Pepper Paints

The Real Meaning of Unschooling Success

CNN posted an article on Unschooling this week-UNSCHOOLERS LEARN WHAT THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT. I thought the article was good up until the “Professional” stepped in with what he thinks the world needs from our kids and how they need “trained adults” to get them there. The article also uses the unschooled child of a Doctor (professor of alternative learning at that!) and Sudbury Valley Schools and their alumni for most of it’s examples. Which might at least seem like school or a bit of organized education to the general public-along with the voice of “learning expert” to give the article some clout–Because those of us that unschool and don’t belong to a democratic school are just too far out there and definitely not to be taken seriously! We have all seen the mainstream news and TV run with those stories!

My biggest issue with this article though, is their use of attending college as their measure of unschooling success. (Unschoolers who go on to pre-med and Harvard  none the less are interviewed for this piece).  This is certainly not limited to this CNN article. (Which happens to appear under the heading PERRY’S PRINCIPLES: SCHOOLING FOR SUCCESS.) As a parent of three unschooled kids one of the first questions we are often asked is, “What about college?” Because if you don’t go to college, what will you do? At some point these same people will hopefully realize that we aren’t going to conform just for the sake of it! Unschooling doesn’t just end when you are 18 or 21 and it’s time to get a real job. Unschoolers do not embark on this lifestyle for the payoff at the end. It is for learning and happiness now and in the future.

Unschooling will continue to creep into the mainstream in bits and pieces. Peoples ideas about education will change. Yet unschooling success will never be understood as long as the end all, be all success of education (and most lives) are based on if and where you go to college and what type of job you perform.

True unschooling success is about choices and happiness. It is about getting up and  choosing to go to college or a job you enjoy or even choosing not to go to work!  One that you have chosen not just because it is pays the bills or because that was what you graduated in or because that was just the next step you were supposed to take.

Unschooling unveils all the choices one has in life. Choosing your own path to follow is true success. Happiness is true success. That may be college but for many unschoolers it may not be. Until the world stops assuming everyone should go to college and then to work just because that’s what you are supposed to do–the United States education sytem will not improve and unschooling will never be rightfully understood.

You Are A Winner!!!

Today is Learn Nothing Day

It’s absurd isn’t it? The sheer idea that you could ever learn NOTHING? Especially in a whole 24 hours. I have barely even been up for an hour and I have learned about a Gum Wall in Seattle, How to Regrow Celery, I found this thought provoking and mostly funny!, Niagara Falls goes Rainbow for Marriage equality in NY and that is just while having my first cup of coffee with my best friends fb and twitter!

With more failure to come today– I plan on listening to THIS , re reading HOW TO STEAL LIKE AN ARTIST and finishing up a book I am reading. I haven’t even considered all of the  unplanned learning that will inevitably happen while I go about my day.

We are all failures at learning nothing. It is a non discriminating holiday. Age, race, sex or location can not keep you from learning. And it’s a great thing to be a failure at!! Congratulations-you win!!

Unschooling And Absolute, Profound Trust

Hello out there. It’s been a while since I have posted. I have had sick kids for what seems like the entire month of Jan! But things are finally looking up!

My local unschooling group has been entertaining the idea of starting a co-op. There has been much discussion on our list. I have been doing a lot of reading and writing about unschooling the past few weeks (it must be Feb.)– I thought I would give my local group a break from my long winded posts and listen to myself over here for a change!

I was listening to a podcast the other day and loved what the lady (who is heading up a free school in Pa) had to say so much I kept rewinding and replaying the interview so I could write it all down:

**Trust is the most important part-Fundamental trust between parent and child. Trust that kids direct their own learning and activities and parents have no agenda or “shoulds”. We are all born curious and if you give support to build on that curiosity tremendous amounts of learning happens in a short amount of time.We trust that kids have that instinct and they will run with it.   Our goal is to  nurture that instinct it and get out of the way.

I remember watching the Astra Taylor video and hearing her talk about how much trust her parents had in her. She used phrases like this to describe her unschooling childhood:

The trust was absolute, Interests were respected. She viewed her parents as- fundamentally encouraging and facilitating . The trust needs to be profound.

Absolute, profound trust. That is huge. Each time I read those words they fill me. I love applying those 3 words to my family– absolute, profound trust. It is scary and liberating and difficult and comforting. They go against everything we are taught.

As for the idea of unschooling being a continuum and where we all fit on that line—that line isn’t always straight, it isn’t always forward moving and it is ever changing. There is no end or finish line. We will never arrive. That is the difference between unschooling and the rest of the world. So for me–re reading the importance of trust always hits right where I need it. My kids age span puts one still sleeping in my bed, another in tweendom and another out driving around in cars with friends. Trust is what I often cling to.

**This is not word for word–I tried-but I think it is pretty close!!

If anyone is/has been part of an unschooling co-op or resource center please leave me a comment. I would love to talk to you more about your experience!

Taking The Power Away From The Screen

“We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.” – Lord Alexander

This is a quote shared on facebook recently. It really stuck with me because the night before some friends and I were talking about unschooling and about “screen time” in particular. Or in our cases a lack there of. It has been so long since any of us have fretted over how much time our kids spend in front of various screens; tv, computer, game systems etc…It sort of took us a minute to think about each of our kids and how much of their usual day is spent in front of a screen. Some days more than others. Sometimes in spurts, sometimes for hours at a time. Each kid not only different in the amount of time spent in front of a screen but also how passive or engaged their viewing is and even how they use screens in general. Some for background noise, some for quick info, sometimes for games and sometimes out of boredom.

We talked about how taking the limits off screen time takes so much pressure off of kids to get everything they need done in an allotted amount of time. ( and then spend the rest of the day trying to figure out how to get or sneak in more time.) Also it removes the need to over indulge because they know there is no limit. We took the power away from the the screen, it is there when ever you want or need it. We also took the power out of our own hands, enforcing the limits that we decide are appropriate and put it back in our kids hands. They know what they need and they meet those needs appropriately.

I know often when I am on the computer reading something that mentions something  interesting, that leads me looking something up or off reserving  a book. The same thing is happening with our kids and freeing up those constraints certainly allows them the same opportunities for “relay information”. I would hate to think my daughter couldn’t go and look something of interest up or delve deeper in a subject because she only had x amount of time on the computer or that her time was all used up. These winding, will nilly paths of information are such great learning opportunities–not knowing where your next question will take you— or like the quote reminds us -what learning we will just happen upon, are some of the unexpected yet unavoidable side effects of questions.

I don’t talk unschooling here all that often because just like I don’t really keep track of my kids screen time I often feel like we are just living life and I forget that  may be interesting to some people. Being unschoolers isn’t part of our day to day “to do” list.  I am not raising prodigies and we aren’t finding cures for diseases or even winning spelling bees. But we are living happily following our interests and  often finding more and more questions each time we look for an answer! A real life education.

Salt And Watercolors

I first saw this idea at Irresistible Ideas For Play Based Learning.  I LOVE this blog and get so many great ideas from them!!

First we drew a picture or design with a glue stick on some paper. Then we covered it with salt and shook off any excess.

Next we used eye droppers or pipettes to drip some color over the salt. We used liquid watercolors but I am sure food coloring would work too.

It was so exciting to see the salt absorb the colors.

We loved making these. A project I am sure we will be doing again really soon.

Say “Yes” To The Square….The Chore Called The Summer Reading Program

Earlier this summer I was invited to a  pre-party of our local libraries summer reading program. My kids have always participated in this program. We are a family of readers so it is really a no brainer for us. Reading = get free stuff. Yet,  I didn’t go to the pre party because really in theory I am totally against the idea of rewarding kids with tokens and or coupons for reading. Yes=I am a bit of a party pooper. No, I don’t over analyze everything and get on my soap box tooting my horn at every main stream activity! But I saw this post on Controversial Summer Reading Programs and it gave me just the nudge I needed to finally come out of the closet.

Now, don’t get me wrong I LOVE our library and I especially love my local branch.  We visit our library as well as other neighborhood libraries often. We rely on our library and appreciate all they do for us. But I just can’t get comfortable rewarding kids (or adults) for reading.  I didn’t (still don’t) want my librarians to know this-I am embarrassed to admit this to them. I just don’t have very high hopes that they could even begin to understand my reasons. They see me as one of their best patrons and I feel like I am letting them down by knocking  their attempts to get kids into the library and reading more. Rewards for this, rewards for that, rewards for reading over the summer too?  There must be a better way.

I don’t live in the dark-I realize that most every family  lives by these arbitrary rewards.  ( Some may even try to call them incentives.)  Homes and schools are run this way; allowance for chores, stickers for pizza parties, candy for potty training, money or presents for good grades.   I call them –just another way to coerce kids into doing what adults want. It’s all a cover up kids!!

Back to reading programs–It is true that these programs start off working as an incentive to read or at least to check out more books. (which is great for libraries–higher circulation is a primary goal of libraries. Higher circulation = more money)  Kids gear up by visiting the library and checking out lots of books and that is a great thing! Then  for 20 minutes–(checking the clock the whole time) they/you  read a book and then get to mark off a square. How many times do they bring that sheet to you asking, “Can I mark off another one? Can you read some more—-so I can mark off another one?”  See what I am getting at? It may seem like it’s all for the love of reading but it’s not–it’s for the love of filling in the stupid square and the the stupid free bookmark or  book bag or back pack that they are rewarded for finishing the summer reading program. How many parents get pissed off and just tell their kids–”Fine! Just mark off 1 square!”  *(clue #1 -kids know if they finish quickly they will get their reward)

I wonder if this reading enthusiasm wanes after they get that backpack?  We hope not-we hope the Summer reading Program turns kids into “readers” but it is doubtful that book marks and bike raffles are going to have that lasting effect on young readers.* (clue #2-once kids get there prize they are not keeping up the frantic reading pace) There is an alternative.  Really, you can avoid all those yucky feelings about keeping track of the chore called The Summer Reading Program.

As I said earlier–We are readers and my kids participate in the summer reading program and yet I am against rewards for reading. But I have a sneaking suspicion other families are going about filling in there squares a little differently than we are. As  readers, we read books, the newspaper, magazines, listen to books on tape as well as podcasts. We read while on the computer and while playing games and writing out lists or following directions both in the car at the grocery and while texting and while cooking.  These same encounters with reading are happening in your family too I bet. Reading is reading. Not just when you set the timer and read from a book.  Sort of how you can’t stop learning new things, and how school isn’t the only place to learn them. Well the summer reading program, like schools leads you to believe that reading occurs in a box  and rewarding this not only takes the enjoyment out of it but it belittles the sheer act of reading by placing an extrinsic reward on it.  I know I am a party pooper! I love a good book and totally love snuggling up with my kids to share a story. And I am all for that kind of reading too!! (I know there is a difference between reading a book and day to day literacy) But for us, ALL reading counts towards those little squares. If my kids ask if they can fill in a square I always say of course you can! See, it doesn’t matter if the timer was set or the reading was taken from a library book. You can feel just fine in saying “Yes to the square”–it’s not cheating. Use it as an opportunity to show your kids just how much they are reading. Probably more than you and they think!

So, we don’t keep track of how long my kids read from a book that someone else deems as legitimate reading material and thinking I need to make sure my kids are following the rules of the program or keeping it secret that I let little Johnny fill in a few extra squares (even though we quit reading at 15 minutes instead of 20).  In the end it is all about the prizes for the kids. Yes, they may be reading more for a short time during the summer but isn’t there a better way other than tricking them into it? And why does reading have to be a competitive sport? Isn’t it meant for totally selfish purposes?! Getting the facts and pure enjoyment?

I am not fooled by these programs–we read all the time. We feel fine filling in the squares and taking advantage of the coupons that we can use to get good stuff! I don’t use these programs to coerce my kids into pressured reading for extrinsic rewards. If you think I am batty-which is fine-you can check out what best selling author, Alfie Kohn has to say on the subject!! There are studies that prove these reward based programs are even hurting your summer reading program participants.

Can’t libraries offer new and exciting programs to lure kids in. Come on–get with the times. Kids read while playing video games!! Bring in some game designers and pull some of those books off the shelves. No, they may not be the classics but they are full of words and kids like them! Have an American Girl Summer Reading Club complete with doing some of the crafts from the books-reading the directions as well as the stories. Have a skate boarding or break dancing demo with those non fiction books pulled as well as those that lead the demo share some of their favorite books.  Have a rapping story time. Wouldn’t that be awesome?! Comic book writers could hold a workshop also. ( I am full of ideas if you want to hire me!!!)

I know there is so much more that is behind those little boxes that I don’t have answers to. Not all kids  live in literacy rich homes. But really , it is just not right to give kids stickers for reading. Don’t be fooled by thinking success equals a high number of participants and circulation. Don’t be fooled that these programs are producing kids that love to read. Maybe these summer readers are really fooling you-

*clues #1 and #2 show just how kids know how to work this rewards system

Happy National Learn Nothing Day

Yes-that’s right there really is a National Learn Nothing Day and it is today July 24.  So let’s take the day off from learning today, give ourselves a break. It’s only one day-surely we can slow down  for just one day to take it easy and learn absolutely nothing.

If schooled kids can take the whole summer off and do nothing, unschoolers can can take just one day.

(Did you even know there was a National Learn Nothing Day?-Well there you go you already failed! Try again!)

How will you learn nothing today? or any day???????  Good luck