~ homeschooling our children, unschooling ourselves ~

"That's why Christian could become a radio engineer at thirteen.  No one ever told him he was too young to consider doing the work.  He's grown up doing things when he felt ready to do them.  He's not waiting for someone to tell him he is old enough or knows enough to do particular tasks.  This means that he is really living in our community"  Alison McKee, Homeschooling Our Children, Unschooling Ourselves

Three gifts that I would love to give my son:

1.  A life lived without the fear of failure

2.  A life lived with a positive sense of self worth

3.  A life lived to the fullest

Oh the dicotomy between Waldorf and unschooling.  This book has opened up Pandora's unschooling box for me.  I had some serious plotting thoughts yesterday morning on my walk with Georgia about how to keep my jobs, have another baby and stay home with C after another year of kindergarten at the Waldorf school.  Lots can happen on the trail with all that fresh air.  

The least to say that I really enjoyed the story of Alison McKee and her family's story of unschooling in her book, Homeschooling Our Children, Unschooling Ourselves.  A teacher herself, with all the same concerns and insecurities as me when it comes to homeschooling.  Will a child be motivated to learn math?  Will they get into college?  Will a child really learn all they need to know without a plan or lessons?  Will they turn out normal in the end?  Alison McKee says so and her children are the proof in the pudding.  

I would probably be freaking out every time my child was inspired to go in a certain direction only to change their mind and go in another one a few short months later.  But this book reveals to me that not only does that not spell flake as I have been so callously labelled with for such behaviour, but this might actually be the secret ingredient to a child that lives without the fear of failure.  No really, true story. And when I think about it, it makes sense.  They only learn things they feel like learning.  They don't get reprimanded for not handing in an assignment.  They don't get bad grades for having to do work they aren't interested in anyway.  Sounds pretty awesome to me!!  

In a way, these past few years I have been unschooling myself.  I picked up the knitting book and needles and just tried, and I signed up for guitar lessons and I signed up for mastery acting classes.  I started sewing and writing and taking pictures and this year I'm devout to get myself back into fashion and style.

THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS I GAVE UP TRYING TO DO SO THAT I COULD DO SCHOOL.

Let me repeat.

I used to sew and knit but because fashion design wasn't a University degree I took psychology instead.  I used to like baking and trying to cook but I always got kicked out of home economics.  I used to try out for school plays and even got parts but I got made fun of cause my slip was hanging out of my skirt once and I was playing a hill billy sister in another.  I used to have this wild fashion sense and I would stand out like a sore thumb wearing things that just weren't in and so I taught myself to dress down and wear baby T's and jeans like the rest of the girls so I could fit in.  

It took me a long time to get back to my roots and I want nothing more to see that my son never gets out of touch with his.  Even if he is only motivated to watch episodes of Magic School Bus for a week? Eeek.  Well, perhaps he just needs kindergarten and play with his friends for now.  

But in the meantime, I'm listening.  I'm aware.  I'm thinking of clearing out a few more things around here.  Maybe a few less toys would help.  Get on that New Years intention of a daily clean up schedule. Make space for him.  I see a little boy that is extremely anxious and high strung sometimes.  It's his nature and mine.  It takes practice at making space and not wanting to do everything at once.  I brought him to the craft store and literally he says to me he wants everything.  So yes, we're not ready to narrow down to one focus of study at this point and that's good.  But I'm listening and aware.  Keenly aware. And even if he stays in school and I never homeschool, his weekends and time at home with me will be an unschooling haven.

In the end, I highly recommend this book.  It supports our children when they aren't at school.  It supports our children when they are at school.  Enjoy!  XO.  S

Comments

[anissa]

thanks suzanne for again, blogging about something/s on my mind. This is so pertinent to me/us right now. We are still very homebased with some connection to steiner community but looking around at schools. i will look out for the book. i just read 'the highly sensitive child' by elaine aron and lightbulbs went off all over the show -for my small and myself too.

[Suzanne]

Anissa, I'm so glad I'm not alone on my journey. Keep me posted on yours! XO