tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26358017.post4593789829112647231..comments2023-10-02T05:06:53.341-07:00Comments on The Mournful Cry of the Laundry: Structured SchoolNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15536541033055051614noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26358017.post-58238874144913945892012-04-18T00:57:05.336-07:002012-04-18T00:57:05.336-07:00OH my 20 whole hours....OH my 20 whole hours....Constancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17495724298448923421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26358017.post-90844204501443085832012-04-17T21:28:04.736-07:002012-04-17T21:28:04.736-07:00Okay - this reply has nearly turned into a post of...Okay - this reply has nearly turned into a post of it's own, but I'll leave it here. Just be warned - I go on and on!<br /><br />We've always unschooled...with the exception of that one week, I guess, and even then it was with Davan's agreement. <br /><br />What that meant when she was younger never did really resemble what most people would think was learning. The most school-y thing she did was read.<br /><br />She always has loved books and I think that just letting her go with that - reading to her when she was young, getting her audio books, making lots of trips to the library - is what set the stage for her to be able to learn. <br /><br />One thing I've always done is strew her path with interesting things. We did a lot of going to the science museum when she was young. I would go to the library and go all through the kids' section, both fiction and non fiction and just read everything to her. I still sometimes do this for her - mostly non fiction, as she picks her own fiction these days pretty much exclusively. She'll do the library scouring herself sometimes now, but I'll find somewhat different things than she might. Sometimes she just sends them back, most of the time she reads them and sometimes she holds on to them for months, continually renewing while she devours it again and again.<br /><br />It's only been in the last year or so that her learning has really taken on the form of subjects that others would recognize as such. That is when she first started with any sort of math curriculum. Before that, it was all math by games, discussion and general observation. Even so, when she did the state mandated standardized tests, she'd test right in the 50th percentile. Now, though, that she's decided to really do math, she's already worked up to pre algebra, which would be considered advanced for 8th grade.<br /><br />And now she does Rosetta Stone, which you can equate into years of language.<br /><br />Other than that, I'd say she mostly throws herself into a particular topic and will live there for a while. Right now, it's geography. Not too long ago, though, it was DNA and genes. <br /><br />It all seems to work out, though! With the exception of the 50th percentile-ish for math, she has always tested really high - 99th overall the last couple of times. And that's all without any sort of teaching to the test or trying to cover certain topics. <br /><br />I can totally see, though, how it can scare you to let go and let it all develop. On the other hand, what if you gave it a year? Would it make a big difference in Keilee's overall learning even if she spent the year not learning anything? Mind you, I seriously doubt that would happen, but if it did. A motivated student can cover a whole lot of math/history/whatever in a short period of time. Think of kids that move to a different school with a different curriculum and end up repeating or skipping things. Usually, over all, they're just fine at the end.<br /><br />Just my 2 cents.Nhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536541033055051614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26358017.post-68835588327187767652012-04-17T19:24:44.105-07:002012-04-17T19:24:44.105-07:00See this is what I want to do more of. Just total...See this is what I want to do more of. Just totally let Keilee take control. But it scares the crap outta me! I am slowly backing off but I have moments of madness where we must do something NOW! Love how Davan is learning what SHE is interested in.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00487026746937164012noreply@blogger.com