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1:17:00 PM EST
Feeling Happy
more on unschooling for the newspaper article
In a message dated 1/18/2006 9:23:16 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, CKENNING writes:
Use of tests are still very rare, right? For the most part, you don't use them?
I only did it because Tabby asked me to. She wanted to know if she was as "smart" as the other kids in the neighborhood. Mandy has never cared, and the only tests she has ever had were in martial arts. I would think, if the child WANTS to be tested, then it would still fall within the range of unschooling. Tabby is thinking of joining a spelling bee club, so she wanted to know if her spelling was up to par.
In a message dated 1/18/2006 9:23:16 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, CKENNING
So, at times, you may explicitly teach or 'introduce' concepts? My understanding was that unschoolers tried to avoid explicit, direct teaching.
Well, I guess I am not a pure unschooler. :-)
I teach and talk almost all day long about everything under the sun, and there is no telling what they will want to spend a lot of time on. I don't think it is "cheating" to say, "The Egyptians had to know geometry to design the pyramids. Look, this is geometry."
I think that in theory avoiding direct teaching might work, but it is a lot faster at times to teach them how to thread a sewing machine than to let them figure it out themselves, and with Mandy learning to drive, I certainly plan on teaching her the rules of the road! What we don't do is sit down with myriad workbooks to teach fractions, for example. It is more practical and fun to learn fractions while cooking, for example. My personal motto is to go with what works, and what works is different for each child.
I think was distinguishes unschooling from other forms of education is that it does not force learning on the children. If the child wants explicit instruction in Irish step dancing, English horse back riding or using a pottery wheel, then it is unschooling. Sitting them down with a workbook and forcing them to learn the difference between a predicate and a subject would not be unschooling. Looking over something they have written for their creative writing group and mentioning that this word is misspelled and that proper nouns need to be capitalized would still feel like unschooling. I do admit that I "salt" the house with exciting and unusual stuff to grab their attention, hoping that they will learn something. If I read a great article, I am very likely to bring it up at dinner or in the hot tub. We have piles of books all over the house. We have a whole room devoted to arts and crafts, and a whole room that is a library. In the kitchen there is a wooden play stove with lots of play food where Shelby can "cook" alongside whoever is cooking. The television room also has lots of books and games...it is a deliberately enriched environment. We even have an extra smaller table in the dining room, so if they are working on a project there will still be room to eat.Written by hestiahomeschool Blog about this entry |
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Will your children be able to adapt to going to college and adapting to the real world? Where test are a norm.
Will they be able to get into a good School? -
guess it all depends on the state you live in? My homeschooling friends here in NY say that there is a lot of paperwork that has to be passed in to the school district. I think some of that is tests.
Becky -
Can I come live with you?
Traci -
I tested my child once a year at home. Bob Jones sat test done at home and only for my knowledge and use. not at all for anyone else just to see where I might need to enhance teaching for me to be better or the girls but if we tried and they were not ready I waited but often they were ahead. I let them learn in thier own timing. So yes I think it can be used but should not be the rule of thumb at all i agree with you
1/18/06 11:53 PM
~Brittiany!
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