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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,085
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,085 |
I just did some research on homeschooling and it looks like the academics are the easy part. It appears that the non-academic part is becoming very important.
The really top colleges, and they mention Harvard as being friendly to homeschoolers, is looking for kids that do really "cool" stuff outside their school work to get an idea of who this kid is, particularly socially. They mention that boy is was one of the youngest to sail around the world by himself, at the time, as a homeschooler who did something cool to get into Harvard.
I know that is an extreme but knowing how a kid fits in is becoming more of a criteria now.
Not wanting to be critical, just trying to be fully informed. DD is 5 turning 6 and going into grade 1. I am trying to make the best decisions for her.
Ren Do you have a link to the Harvard story? It sounds an awful lot like "Dove" the book which is a true story from the 60's but he didn't go to Harvard. Perhaps the boy was inspired by reading the above book? http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060920475...=as3&creative=373489&camp=211189
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,690
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,690 |
Sorry, I took a few different sources and combined the info. I just searched
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,457
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,457 |
I thought this might be of interest. I fully understand that unschooling can have good results as well as bad ones, and if I haven't made that clear enough, I find much of merit in the ideas behind unschooling in general. http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?p=15834558
Striving to increase my rate of flow, and fight forum gloopiness. 
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 65
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 65 |
Thanks for posting the link Iucounu. I read through most of it and it is indeed interesting and eye opening to say the least. My DD6 is homeschooled and is so strong willed that out of desperation I did consider unschooling. This summer I did a little 'unschooling' experiment, from this experience I know that we could never unschool. Essentially my DD spent much of the summer cutting up fashion magazines. Sometimes she took pics of her 'cut outs' but that was it. She did not read. No math whatsoever. I kept bringing new books home from the library and casually leaving new math games around. All gentle invitations were declined politely. Now we are gradually easing our way back in to our homeschool schedule, more structured this year because she's in grade one. My DD does not like a challenge, despite her abilities. She is not a kid that would benefit from unschooling, despite how enticing it is from my perspective. What I also discovered is that I am not capable of quietly standing by while she spends hours cutting up magazines, even if it was National Geographic. DP thought that she would eventually move on, but she didn't. I'm sure that unschooling works for some kids and some parents. I wish it would work for us, it would make my life so much more relaxed. DD has a lot of choice during her school day and life in general and I think that there can be a balance for us. I can see that we would both regret unschooling down the line. It was good to read the posts on mothering.com and on this thread as well.
Annaliisa
Last edited by annaliisa; 09/12/10 10:08 PM.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 47
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 47 |
I'm like to share a little of our experience, how unschooling is working for us.
My DS6, who hasn't been schooled at all spent his day today like this:
We spent 3 hours playing Lego Harry Potter on the wii together. I felt like that was pretty excessive when I realised the time. (I forgot the time last night when we were talking about maths too so it evens out I suppose).
We played a quick board game.
Continued discussing factors and prime numbers after the discussion last night.
I showed him how to read an analogue clock and he did some exercises in a maths work book that were related.
He played some maths games on the computer.
He helped me to cook soup, hommous and stewed apples with much gusto (lol - he does love food).
He is now reading to me from Harry Potter.
Most of this was at his request, and any that I suggested was agreed to by him without any coersion, bribing, praising or anything like that.This is a typical day at home for us lately, though admittedly we don't spend many days at home.
Normally he is allowed 2 hours of screen time, either his laptop, ipod or a dvd. The wii is normally a once a week event.
I just can't ever imagine telling my son to sit and do any of this stuff, he'd probably look at me like I am nuts or something. He only does it so happily because it is his choice. If I had to coerce his learning out of him I doubt I'd have a very happy relationship with him, and he is so very clear about both his needs and interests that I'm happy with how unschooling works for us.
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,134
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,134 |
My DD does not like a challenge, despite her abilities. She is not a kid that would benefit from unschooling, despite how enticing it is from my perspective. My kids are JUST like this. I like to joke they wouldn't be potty trained yet had I not pushed hard on it!  So I don't think a full on unschooling approach would work for them. Especially at the ages they are now (6 & 9). Anyway, I do think the poster of that thread was likely a bit naive when she took an unschooling approach and just thought dropping her kids right to public school would work? That might work for a motivated and/or gifted unschooler. But to assume it'll all work itself out would be short sighted in my book.
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