him occupied the whole time :)
I'm that mom who wants her kids to be happy and free and does her best to make that possible.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
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.
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.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Annual Learn Nothing Day
We all know it's impossible but it's fun to try.
I'm sure I already failed and it's only 12:38 am :)
Enjoy your day.
Learning happens.
You can't stop it.
Just wish the mainstream folks picked up on that :)
Friday, July 23, 2010
When did this become the *Norm*
I think about things a lot and sometimes I actually verbalize them or write about it.
Soon after birth we(as a society) send our kids away for at least 12 years. If we do daycare and preschool then it's much longer than that.
Then in the high school years we push them about getting into college, then we send them away for another 2, 4, 6 or 8 years depending on how long they stay in college.
How does this promote families?
How is this a good thing?
How is this considered the thing to do?
How can you have a real relationship with them?
Do you even know them?
I did not have kids to send them away. It never even crossed my mind to send them to school.
We planned on homeschooling before we had kids.
I left college to be a mother.
Being a mother is the best decision I have ever made. We have 4 awesome people to share our lives with, why would I send them away for somone else to raise?
Why send them to government daycare ,aka prison, aka school?
I just can't understand how sending our kids away during their young years is a good thing.
Well it's not a good thing at all.
Soon after birth we(as a society) send our kids away for at least 12 years. If we do daycare and preschool then it's much longer than that.
Then in the high school years we push them about getting into college, then we send them away for another 2, 4, 6 or 8 years depending on how long they stay in college.
How does this promote families?
How is this a good thing?
How is this considered the thing to do?
How can you have a real relationship with them?
Do you even know them?
I did not have kids to send them away. It never even crossed my mind to send them to school.
We planned on homeschooling before we had kids.
I left college to be a mother.
Being a mother is the best decision I have ever made. We have 4 awesome people to share our lives with, why would I send them away for somone else to raise?
Why send them to government daycare ,aka prison, aka school?
I just can't understand how sending our kids away during their young years is a good thing.
Well it's not a good thing at all.
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Late night life
I have always been a late night person, I feel better at night. Over the years my kids have been staying up later and later.
Our kids have never had a set time that they had to go to bed. We have evolved into really late nighters more and more.
It has been so hot lately that they are staying up all night and sleeping late in the day. I think this will pass as time goes on and the seasons change. Isn't that life? Growing and changing with the times and seasons literally and figuratively.
Lately we have been going out at night around the neighborhood, last night we went out at 10:30pm. I walk and the kids all ride bikes. It's a way to get a little exercise and fresh air when it's a little more tolerable. Did I mention we have been in the high 90's with heat indexes in the low 100's, it was 104 last I checked. So the weather is having a bearing on our activities and times we do them.
We have lots of late night talks. We discuss all sorts of things. We sometimes play games or watch tv, a few might be on a computer, or drawing or playing.
They get pretty creative and play and make stuff up. The other night they were drawing, looking up how to draw ____ on the computer. They made all sorts of cool pictures that were left for me to see when I got up.
Pretty much what you do during the day we do at night. Learning happens all the time, life is 24/7 you should choose when you want to be awake and sleeping. The world is always awake, we have 24 hour stores and people who work the night shift. We do need people who are night time people to help the world run smoothly.
I remember a time several years ago ( like 8 or 9 years ago) that we used to prompt Kieran to start winding down or head to bed around 10pm. It wasn't a bedtime it was just a suggestion. Well Cassie was a toddler and she was up well until midnight running around. One night he asked why he had to go to bed while his little sister didn't.
Well Hello! Lightbulb!
You don't HAVE to go to bed, you can go to bed when you want, I never thought of it, it was just a routine. What I think happened is he realized he wanted to stay up and so he did.
He would be asleep by midnight or earlier but because he wanted to. Actually Kieran still goes to bed before the younger kids, he is 15 now.
It is important to listen to our internal clocks. Mine is all messed up after years of getting up for school even though I couldn't fall asleep until late at night.
I suffered migraines and insomnia because I had to conform to something that wasn't natural for me.
Right now Cassie is going through changes, she has herself on a really different sleep/wake schedule. She has been staying up all night and sleeping all day. Then all this week she was getting up at like 7 am and going back to sleep around 10 or 11 am and then sleeping the whole afternoon. She has been really tired and requiring more sleep, I believe it is body changes, possibly the start of puberty?
What I do know is that she is tired and is requiring more sleep than usual so she is listening to her body and sleeping regardless of what time is on the clock.
My husband does have a day job and he goes to bed when he is tired and he gets up in the morning to go to work. He is a morning person but he also stays up later than most people who get up for work do.
Whenever daddy goes to bed that means it's time to quiet things down so he gets his sleep. Once in a while they will forget and get loud and wake him, but most of the time he sleeps undisturbed.
When they were babies they slept and woke on their own time, we never messed with that. So many people have kids and try to make them fit nicely into their lifestyle and schedule. Well I think that causes problems, babies know when they are tired and hungry or wet etc..... We need to continue to trust and foster that as they grow.
Why do we have to live on an 8-5 work/school/day, bed by 9pm, up at 6am. I guarantee you that only a small percentage of the population actually thrive on that schedule.
School has set our young people up to live on their schedule regardless of what is natural. I know we as unschoolers do not live on any type of school schedule.
We live and learn naturally, we sleep when we are tired.
"I can't help noting that no cultures in the world that I have ever heard of make such a fuss about children's bedtimes, and no cultures have so many adults who find it so hard either to go to sleep or wake up. Could these social facts be connected? I strongly suspect they are."
~John Holt~ Teach Your Own
Our kids have never had a set time that they had to go to bed. We have evolved into really late nighters more and more.
It has been so hot lately that they are staying up all night and sleeping late in the day. I think this will pass as time goes on and the seasons change. Isn't that life? Growing and changing with the times and seasons literally and figuratively.
Lately we have been going out at night around the neighborhood, last night we went out at 10:30pm. I walk and the kids all ride bikes. It's a way to get a little exercise and fresh air when it's a little more tolerable. Did I mention we have been in the high 90's with heat indexes in the low 100's, it was 104 last I checked. So the weather is having a bearing on our activities and times we do them.
We have lots of late night talks. We discuss all sorts of things. We sometimes play games or watch tv, a few might be on a computer, or drawing or playing.
They get pretty creative and play and make stuff up. The other night they were drawing, looking up how to draw ____ on the computer. They made all sorts of cool pictures that were left for me to see when I got up.
Pretty much what you do during the day we do at night. Learning happens all the time, life is 24/7 you should choose when you want to be awake and sleeping. The world is always awake, we have 24 hour stores and people who work the night shift. We do need people who are night time people to help the world run smoothly.
I remember a time several years ago ( like 8 or 9 years ago) that we used to prompt Kieran to start winding down or head to bed around 10pm. It wasn't a bedtime it was just a suggestion. Well Cassie was a toddler and she was up well until midnight running around. One night he asked why he had to go to bed while his little sister didn't.
Well Hello! Lightbulb!
You don't HAVE to go to bed, you can go to bed when you want, I never thought of it, it was just a routine. What I think happened is he realized he wanted to stay up and so he did.
He would be asleep by midnight or earlier but because he wanted to. Actually Kieran still goes to bed before the younger kids, he is 15 now.
It is important to listen to our internal clocks. Mine is all messed up after years of getting up for school even though I couldn't fall asleep until late at night.
I suffered migraines and insomnia because I had to conform to something that wasn't natural for me.
Right now Cassie is going through changes, she has herself on a really different sleep/wake schedule. She has been staying up all night and sleeping all day. Then all this week she was getting up at like 7 am and going back to sleep around 10 or 11 am and then sleeping the whole afternoon. She has been really tired and requiring more sleep, I believe it is body changes, possibly the start of puberty?
What I do know is that she is tired and is requiring more sleep than usual so she is listening to her body and sleeping regardless of what time is on the clock.
My husband does have a day job and he goes to bed when he is tired and he gets up in the morning to go to work. He is a morning person but he also stays up later than most people who get up for work do.
Whenever daddy goes to bed that means it's time to quiet things down so he gets his sleep. Once in a while they will forget and get loud and wake him, but most of the time he sleeps undisturbed.
When they were babies they slept and woke on their own time, we never messed with that. So many people have kids and try to make them fit nicely into their lifestyle and schedule. Well I think that causes problems, babies know when they are tired and hungry or wet etc..... We need to continue to trust and foster that as they grow.
Why do we have to live on an 8-5 work/school/day, bed by 9pm, up at 6am. I guarantee you that only a small percentage of the population actually thrive on that schedule.
School has set our young people up to live on their schedule regardless of what is natural. I know we as unschoolers do not live on any type of school schedule.
We live and learn naturally, we sleep when we are tired.
"I can't help noting that no cultures in the world that I have ever heard of make such a fuss about children's bedtimes, and no cultures have so many adults who find it so hard either to go to sleep or wake up. Could these social facts be connected? I strongly suspect they are."
~John Holt~ Teach Your Own
Saturday, June 26, 2010
This might get personal
I used to blog about all sorts of stuff...unschooling, public school, parenting, politics, hormones, whatever the hell floated my boat.
Then... my life took a turn...
I have been really... kind of... well... miserable.... My hormone imbalance has pretty much taken over my life. Then we had unemployment and lots of stress and we moved and all that is over now.
I am seeking answers for my physical/emotional issues.
I have been making dietary changes, off of wheat and gluten for two weeks now. I stopped using my estrogen cream because it turns out that I am way overdosed. My estrogen and progestertone are sky high and many other things were revealed in a saliva test that I did.
I have just been living in a fog, trying to just do what I can... dishes, laundry, take care of my kids.... That's about it, really, I'm struggling with lots of pent of emotions and physical discomfort. I'm visiting another doctor next week, searching for answers.
I am still here, still advocating unschooling! I just haven't been able to write much about it.
My kids have grown so much, I'm in awe, it is happening way too fast. I really just want to enjoy it, enjoy them... I want to get well and be healed so I can live instead of just survive.
Then... my life took a turn...
I have been really... kind of... well... miserable.... My hormone imbalance has pretty much taken over my life. Then we had unemployment and lots of stress and we moved and all that is over now.
I am seeking answers for my physical/emotional issues.
I have been making dietary changes, off of wheat and gluten for two weeks now. I stopped using my estrogen cream because it turns out that I am way overdosed. My estrogen and progestertone are sky high and many other things were revealed in a saliva test that I did.
I have just been living in a fog, trying to just do what I can... dishes, laundry, take care of my kids.... That's about it, really, I'm struggling with lots of pent of emotions and physical discomfort. I'm visiting another doctor next week, searching for answers.
I am still here, still advocating unschooling! I just haven't been able to write much about it.
My kids have grown so much, I'm in awe, it is happening way too fast. I really just want to enjoy it, enjoy them... I want to get well and be healed so I can live instead of just survive.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Bob the cat
I was at Petsmart buying dog food and bought cat food and a dish for him.
I think he is here to stay until he finds a better gig.
I am allergic to cats and the kids have always wanted one. I used to say we could have one if it stayed outside, and he just happened to find us.
Unconscious Mutterings
- Executive :: order
- Director :: movies
- Dress :: up
- Studio :: recording
- Accountant :: number cruncher
- Unit :: of measurement
- Engaged :: interested
- Safety :: first
- Post :: after
- Dialogue :: conversation
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Hey Media! Leave unschoolers alone!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_bvT-DGcWw
If I was a talented song writer I would make an awesome parody.
I've come up with a few lines but Hey media leave us unschoolers alone is sufficient for me at the moment.
If I was a talented song writer I would make an awesome parody.
I've come up with a few lines but Hey media leave us unschoolers alone is sufficient for me at the moment.
Friday, June 04, 2010
Unschooling and the mainstream media
Here is the latest mainstream blip on Nightline trying to discredit unschooling. Here is Dayna's explanation of what happened.
Personally I do not want unschooling advertised via maintream media to the general public. I truly believe that they can't handle it because it is so different than the box they are in.
The general public has a hard time accepting homeschooling as a viable educational option. Many believe that we need strict laws and government oversight. I do not understand this thinking, I went to school just as they did and I do not want to subject my children to that.
Unschooling brings in all sorts of misconceptions. If children are free to eat, sleep, wake and do what they want how will they ever learn to live in the REAL world.
I don't know about you but school is about as artificial as you can get. There is no real world in school. Being locked up in a cell with 30 kids your own age being forcefed useless facts and moving to a bell. How is that the REAL world?
We live and learn in the REAL world. Our kids learn about real life as they live it.
Our kids learn to listen to their bodies to know when they are hungry, tired or have to go to the bathroom.
They learn about current events as they are happening in the REAL world.
They follow their interests and learn according to their own personal time frame and ability.
They read when they are ready by living in a world full of words.
They write, they do real life math, they learn about history and geography by living and questioning.
Kids are curious...So many questions, all day, everyday. Google is our friend.
Kids do not need to be taught, they don't need lesson plans and curriculum and scopes and tests and comparisons.
They need freedom to grow and learn and be and do and question and answer and explore and just LIVE!
They need parents who are willing to allow them the freedom to grow and learn and be facilators and guides and mentors and partners.
I say question everything, do not take my word at face value.
My kids are thinkers and questioners.
They live and learn in the REAL world without school.
School doesn't exist in our lives but REAL learning does.
We just want to be left alone to live and learn and enjoy our freedoms without anyone taking them away.
Personally I do not want unschooling advertised via maintream media to the general public. I truly believe that they can't handle it because it is so different than the box they are in.
The general public has a hard time accepting homeschooling as a viable educational option. Many believe that we need strict laws and government oversight. I do not understand this thinking, I went to school just as they did and I do not want to subject my children to that.
Unschooling brings in all sorts of misconceptions. If children are free to eat, sleep, wake and do what they want how will they ever learn to live in the REAL world.
I don't know about you but school is about as artificial as you can get. There is no real world in school. Being locked up in a cell with 30 kids your own age being forcefed useless facts and moving to a bell. How is that the REAL world?
We live and learn in the REAL world. Our kids learn about real life as they live it.
Our kids learn to listen to their bodies to know when they are hungry, tired or have to go to the bathroom.
They learn about current events as they are happening in the REAL world.
They follow their interests and learn according to their own personal time frame and ability.
They read when they are ready by living in a world full of words.
They write, they do real life math, they learn about history and geography by living and questioning.
Kids are curious...So many questions, all day, everyday. Google is our friend.
Kids do not need to be taught, they don't need lesson plans and curriculum and scopes and tests and comparisons.
They need freedom to grow and learn and be and do and question and answer and explore and just LIVE!
They need parents who are willing to allow them the freedom to grow and learn and be facilators and guides and mentors and partners.
I say question everything, do not take my word at face value.
My kids are thinkers and questioners.
They live and learn in the REAL world without school.
School doesn't exist in our lives but REAL learning does.
We just want to be left alone to live and learn and enjoy our freedoms without anyone taking them away.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Mocking Birds
Baby birds squeaking for food, May 22nd.
Here they are May 29th.
May 31st and then they flew.
Mama Bird watching us watch them.
There were 3 little baby birds. They squeaked every hour on the hour for mama to feed them. She must have been exhausted. I know I was cause they kept waking me up.
It has been really neat to experience the life cycle right outside our window.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Happy Birthday Brennan
Brenny turned 12 yesterday! I remember his birth vividly...
He is now as tall as me, looking me in the eye...
He was my easiest birth, anyone who knows me knows that birthing is not easy. So out of 4 his was the best because he actually wanted to come out :)
All my kids are unique as I know everyone's are, their births are just the beginning. Actually pregnancy is the beginning, they have unique personalities in the womb.
I love you buddy, you are awesome!
He is now as tall as me, looking me in the eye...
He was my easiest birth, anyone who knows me knows that birthing is not easy. So out of 4 his was the best because he actually wanted to come out :)
All my kids are unique as I know everyone's are, their births are just the beginning. Actually pregnancy is the beginning, they have unique personalities in the womb.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
School? No way...
Everyday I see more news about how schools are banning this and forcing that. The latest was about the little plastic bracelets that kids wear. They are distracting them from learning.
Pay attention!
Schools are constantly taking away anything that promotes individuality, creativity or just plain free time play.
So many have cut recess to just a few minutes, no talking at lunch, no talking in the bathroom...
I don't know about you but I sure can't sit there and pay attention to dribble that I have no interest in...
They wonder how homeschool kids will socialize? Remember being told repeatedly that we weren't there to socialize?
It's ironic... really... and sad, oh so sad.
Kids are holed up in prison and expected to perform, pay attention and regurgitate on command. With no regards to individual learning style or personality,
We must all conform, we must all be vanilla...
I really do not hold high hopes for reform. I truly believe the whole system is corrupt and the only way to fix it is to break it down and rebuild it.
Get rid of all the boards, I'm so sick of people thinking they know what your child NEEDS to know!
Get over yourself you do not know what my kid needs or any other kid for that matter!
I'll tell you what kids need...
Love, security, freedom to learn, grow, play and choose... Opportunity, choice, freedom...
They do not need curriculum or scopes and sequences to be compared to other kids.
Kids are people, they are individuals and should be respected and treated as such!
Pay attention!
Schools are constantly taking away anything that promotes individuality, creativity or just plain free time play.
So many have cut recess to just a few minutes, no talking at lunch, no talking in the bathroom...
I don't know about you but I sure can't sit there and pay attention to dribble that I have no interest in...
They wonder how homeschool kids will socialize? Remember being told repeatedly that we weren't there to socialize?
It's ironic... really... and sad, oh so sad.
Kids are holed up in prison and expected to perform, pay attention and regurgitate on command. With no regards to individual learning style or personality,
We must all conform, we must all be vanilla...
I really do not hold high hopes for reform. I truly believe the whole system is corrupt and the only way to fix it is to break it down and rebuild it.
Get rid of all the boards, I'm so sick of people thinking they know what your child NEEDS to know!
Get over yourself you do not know what my kid needs or any other kid for that matter!
I'll tell you what kids need...
Love, security, freedom to learn, grow, play and choose... Opportunity, choice, freedom...
They do not need curriculum or scopes and sequences to be compared to other kids.
Kids are people, they are individuals and should be respected and treated as such!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Baby bird
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Unschooling
There has been a huge influx of media attention lately, unfortunately it's mostly negative. It paints unschoolers as neglectful parents whose kids will grow up to be failures.
I don't have all of the links and I don't really care to link them. Anyone who is on the internet lately has seen them for sure.
I don't want unschooling in the mainstream media. The masses are dumbed down, in the box and indoctrinated. They can't even fathom that there are choices to be made. They see public school as the end all and be all to life. You can't possibly amount to anything if you aren't forced to be in prison for 12 years. You must be told what to do and what to think. We can't have free thinking people pursuing their own interests running amok.
We usually talk about what unschoolers don't do. We live as if school didn't exist. No grades, no tests, no curriculum, no forced lessons, no school period. We also don't follow arbitrary rules and limits imposed on us just for obedience.
We live and learn period! We do not need school, school is an artificial place that is never replicated in real life. Why people are so gung ho to say that school prepares you for life is beyond me.
We are living in the real world now, children are people now. They deserve to be treated as such. They deserve freedom to learn and grow and change and be who they are now, not what we think they should be in the future.
My friend Frank said *Unschoolers Do what they want*
Simple, yet true.
We learn about the world by living in it. We follow our interests wherever they may lead. We are happy, whole people just living our lives as if school didn't exist.
If that threatens you then you need to examine that and not put a negative spin on how we live because you don't have a clue.
I don't have all of the links and I don't really care to link them. Anyone who is on the internet lately has seen them for sure.
I don't want unschooling in the mainstream media. The masses are dumbed down, in the box and indoctrinated. They can't even fathom that there are choices to be made. They see public school as the end all and be all to life. You can't possibly amount to anything if you aren't forced to be in prison for 12 years. You must be told what to do and what to think. We can't have free thinking people pursuing their own interests running amok.
We usually talk about what unschoolers don't do. We live as if school didn't exist. No grades, no tests, no curriculum, no forced lessons, no school period. We also don't follow arbitrary rules and limits imposed on us just for obedience.
We live and learn period! We do not need school, school is an artificial place that is never replicated in real life. Why people are so gung ho to say that school prepares you for life is beyond me.
We are living in the real world now, children are people now. They deserve to be treated as such. They deserve freedom to learn and grow and change and be who they are now, not what we think they should be in the future.
My friend Frank said *Unschoolers Do what they want*
Simple, yet true.
We learn about the world by living in it. We follow our interests wherever they may lead. We are happy, whole people just living our lives as if school didn't exist.
If that threatens you then you need to examine that and not put a negative spin on how we live because you don't have a clue.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Nature in our yard
This nest is in a bush in our front yard.
Here one egg hatched.
This is one week later.
Monday, April 19, 2010
No school?
I've often thought of what it would be like if there were no school. What would people do with their kids? Would they actually make different choices? Better choices? Be more responsible?
Makes me wonder...
Society has been ingrained with the indoctrination of the public school system. The main point of the system is to control the masses. We can't have free thinking people out and about all day deciding what to to with their time.
The system is government daycare at best. People can't wait to unload their kid so they don't have to be responsible for them.
If this sounds harsh, tough, it's how I feel, what I think from years of observing parents.
Yes, there are some great involved parents who still send their kids to school. Why? I have no idea.
Having to work is no excuse. There are many single parent homeschoolers and many dual working parents. Be creative, find a way to work so your kids don't have to be put in school.
I actually don't think teaching should be a profession. Look at what it is today. Teachers have to follow the school boards orders. Now they are pushing more and more testing and teachers being compensated by student test scores.
That is absolutely ridiculous!
Tests are meaningless, degrading and harmful. They have no measure of true knowledge, some people are great test takers and can bullshit through even though they don't know the answers.
The system is seriously flawed and politicians think more money and more standards are the answer.
Well it isn't the answer. It doesn't work! The system is broken and has been for as long as I can remember, it's just getting worse.
More and more people are homeschooling these days but so many never will.
Schools as we know them should be banned. They should be some sort of cooperative learning center where people can choose what they want to learn, how and when. Of course this would mean being responsible and trusting people. There needs to be some sort of option for those that would never homeschool.
This will not happen anytime soon because people are used to being controlled, coerced, punished and rewarded.
I believe that too many people just don't think about the fact that the school system owns their kids. Kids deserve to grow and learn and be free to choose and be respected as people.
Kids do not belong in school wasting away their precious youth and being forcefed useless facts to regurgitate on demand.
Learning is natural and not something that needs to be forced. We don't need to be taught how to read and write, we can and do learn without instruction.
In this age of the internet, information is a click away, we can find out anything we want, we can learn about anything we want. School is an outdated institution.
Schooling takes away the natural ability, it makes learning a chore and something that has to be taught by a master.
School is damaging our youth, look around you.
I wish people would wake up!
I wish parents were responsible and respectful.
Makes me wonder...
Society has been ingrained with the indoctrination of the public school system. The main point of the system is to control the masses. We can't have free thinking people out and about all day deciding what to to with their time.
The system is government daycare at best. People can't wait to unload their kid so they don't have to be responsible for them.
If this sounds harsh, tough, it's how I feel, what I think from years of observing parents.
Yes, there are some great involved parents who still send their kids to school. Why? I have no idea.
Having to work is no excuse. There are many single parent homeschoolers and many dual working parents. Be creative, find a way to work so your kids don't have to be put in school.
I actually don't think teaching should be a profession. Look at what it is today. Teachers have to follow the school boards orders. Now they are pushing more and more testing and teachers being compensated by student test scores.
That is absolutely ridiculous!
Tests are meaningless, degrading and harmful. They have no measure of true knowledge, some people are great test takers and can bullshit through even though they don't know the answers.
The system is seriously flawed and politicians think more money and more standards are the answer.
Well it isn't the answer. It doesn't work! The system is broken and has been for as long as I can remember, it's just getting worse.
More and more people are homeschooling these days but so many never will.
Schools as we know them should be banned. They should be some sort of cooperative learning center where people can choose what they want to learn, how and when. Of course this would mean being responsible and trusting people. There needs to be some sort of option for those that would never homeschool.
This will not happen anytime soon because people are used to being controlled, coerced, punished and rewarded.
I believe that too many people just don't think about the fact that the school system owns their kids. Kids deserve to grow and learn and be free to choose and be respected as people.
Kids do not belong in school wasting away their precious youth and being forcefed useless facts to regurgitate on demand.
Learning is natural and not something that needs to be forced. We don't need to be taught how to read and write, we can and do learn without instruction.
In this age of the internet, information is a click away, we can find out anything we want, we can learn about anything we want. School is an outdated institution.
Schooling takes away the natural ability, it makes learning a chore and something that has to be taught by a master.
School is damaging our youth, look around you.
I wish people would wake up!
I wish parents were responsible and respectful.
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