I don't talk too much about unschooling around those who homeschool in my community. We are the only family that does as far as I know. I just mentioned (about 2 years ago) belonging to an unschool list in my state and another mom said (accused was more like it), "You aren't one of those unschoolers are you!?" We weren't at the time but heading in that direction. We were very relaxed/eclectic then.
Well, for some reason I talked about it the other day (maybe because the "school year" was over?). I didn't get a bad response this time, quite the opposite actually. Now she wants to know more about how we go about unschooling and fulfilling our state's requirements. We talked for a while and I felt like I was just being confusing. Anywho, she invariably asked what they always eventually ask, "But what about math?" Ky wants to use an algebra curriculum we're borrowing from another family, so I told her about that. Was I chickening out? A little. Why? I've been asking myself that for four days. I think its because I'm not very eloquent in person (not sure I'm very eloquent about it in print either :-P )
Here's what I wish I would have said to her. "What about math? It surrounds us everyday and Kyle and Noelle use it all the time. We don't pull out a textbook, we live math." There doesn't that sound better? lol
Their questions always seem to relate to some kind of timetable. I mean come on, who decided what should be learned when? Who/what gives them that authority? I sure didn't. If it were important to God, wouldn't He have explained it in scripture? If he does, and I've somehow missed it, would someone please point it out?
Okay, I feel better. Thanks for reading :)
Note: I believe its still unschooling if the child asks for the materials that are schoolish in nature.
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3 comments:
I'm curious as to what she meant by "one of those unschoolers"
A great page about math is www.sandradodd.com/math
The problem with math is that the way it is taught in school isn't real life, oh heck that is the problem with everything about school :)
Just a thought... Ky might be choosing curriculum because it's familiar. If that is what he wants and he does it on his terms, that is great, Cassie likes a worksheet on occasion.
If there was no such thing as curriculum how would he go about reaching his goal of learning algebra? That is when you can get out of the box and learn from all sorts of resources.
Thanks for all the input! Ky has been exploring Algebra in many different ways (cd-roms, internet, student handbooks from Southwestern, books from library, talking with dad) over the last year. Nothing is set in stone so if he doesn't like the algebra course he can try something else.
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