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Mare
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| Posted: Dec 14 2005 at 11:59am | IP Logged
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I've been offline for a bit over two months. We're putting on an addition which meant that things would be different for a while. 
I'm so thankful for Elizabeth's book Real Learning. I've read the book several times and felt blessed each time. I brought out the book again a few weeks ago. I was encouraged once again about real learning in real life. 
Thank you, Elizabeth, for putting the book together. I can't tell you how often I've gone to certain parts of the book for encouragement.
Blessings,
Mare
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Rachel May
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| Posted: Dec 14 2005 at 2:31pm | IP Logged
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I'm eagerly awaiting my own copy of Real Learning for Christmas. I had to give it a very quick read before I moved this summer and had to return the book, and I remember wishing it were mine so I could write notes in it. There were so many things that were completely new to me--not surprising since I'm a newish homeschooler and also am not always great at thinking outside of the box.
The past few days, I've been wondering, how much of unschooling is a matter of perspective? For example, my friend told me that she had done "no school" for 2 days. What they had done was make handmade Christmas cards, baked cookies, painted them with egg white paint, listened to Christmas carols, and delivered the cookies to a center to be distributed to single soldiers away from their families at Christmas. My thought was, "They did copywork, math, art, music, and religion."
Is part of Real Learning the ability to recognize these sorts of things as learning, and is there something more that I'm missing or forgetting about?
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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~Rachel~
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| Posted: Dec 14 2005 at 2:56pm | IP Logged
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I think Real Learning is taking and making learning opportunities... so not only do you realise that 'Hey cooking is HANDICRAFTS and MATHS!!' but that you also realise that doubling or halving the recipe is a good way to illustrate multiplication and fractions.
It is taking ordinary things and learning from them... much the way we do as adults.
Or that's the way I see it 
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~Rachel~
Wife to William
Mum to James 13, Lenore 8
Lighting a Fire
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Mary G
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Ladies -- first, I've read "Real Learning" a half-dozen times, and every time I read it I find new things to implement.
To me, "real learning" is what we as adults do 24 hours a day -- but we pass on the secret to our kids. It's taking any and every chance to learn -- reading good books (no TWADDLE), it's following the veins that pop up when we find something of interest (Elizabeth calls them "rabbit trails"), it's looking at everything and anything and taking whatever knowledge we can from it.
It's a very active and pro-active teaching method. It allows for the kids to do some unschooling (CM called it "masterly inactivity") but still ensuring coverage of the basics.
It's going beyond the text books we grew up with and actually DOING.
As someone said a year or so ago, "it's the kind of education I wished I had"...no kidding.
It's a great adventure -- welcome to it, ladies!
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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Sarah
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| Posted: Dec 14 2005 at 5:13pm | IP Logged
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So thankful for the book-recommended it many times. Poured over the "Burnout" section many times with tears and felt consoled. Found that Elizabeth's style wrks great for us.
Now, so thankful for this forum. Can't tell you how much its helped me!
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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
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TracyQ
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| Posted: Dec 14 2005 at 5:25pm | IP Logged
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I started reading it a few weeks ago too. I want to get back to it, and read the whole thing. When reading, I was feeling SO blessed!
Mare, SO glad you're back online. I missed you terribly! WAY more than you probably even know! 
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
 homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Elizabeth
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Real Learning
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| Posted: Dec 14 2005 at 5:34pm | IP Logged
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Wow! Thanks...that was a nice pick-me-up this evening. to you all.
Btw, we haven't done school in three days either. But we made botanical soap and beeswax ornaments, handmade thank you cards, and a calendar to give to special folks. We've also listened to Christmas carols in Spanish, made grottoes for Our Lady of Guadalupe,and followed all the links on the OLG thread. THESE are the days when I truly feel productive!
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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TracyQ
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| Posted: Dec 14 2005 at 5:49pm | IP Logged
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Elizabeth wrote:
| THESE are the days when I truly feel productive! |
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They ARE the best days, aren't they? Well Elizabeth, the Lord used you to bless many people! That is SO wonderful! You should feel joy in that! You worked hard for it! 
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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~Rachel~
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| Posted: Dec 14 2005 at 5:50pm | IP Logged
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 Elizabeth... it sounds like you have been REAL LEARNING!!  Our cookies sound somewhat meagre besides that (although we did read the Clown of God and Jingle the Christmas Clown ).
Oh... and DS has been 'knitting'... really finger crocheting. he also keeps pinching my foil to make ornaments with...
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~Rachel~
Wife to William
Mum to James 13, Lenore 8
Lighting a Fire
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Rachel May
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| Posted: Dec 14 2005 at 7:18pm | IP Logged
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Do you remember getting in trouble at school for daydreaming when you were probably really off on a Rabbit Trail all by your lonesome?
One of the fun things I'm finding as I get my feet wet with unschooling is that we can all go on the trails together. I have one who tends to be the trailblazer and the rest enthusiastically follow. This week we had kids in black and white clothes sliding on their tummies on the kitchen floor after watching March of the Penguins. Next week I know we'll persue this even more, but I had to wait because we were in the middle of a trail through the solar system. Do you ever worry that you need a map?
Ok, a nuts and bolts question. Besides Elizabeth's book, what books do you recommend for getting a feel for unschooling? I've looked at the CM recommended reading list on Elizabeth's site, but I'm curious what other people suggest also.
I feel sort of dumb when I come here sometimes because I picked my curriculum (MODG) based on what my family and friends were using with success and the approach seemed to make sense. There was no intensive research of teaching styles or any comparing of curricula.
Then I read Real Learning (which my friend who mentors me through MODG handed me with the words, "I think this would be great for you."), and I think a part of my brain exploded. It left me very hungry for more.
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Real learning in real life
