I remember when I wanted to take piano lesions. I was interested in it for like a month , then went off , then a few years later, I went back on. I then had to start from the begging...AGAIN! If I unschool my children in Language Arts and Math that way, they will never get anywhere.
The focus is the real problem! Children don't havea big attention span, and some (probably my children) even have ADD. Then what?
This is the only thing that is keeping me from unschoolig my children 100% of the way.. HELP!!!
Also, what if they are interested in a dog/pet , and after awhile isn't. I'm as much of an animal/pet lover as a child lover. I couldn't give up an animal just because my son or daughter doesn't care for it as much anymore. Then what?
I am also afraid that my children, when they are boird or no longer interested in the subject at college level, will just drop the class and never just "stick it out" and get through the not so fun parts to get the degree. They will be so accustom to going on to the next interesting thing that they never finish what they started.
Thanks
Janine
Language arts and math are not the same as piano lessons. You use language and math every day, all the time, in every situation. I have found that if you have good verbal skills, you will have good writing skills. I know for me, at-least, I write exactly how I would speak. So my focus is on modeling good speaking behavior to my children, so that they will develop good writing skills later on. (My boys are 4 and 6 so don't do much writing yet.)
I also encourage my kids to see things thru. If they start a project, they are encouraged to finish it. This way they develop good habits early one. But, even later in life, they may start piano lessons and then decide it's not right for them. So they move on to something else. Eventually, if I've done my job correctly, they will hit on something that is right for them, and that will make all the difference. Once they find the thing for them, they will do what it takes to see it thru, including sitting thru boring college classes. College is tricky, even for kids who come from a more structured environment, because it's not compulsory. You can leave anytime you want, for any reason you want. However, kids who chose to go to college, and kids who choose their own classes, and kids who pay for it themselves, who want to be there to achieve a specific goal, are not going to be the kids who drop out.
As far as pets, if you're worried your kids aren't capable of loving and caring for a pet of their own, than just get a family pet. Make it clear that the pet belongs to the family, and so everyone can have the chance to love and care for it. Then let your kids help out when they want to, with out the expectation that they have to. This approach has worked well since we got a family dog last year. My kids are eager to help feed him, and walk him, and they love playing with him. But they know he is a family dog, and so everyone helps.
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we 'quasi-unschool' (unschool works differently for different families- just like homeschool is done differently by different families)
Here, math and science are to be done- but they get to choose- BUT when they make a choice I want them to finished it, but sometimes (lots of times) we/they take breaks and do something different in math or science.
for example:Ki does Life of Fred for math, but some days he'll choose to do Math Dice or a Worksheet instead. But usually he does Life of Fred.
Unschooling is what works for you and your kids despite what people tell you should. It's trusting in you and your kids to find what works. So if you are doing unschool the way someone else tells you and it is NOT working, then it is not really unschool.
we actually don't do much in Language Arts- it's more 'radical unschool' for that one I guess.
my kids have autism spectrum issues, ADHD, and other Sensory Disorders- so there are some things I have them do- because as a good mom I need to make sure they get their occupational therapy. If your child has diabetes you make sure they take their insulin shots- you don't say "Oh, if you feel like taking your insulin you can, but if you don't want to, then don't"-- Ki esp needs me to help him maintain doing occupational therapy and learning to understand his body and it's needs. Ki asks me to help him make out schedules for school and asks me to remind him to do stuff and stick with things.
Gavin has always wanted to go into robotic engineering and has always told me to help him learn what he'll need for that and to be able to get into college for that. with his very ADD and Dyslexia that means I help keep him focused on on track and progressing- it's what he wants and needs to reach his goal and he's told me he wants me to help with that.
unschooling looks different for us, because we do what our family needs.
This doesn't mean I force them to sit for hours and do things that frustrate them - 2 of my boys didn't read till- 5th grade - when they were ready & Ki is not where public school 8th graders are in math. I help Ki finds way to do math that work for him and don't push him to do complex math. he does Math Dice or reads through the Times Tables or does a slow chapter in Life of Fred -with tweaks for his needs.
a couple years ago he was doing 2 digit multiplication (like 12 x35) and he got stuck. I asked if he wanted to practice and go over it every day till he got it or if he wanted to move on to a different area in math and come back when he felt ready. He chose to do something different in math- maps and charts- and after a couple days of that the double digit multiplication CLICKED-- out of 'nowhere' . his brain probably just needed a break to assimilate the facts.
The only concern is when they go to college, they can't "take a break" from one part of the chapter if the class is focusing on one particular thing. They have a syllabus that goes the way the teacher wants (or college). If they aren't grabbing a point, they have to get a tutor and stick with it so they can follow along with the class. Then what. Are we teaching them something as a kid that isn't going to work out when they get older? Then what will they do if all their life they go to "take a break" and come back to it...
I think you are over thinking this a bit. My kids don't "take a break". They do something that they find interesting, until it's not interesting anymore. I wont lie, there are a lot of unschooled kids who just don't like college, because they see it as pointless to take the required classes, when they have nothing to do with their field of interest. But at the same time, there are plenty who stick it out, because they are so interested in their field, that they will do whatever it takes to make it work. The ones who don't stick with it, may never obtain a degree, but that doesn't mean they can't be successful and/or happy. A college degree does not guarantee success.
I would venture to guess that the rate of public-schooled children who drop out of college is significantly greater than the number of homeschooled/unschooled children who drop out of college.
Quoting my2.5boys:I think you are over thinking this a bit. My kids don't "take a break". They do something that they find interesting, until it's not interesting anymore. I wont lie, there are a lot of unschooled kids who just don't like college, because they see it as pointless to take the required classes, when they have nothing to do with their field of interest. But at the same time, there are plenty who stick it out, because they are so interested in their field, that they will do whatever it takes to make it work. The ones who don't stick with it, may never obtain a degree, but that doesn't mean they can't be successful and/or happy. A college degree does not guarantee success.
Agreed! I was a public school student who didn't like attending classes that did not pertain to my future career choices and or interests. Basically those fill in classes, so I opted to not attend a 4 year college. I don't believe that just because you have a degree does not equal success. Personally, I feel going to a trade school, business school. getting certified in your area of interest, etc.
OP - I agree that you are way overthinking this. If you are this uncomfortable with the thought of unschooling maybe you should reconsider it. Unschooling to me is trusting that your children are going to learn no matter what.
Quoting fluud7:
I would venture to guess that the rate of public-schooled children who drop out of college is significantly greater than the number of homeschooled/unschooled children who drop out of college.
Quoting my2.5boys:
I think you are over thinking this a bit. My kids don't "take a break". They do something that they find interesting, until it's not interesting anymore. I wont lie, there are a lot of unschooled kids who just don't like college, because they see it as pointless to take the required classes, when they have nothing to do with their field of interest. But at the same time, there are plenty who stick it out, because they are so interested in their field, that they will do whatever it takes to make it work. The ones who don't stick with it, may never obtain a degree, but that doesn't mean they can't be successful and/or happy. A college degree does not guarantee success.
It's not that I am over-thinking it. I am just wanting to make sure all the questions and concerns are out of me before I make a decision. If i do homeschool, it would be unschooling.
I believe it's productive to focus on a child's interests, but I can't see any value in allowing them to stop when they lose interest. I'm not talking about beating a dead horse, but there must be some discipline to finish what you start. I wanted to play violin. My parents said I could take violin lessons AFTER I had 2 years of piano (because piano is so fundamental to music: the notes read the same, keyboard makes it easier to learn theory, etc.). After 2 years -during which my mother sat on the bench with me almost daily to make sure I focused on practicing the lesson- my teacher moved out of state, and I was done...until a few months later...then I found I missed it. My parents found me another teacher, after they observed a few years of continued interest, and I went on to major in piano. Who knows what would have happened if they had let me start in violin, or let me quit piano when I wanted to? Some things have a threshold you have to reach before you can really enjoy them; letting a kid quit isn't fair to them. As I said, if it's really a battle, maybe make a deal that they finish the year well or something like that. Just my opinion. :D
Quoting MyVavies:It's not that I am over-thinking it. I am just wanting to make sure all the questions and concerns are out of me before I make a decision. If i do homeschool, it would be unschooling.
Check out these Tasty Treats from The Stir's partners:
Unschooling - would love to hear from experienced unschool moms
- MyVavies
on Sep. 12, 2010 at 2:19 AM