Thursday, May 23, 2013

Unschooling

I have been reading everything I can get my hands on about unschooling these past two weeks.  I started reading about it before we moved to Ecuador and I was intrigued, but once getting here I still felt like they needed to know the basics.  They were troopers and did what I asked, although for several weeks Finn gave me a horrible awful time.  We kept threatening school and he finally had an attitude adjustment, but as I look back over those weeks I wonder if we did more harm than good.

Last week I decided to ask them what they wanted to learn.  They made a list.  Some of the things included were swimming, cooking, sewing (for both of them) and learning a musical instrument.  They both said they wanted to continue Spanish lessons and that they enjoyed me teaching Math to them, so we decided to continue that. We dropped the Brain Pop, which they didn't like, but they continue to read books way above grade level on their own.   

There is a new school here starting in the fall that follows the unschooling principles.  Well, as much as a school can.  I have only emailed back and forth with the director a few times as he is in the states right now guiding a hundred or so kids in Yosemite.  I like what he says he is attempting to do, but it is expensive.  I want to meet with him when he gets back and see what his school is offering.  If it gives Finn and Tali a chance to be with other kids and to explore things that they love, then I'm in. 

What led me to this excited search into unschooling this time was a book recommended by the director of this new school called, The Teenage Liberation Handbook.  It is meant to be read by teenagers, but it really opened my eyes to a new way of looking at learning.  As I read I keep thinking about my niece who is miserable in high school right now.  I think that if she let herself become open to this idea of unschooling she would soar. 

Today I have been reading a blog of a radical unschooling mother.  She is one of the experts in radical unschooling and has been on many tv shows, including Oprah.  Nightly News calls her the UnNanny.  She has been to many family's homes helping them to transition into unschooling.  I have been afraid of even looking into radical unschooling. It just seemed too radical!  But, today I read a post about how she handles food in her home.  One of the things she does is give her children $15 and she allows them to pick out whatever food they want at the grocery store.  My immediate thought was, No Way! 

I started to think about how that would look and decided to experiment a little bit with Finn and Tali.  I told them that I would do the same...give them some money at the grocery store and they can pick out what they want.  They were so excited.  In my head I saw grocery carts with heaps of candy and chips. 

At lunch we started talking about what they were going to buy.  Tali said she would probably pick bread, meat and cucumbers.  Finn said he would love to get some peach yogurt.  He was so excited to get that yogurt because Mark always buys blackberry.  I didn't know he was really missing the peach.  He also said he would buy strawberries, bananas and milk to make more smoothies.  I was a bit surprised by their choices.  I wonder what will happen when we actually get to the store.  To be continued...

13 comments:

  1. You can't know how thrilling it is for me to see a post about unschooling on an Eucador blog! We are hoping to move there in a couple of years (or before if I can figure out how to do so)...and WE are unschoolers! My daughter (who'll turn 14 in a month) has always been unschooled and I run the statewide unschooling group here (Louisiana). And guess what else? I have a facebook friend who lives in Cuenca who is also unschooling her kids there! So cool!

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    1. Hi Denise, So nice to hear from you! Who is your Facebook friend? I probably know her. :) Get here as soon as you can. You will not regret it!

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  2. I'd recommend signing up for Pam's lovely newsletter here, http://livingjoyfully.ca/blog/. I bet you'll love it.

    Joyce's website is very helpful, too! http://joyfullyrejoycing.com/

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    1. Thanks, Nisa. I will do that. Right now I am reading through Dana Martin's blog in its entirety. I wish I could sit around reading all day!

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  3. Wow, welcome to the unschooling life! My 14 year old son and I are also unschooling and living in the Andes too! Only we're in Peru. Let's stay connected and let us know how we can support you.

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  4. Hi Lainie! Are you Miro's mother? If so, I just found your blog last week and have been going through it like gang busters.

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  6. Hi! I will be moving to Cuenca with my family next month and would like to talk with you.
    Please let me know when is it possible for you from Monday, June 3 afternoon to Wednesday June 5.
    Many thanks. Valentina cell phone 0984 663 007 valenboa@yahoo.com

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    1. Hi Valentina, I am available Tuesday afternoon.

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  8. Hey Sherry,

    I'm new to your blog, but love what I've read so far. I'm actually wondering if you know other unschoolers interested in Ecuador. I'm trying to start up a project on some land I own in Vilcabamba. Let me know if this piques your interest:
    http://familyrun.ning.com/forum/topics/who-wants-to-help-me-start-an-unschooling-or-alternative

    Hasta luego,
    Gregory Diehl
    www.enabledyouth.com
    Skype: enabledyouth

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  9. We are unschooling our son and I want to start a school that is "unschooling"... the reason for this is our son (and other kids) need friends and if you are not in school friends are harder to find.

    I am posting in hopes like minded families wish to connect. I am on facebook if my email isn't posted.

    Jordan Schachter
    ps In 2018, I will have a master's in speech language pathology

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  10. I learned about unschooling yesterday, My baby is just 4 months old but I want to learn more about it. I´m Ecuadorian currently living in Mexico City but we are returning at the end of the year and we understand that its better with a group of parents

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