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joann10
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| Posted: April 21 2009 at 1:11pm | IP Logged
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As I read through the unschooling post I realize that we definitely lean that way in our learning, but----I spend a wonderful morning like this and doesn't my Mom call and wonder what we have been doing today---I tell her of our fun and she wants to know if we have done any "real school"  "because I really shouldn't just be playing with the kids--they need an education" 
I have a 9 year old that stuggles with reading--she sees this. He has memorized all the multiplcation facts through 9's and that isn't discussed--maybe it is just me, and the fact I want to live up to the expected "expectations".
Someone just please tell me that what we are doing is OK and then I will get on with "getting on"
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: April 21 2009 at 1:39pm | IP Logged
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Perhaps simply answer the question.. "of course we've done real school".. because what you do is real even if you know that's not what she means 
and you did do art and geography and conservation etc. And she also has a skewed view of real school if she thinks that the kids in public school do the 3 r's all day long and none of the "playing"
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Willa
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| Posted: April 21 2009 at 2:33pm | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
| and you did do art and geography and conservation etc. And she also has a skewed view of real school if she thinks that the kids in public school do the 3 r's all day long and none of the "playing" |
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So true. My son is in high school this year and it's surprising how much of the day is taken up with things not directly related with academics.
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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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amyable
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| Posted: April 21 2009 at 3:15pm | IP Logged
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Our extended families have a hard time understanding too. I pretty much don't try to explain anymore, because even when I *did*, they didn't *hear* me and still kept thinking/saying the same ol' things  .
But, if you are interested in fighting the fight (GO JOANN!!  )... you can tell them that:
**worksheets etc are *second best*. That research shows that hands on learning, and multi-dimentional, multi-sensory education reaches more children more quickly than just seatwork. *Particularly* with a child who struggles.
**teachers resort to that stuff out of lack of time and money, and because it can't be regulated as easily as a textbook and worksheets (ask almost any public school teacher about "teaching only for the state testing" these days and whether they get *any* flexibility in curriculum choice and you will most likely get an earful. At least in our state that seems to be the case)
**as a speech-language pathologist I was brought in to the classrooms to do what you are doing - hands on work, one-to-one (or one-to-two or four or ten ), language enriched (you are talking to them about it all while doing it, right?) work related to what the class was studying. This was seen as a plus - something sought after, something encouraged.They paid big money to have SLPs in the classroom (of which I saw very little of the $$$ ) It just wasn't possible all the time, with so many kids and so many hoops to jump. So if it *were*, like it can be with homeschooling, wouldn't you WANT to do it?
**have I made it clear that what they call "real school" at that age - too many textbooks, worksheets, etc are *second best* in general (of course there are kids who do work best that way - I've got one of them). Why would you chose second best when you can have the best?
I know it's hard when a child struggles - you and others may wonder if what you are doing is "good enough." It's these hands on, "making connections" type activities, that really help the strugglers more than throwing more worksheets at them. Worksheets ("real school") is like one mini-test after another. They are used to see if the kids know things. It's the *teaching* that is what a homeschooler should be doing, not the things that pass for "school" to the average joe, because you most likely KNOW what your kids know, if you are paying attention.
This is all, of course, if you are being observational and puposeful with your "unschooling" and not just "not schooling" like I tend to wind up doing when things get hairy around here! 
I'll get off my soapbox. Sorry. I tend to get fired up about this stuff.
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of 
The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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melanie
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| Posted: April 21 2009 at 10:26pm | IP Logged
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FWIW, my oldest always had trouble with reading, adn this was always put on trial with my MIL...she would try to get her to read when we were with them, ("Did you see that, she couldn't read 'marinara' on the menu just now!") and was very, erm, worried about homeschooling. It did pass. She did see that my late reader learned to read well and she has come around. But with some people,,,every problem you kids ever have will be because you homeschool, and everything your kids do well will be in spite of homeschooling. 
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Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: April 21 2009 at 10:43pm | IP Logged
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ah another approach to the reading problem..
oh yes he's still struggling with reading and I am SO GLAD that we're homeschooling and he's not dealing with the ridicule and impatience of the system that he'd get in public schools. We can move at his pace without any of that and know that he WILL get it and won't be turned off from reading entirely by the process.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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mariB
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| Posted: April 22 2009 at 5:30am | IP Logged
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For me, the "real school" stuff has not become not so real in our lives. I have come to appreciate and realize all of the learning we do as a family. I have really unschooled our 9 year old and she seems to be in the same place as our others were that had workbooks and worklists.
Try writing down what you do after the fact. I did this and realized we were doing so much more than I thought. Example:
We were reading On the Shores of Plumb Creek yesterday. After the read aloud, it turned into a study on Badgers because Laura encountered one in the book....which in turn became outdoor discovery and sketching. Then the our five year old came in the house and the 9 year old helped her to dress up their American Girl Dolls "pioneer style". Our 9 year old has become so much more patient with her sister...ah. in turn .developing a virtue (hard pressed to see that happening in schools)
Our 9 year old has always struggled with math...now she is growing in leaps and bounds. Our 4th grade textbook is at this point teaching long division...not ready. We play lots of times table bingo and make division boxes and have her fill in the blanks...all the while she is thinking the reverse of division...multiplication.
I hope I have not been repetitive here for I did not read the other posts. (I got to get a handle on the day:) Maybe reading some unschooling material might help to make you feel like you are doing something...because you are and then be able to retort on "scholastic" terms with your mother ...another example:
You read aloud---Literature
explored outside and sketched---art and science
you showed your 9year old some words in the book---reading
played a math game---math
looked at a picture book having to do with colonial times---history
Hope this helps. I wish I could hug every homeschooling mother. You are all amazing...I haven't met one that isn't!!!
Joann, going to read your blog...I always love to see what other homeschooling mothers are doing..and..keep having fun! 
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marib-Mother to 22ds,21ds,18ds,15dd,11dd and wife to an amazing man for 23 years
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KerryK
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 8:46am | IP Logged
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Joann,
I think that looks like a wonderful day! Keep in mind, you can always remind the naysayers that in "real school," Earth Day is always one of those days when not much "real work" (as in worksheet type stuff) gets done. Schools do special activities on this day, I know this from having been a teacher. Of course, I think most days should be like this! I love that suncatcher idea by the way! 
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Mary (6)
New baby Samuel 2/26/07!
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Jody
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 2:10pm | IP Logged
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Joann,
I love the pics on your blog! What great ideas. The looks on your kids faces are wonderful. You can see how much they love learning.
Your mom probably doesn't understand that your kids are actually learning more with these types of hands-on activities than they would with the traditional sit down seat work stuff. You covered geography, art, religion, and language arts all at once .
I know it can be disheartening to hear comments like that from your mom (especially since she is a close relative), but take courage...You're doing a fabulous job!!! 
Btw I loved your hammer idea. It looks like it would be much much faster than the pencil sharpener which we have always used.
Peace,
Jody
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Nique
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| Posted: April 26 2009 at 11:46pm | IP Logged
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She's one of a billion, zillion opinions out there and there's only ONE Whose opinion should matter!!
I honestly believe you are making Him proud!
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I had always thought that once you grew up you could do anything you wanted - stay up all night or eat ice cream straight out of the container. ~Bill Bryson
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