Unschooling Co Op is back in session so that means I will have something to post other than updates on our remodel! We talked about the paintings of Dale Chihuly for our first class.

Chihuly is well know for his glass works but his paintings and his painting style is also impressive. Here is a link to a few google images of his paintings

http://www.google.com/search?q=chihuly+paintings&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Xlq&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=QuZxTuPUCKffsQKKvOXICQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBMQ_AUoAQ&biw=1035&bih=465

To mimic Chihuly’s style of painting we layered paint on to canvas through several steps. We used sheets from a canvas pad. Be sure to paint on the correct side so the edges don’t roll. We used acrylic paint.

The first layer of paint when on with a brayer

The second layer went on with a broom-allowing the first layer to show through

Next layer was splatter painting

And then we used “puffy paint” for the final layer  DIY puffy paint recipe here

Each one ended up so different and the kids really enjoyed applying each different layer. I did choose specific colors for each layer so that the darker colors went on first and and then in small amounts last, hoping to keep the layers visually separate.

This collage is made up of all the kids paintings

I can see why Chihuly is also well known for his splatter painted shoes after this class!! I loved both the process as well as the product of this project!

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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.

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Our unschooling co op is moving right along. Hard to believe we only have one more week of the session. This week during art class we looked at the works of Louise Nevelson and tried our hand at our own additive sculptures.

We used hot glue guns to build our pieces with various odds and ends and bits and pieces.

Next kids chose a color to paint their sculptures.

Next week subtractive sculpture.

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We talked about The Linares Family of Mexico and their spectacular art of paper mache. Here is a link chock full of information and links to some of their works.               http://www.driftwood-dreams.co.uk/learn_papier_mache/history.htm

The Linares Family is well known for the mythical like beasts they create known as alebrijes. Popular artists like the Linares are known as cartoneros.  Most cartoneros make fanciful paper mache objects for major celebrations during the year, most notable Day of the Dead and Easter week.  I didn’t know this when I planned out six weeks worth of our Unschooling Co-op art lessons but it ended up perfect timing that we made these the week before Easter!  After looking at some of Felipe Linares Mendoza’s work we created our own little beasts out of foil, covered in newspaper and masking tape.

They were then covered in strips of newspaper moistened in a slightly watered down glue mixture.

We left them to dry until the following week when we painted them. We talked about the style of painting and the patterns used by the Mexican artists and the kids were encouraged to paint their alebrijes in the style of the cartoneros work we looked at.

I LOVE them!! They turned out great!! I would really like to try out more paper mache activities.

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Today at our Unschooling Co op we talked about Alexander Calder’s Finny Fish and Nathan Carter’s Radar Reflector. I was really excited to share the works of these artists with the kids because last Fall we went to Chicago to see this exhibit live and up close!!

We used coated copper wire to fashion  the outer shape. It wasn’t stiff enough on it’s own so I doubled the wire by twisting 2 pieces together. The kids each brought a bag of ” junk” from home—odds, ends, bits, pieces, old keys, washers, spools, buttons, caps, beads etc…

After each student was happy with their outer shape we taped them down to the floor to help with stability as they worked on adding more wire from end to end.

We used both galvanized and copper wire and floral wire to wrap objects and secure them on to their sculptures.

It was so neat to see how each was so different and how some kids spent lots of time beading or wrapping while others spent a long time on getting their piece to be just the right shape.

Some kids spent lots of time on the details!

Next week….paper mache!

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I am teaching 2 sessions of art. My head is so full of possible ideas it might just pop off and my kids are so glad I have a new audience to share all these ideas with! (Although both of them chose to take my class!)

Today we talked about artist, Holton Rower. You may have seen his YouTube video of his TALL PAINTINGS that has been all over the internet lately. I loved it so much and thought it was a perfect project for a first class discussion about process vs product. My husband I built a smaller version of Rower’s pedestals using a piece of 4 inch 2×2 on its end screwed on to a 4inch  2×4 on it’s side and finally screwing those to a 12 x 12 piece of plywood.

Rower uses acrylic paint and there was no way I could afford to buy that much acrylic paint. Then I realized that latex house paint is acrylic paint! Perfect!! We visited a few Habitat for Humanity re-stores and Home Depot’s for some cheap paint before remembering we have a friend with a painting business and TONS of extra paint. Perfect again!!

We looked at a few prints of Rower’s Pour Paintings and I let the kids try to guess how he put the paint down.

Then we watched the video and talked about product vs process.

Luckily I had tons of helpers today! This project was A LOT of set up! First I covered everything with tarps and cardboard. We poured small amounts of paint into dixie cups and let the kids pick their colors.

And the pouring began!

Each of my students made 2 pour paintings and luckily we were able to leave them undisturbed until next week. Hopefully they will dry by then!

I am so happy with the way this project turned out! The kids loved making them too! I would love to try this on a larger scale someday. I certainly have enough left over paint!!

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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!

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Post tags: astra, child, child trust, childhood, co-op, continuum, curiosity, family, instinct, Kids, Learning, local group, nurture, Parent, Parenting, parents, Play, podcast, school, unschool, unschooling

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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.

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Post tags: boredom, computer game, computer reading, constraints, education, facebook, game systems, games, interest, kid, Kids, Learning, Life, pressure, reading, screen, screen time, screens, tv computer, unschool, unschooler, Unschoolers, unschooling

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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

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This months theme is “To Open”.

• The name April is of Latin origin, and its meaning is “to open”.
• What does that mean to you?
  
• What doors do Radical Unschooling open?
• How have you “opened” since discovering unschooling?

Have fun, get messy, make mistakes

What does open mean to me?           To be ready to experience things that come my way. To let go of preconceived ideas and notions of things or the way things “should be.” Not letting fear run my life.  This is something I have to work on everyday. Acceptance of things the way they are.  This is hard for me because I like to be in control. It is comforting for me. In some ways this is a really good trait. I am organized and love taking care of details. But I can go overboard too.  Yet, the more I let go and open myself up the easier it is becoming to really live in the moment and trust that things will work out the way they are meant to.  I don’t have to try to control everything to go my way. What a relief!

What doors do Radical Unschooling open for me?          Most of my control is just an illusion but still a comforting one.  So I get how hard the idea of unschooling is for some people. Just the idea of letting go of all that control you think you have is really hard. But when I do let go, little by little it becomes easier to free myself of so much baggage.  I can really see  and feel who I really am. Not who I was” supposed to be” or how my neighbors see me or who friends think I am. But who I was meant to be.                                                                                                                                                                            Learning to let go of the seeming control I had over my kids has been huge! Fighting over arbitrary rules because I thought that they were necessary. Doing things just because everyone else was and what would they think if we didn’t?!  How awesome that my kids can have this true love and acceptance now. They don’t have to wait until they are adults to lose all kinds of crap; assumptions and expectations that were put upon them  just to  eventually find themselves—the selves they were born to be.  They were born to be just who they are supposed to be  until we try to change them to fit a mold to make things run seemingly smoother.  I say seemingly because now I know how much easier  an unschooling life is.  How much easier it is to live life on our terms everyday instead of the school systems way or our parents way or the mainstream way.  Our life is not an illusion. It is everyday real!

How have I opened since discovering unschooling?           Unschooling has opened this path for me. The real trust that you have to find and develop to unschool has opened my family up to so many possibilities. To choices I never knew were there. We really are free to make decisions, not coerced or biased decisions but what we really want. And we can do that because we are open to support and trust each other.                                                                                                                    And now to show just what an unschooling geek that I am:  I relate everything in my life to unschooling. It is so weird how I find evidence everyday, multiple times, that shows me just how right and perfect this unschooling path is. I hear a story on the radio or I read something,  I see someone loving what they are doing.  All things that don’t have anything to do with unschooling per say–but somehow I can find a link. Just another way unschooling has opened me up to hearing and seeing more and more just how natural unschooling really is—ok I’ll stop now! (I told you I was a geek)

I tried to fix the funny spacing–(that isn’t there on purpose)–but the spaces aren’t on my draft-sorry.

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