Comments on: Children First http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/ May the star within us shine for all to enjoy Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:09:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.4 By: Tribe of Autodidacts » Blog Archive » Planning for Next Year for My 9-Year-Old Son http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8082 Tribe of Autodidacts » Blog Archive » Planning for Next Year for My 9-Year-Old Son Thu, 01 May 2008 22:46:41 +0000 http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8082 [...] seek more structure. One of the things I admire so much about Cindy’s writing is that she doesn’t adopt a rigid view of what “unschooling” is — she views it as an unfolding, collaborative process that may or may not rely on formal [...] […] seek more structure. One of the things I admire so much about Cindy’s writing is that she doesn’t adopt a rigid view of what “unschooling” is — she views it as an unfolding, collaborative process that may or may not rely on formal […]

]]> By: willa http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8081 willa Thu, 01 May 2008 18:24:43 +0000 http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8081 I like your "collaborative learning" label, Cindy, because it puts into words the interaction between the child, the parent, and the world of learning out there. I think children learn from what their parents do and that includes what they do NOT do. If I am telling my children "how to learn", they may learn an untruth -- that you need to wait for an expert to teach you anything. If I am just passively sitting there they may "learn" that it's not very important what they are curious about.... that learning is not important enough to take much trouble about. So there is a balance. I admit I struggle with it day by day. It is easy for me personally to get so wrapped up in the educational philosophy and theory that I forget to see my kids as they are. Very much an ongoing discipline for me. Thank you for another great post. I like your “collaborative learning” label, Cindy, because it puts into words the interaction between the child, the parent, and the world of learning out there.

I think children learn from what their parents do and that includes what they do NOT do. If I am telling my children “how to learn”, they may learn an untruth — that you need to wait for an expert to teach you anything.

If I am just passively sitting there they may “learn” that it’s not very important what they are curious about…. that learning is not important enough to take much trouble about.

So there is a balance. I admit I struggle with it day by day. It is easy for me personally to get so wrapped up in the educational philosophy and theory that I forget to see my kids as they are. Very much an ongoing discipline for me.

Thank you for another great post.

]]> By: Lizabeth http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8079 Lizabeth Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:25:04 +0000 http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8079 This is a great post. I really like that you took the time to walk us through your thinking about this topic, and you have some really solid thinking. It would be a strange irony indeed if unschooling became one particular thing, rather than everyone's own particular thing. I like your definition better, but I wonder if there's been so much confusion about it that the term has become meaningless. In some ways, 'self-led learning with an interest-based curriculum' is more descriptive, and people are more likely to know what you're talking about. This is a great post. I really like that you took the time to walk us through your thinking about this topic, and you have some really solid thinking. It would be a strange irony indeed if unschooling became one particular thing, rather than everyone’s own particular thing. I like your definition better, but I wonder if there’s been so much confusion about it that the term has become meaningless. In some ways, ’self-led learning with an interest-based curriculum’ is more descriptive, and people are more likely to know what you’re talking about.

]]> By: lapazfarm http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8078 lapazfarm Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:37:52 +0000 http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8078 Well said, as usual. Makes too much sense! Well said, as usual. Makes too much sense!

]]> By: Tricotomania and more » another link to thoughts on unschooling http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8077 Tricotomania and more » another link to thoughts on unschooling Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:50:02 +0000 http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8077 [...] it is a useful label is continued by Cindy. She hadn’t been blogging for quite a while but this post, sparking off Elsie’s, is a worthwhile contribution to the conversation so I wanted to make [...] […] it is a useful label is continued by Cindy. She hadn’t been blogging for quite a while but this post, sparking off Elsie’s, is a worthwhile contribution to the conversation so I wanted to make […]

]]> By: tribeofautodidacts http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8073 tribeofautodidacts Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:24:37 +0000 http://applestars.homeschooljournal.net/2008/04/29/children-first/#comment-8073 Excellent post! Your perspective on unschooling has always been one of those that makes the most sense to me. Excellent post! Your perspective on unschooling has always been one of those that makes the most sense to me.

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