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That's good to know. And yes, I was comparing to the way things were taught 25ish years ago, not necessarily to how they are taught now.
Hmmmm.....I was in school more like 35-40 years ago and we weren't even often taught that way.....
It actually sounds very "Little House on the Prairie"......
Last edited by maciesmom; 03-11-2011 at 08:15 AM..
History, to me as a child, consisted of nuggets of information in a textbook, followed by questions that I had to write down the answers to. And I couldn't just write the answer... I had to copy the question down on lined paper, using proper penmanship, then answer the question in a complete sentence. So, in third grade, I would need to write, "Q: When did Christopher Columbus sail to the New World? A: Christopher Columbus sailed to the New World in 1492." Not the way I would choose to learn things as a child, and definitely not the way I learn now, nor expect my children to learn. On Columbus Day a few years ago, I said that little ditty about the ocean blue, and lo and behold, the kids imitated me. I briefly explained the holiday to them. Now I can rest assured that if, at the age of 25, they are involved in a philosophical debate about Columbus's voyage, they can not only parrot the rhyme, but can also delve into the issue of taking land from the Native Americans, etc. (We're currently discussing this topic in more detail, because we're reading through the Little House on the Prairie series... I love their questions about whether it was right for the white men to keep pushing the Indians out of their land.)
I was in school many moons ago, but it's impossible to say "public school" like they are all exactly the same. The public school I was in had many extremely progressive programs in place. And for those of us with kids in public school right now who actually spend real time in the classrooms, I think you are not going to find any public school that teach as you described, I know for a fact ours does not.
I honestly don't care whether people homeschool, or unschool, but do it because that's what you want to do, and quit bashing public education, especially when you (not you specifically) don't have a clue what is going on in public school classroooms today.
^^Agree, Zimbochick. What you quoted wasn't even going on 15-20 yeas ago when my kids were in ele school. And OTOH, I don't have a problem with having to write an answer in a complete sentence. I wish more people posted on CD that way; it would make it easier to read. Also, that is a good way to combine social studies with language arts. "Integrating", e.g. teaching why something is relevant rather than just an academic excercise (e.g. writing in complete sentences), is a good educational technique, IMO.
As far as Columbus, Native Americans, etc, that topic has been well discussed for at least the past 20 years in the public schools. It's a reflection of our culture right now. I am not dissing this idea, just saying it's pretty much the norm right now. Kids do pick up on the culture around them.
BTW, when I told my DH, a physicist about the physics stuff, he said maybe the parents should drop the family pet off the roof to give a lesson on gravity! J/K!
Maybe this has already been addressed, but the thought occurred to me last night - what do 'unschoolers' do about potty training? In potty training threads, over and over again, it's debated that it's "okay" or even "normal" for some children to not want to train until the age of 7 or so.
Do 'unschoolers' wait until the child ASKS to wear underwear? Or do they start 'training' their kids around the age of 2/3 like everyone else? What about manners? Do you teach your children manners? Or just wait until they show an interest?
The only 'unschooler' I ever met was very well mannered, said please and thank you - she had to have been taught these things. It seems unlikely though that a child would show an interest in manners on their own, human nature being what it is.
Maybe this has already been addressed, but the thought occurred to me last night - what do 'unschoolers' do about potty training? In potty training threads, over and over again, it's debated that it's "okay" or even "normal" for some children to not want to train until the age of 7 or so.
Do 'unschoolers' wait until the child ASKS to wear underwear? Or do they start 'training' their kids around the age of 2/3 like everyone else? What about manners? Do you teach your children manners? Or just wait until they show an interest?
The only 'unschooler' I ever met was very well mannered, said please and thank you - she had to have been taught these things. It seems unlikely though that a child would show an interest in manners on their own, human nature being what it is.
Lots of kids self-train. Unschoolers undoubtedly model going to the toilet and let the kids see them do so.
They may allow kids to run around bottomless so they can see and feel what happens. They may wait until the child says they want to go to the potty.
What do I do for potty training? I simply wait until they're ready. I never use potty chairs and I don't read potty books. That is way too mainstream. The potty chairs, the crying, the accidents, who needs the stress? When I see that they are ready, sometimes it takes a little prodding, and when they ask...we try it out. I have bribed one of my sons before because he would go in his pants. It was a horrible span of about 6 months! After I bribed him with a bike if he went in the toilet, he took the bait; only to go right in his pants no sooner than we got home with bike in hand.
I tried to potty train my first daughter when she had just turned two. I thought she was showing the "ready" signs, you know... interest in the potty, being able to hold it for a while, being able to pull her pants down and up by herself. The truth is that while her body seemed to be ready, SHE was not. Tantrums, regression, and wetting herself were like punishments for me. We eventually got through it, but I don't remember how.
With my second two children I have let them decide when they are ready. It was a much more rewarding experience for both of us.
My second daughter was 2 and a half when she started taking off her diaper and running around bottomless. I noticed that most of the time her diaper was dry. I looked for puddles and wet spots, but couldn't ever find any. I followed her once as she took her diaper off on the way upstairs. She entered the bathroom, shut the door, I heard a flush and she came out and danced down the hall naked. So proud of herself. It turns out she had seen what her older sister and I had been doing. She had been studying us all along; similarly to the way babies do when they learn to walk and talk. She decided that she was big enough, and she just... did it! I went out and bought her real underwear, not those pretend, overpriced, "big girl" diapers and she very rarely had an accident after that.
Maybe this has already been addressed, but the thought occurred to me last night - what do 'unschoolers' do about potty training? In potty training threads, over and over again, it's debated that it's "okay" or even "normal" for some children to not want to train until the age of 7 or so.
Do 'unschoolers' wait until the child ASKS to wear underwear? Or do they start 'training' their kids around the age of 2/3 like everyone else? What about manners? Do you teach your children manners? Or just wait until they show an interest?
The only 'unschooler' I ever met was very well mannered, said please and thank you - she had to have been taught these things. It seems unlikely though that a child would show an interest in manners on their own, human nature being what it is.
Unschooling does not mean that you don't ever teach your child anything. Before your kid goes off to kindergarten, I'm assuming you sang the ABC song and taught them how to get dressed, use a fork, wash their hands, etc, right? Did you consider that "doing school?" Or was it just part of normal parenting?
I'm nowhere near a radical unschooler, but the ones I know have children who use the potty at 2 or 3 or 4 like everyone else. (Actually, some use Elimination Communication, which means that they're diaperless from infancy, and they never deal with potty training issues!) I've never heard of a child without underlying issues not going to the toilet normally at age 7. I did wait until my kids showed signs of readiness, of course. My son was 3 and my stubborn daughter was a bit older.
Modeling manners works wonders. If the people in your house are polite, the children will be too, for the most part. I never sat the kids down for a manners lesson... sometimes they incur natural consequences, though, beacuse I don't speak Whinese, and I don't answer to rude demands. If one of my kids whines and cries for something, I usually say, "I'm sorry; I don't understand that." If they say "Mom! Get me juice!" I will usually say, "Did you want to ask me something?" Actually, now that they're big, I usually follow that with, "You may get yourself a cup and pour yourself some juice." Unschooling has nothing to do with being a maid, after all. I will also remind them to say "thank you" if thanks does not seem to be forthcoming, though I rarely need to do that anymore.
Unschooling does not mean that you don't ever teach your child anything. Before your kid goes off to kindergarten, I'm assuming you sang the ABC song and taught them how to get dressed, use a fork, wash their hands, etc, right? Did you consider that "doing school?" Or was it just part of normal parenting?
I'm nowhere near a radical unschooler, but the ones I know have children who use the potty at 2 or 3 or 4 like everyone else. (Actually, some use Elimination Communication, which means that they're diaperless from infancy, and they never deal with potty training issues!) I've never heard of a child without underlying issues not going to the toilet normally at age 7. I did wait until my kids showed signs of readiness, of course. My son was 3 and my stubborn daughter was a bit older.
Modeling manners works wonders. If the people in your house are polite, the children will be too, for the most part. I never sat the kids down for a manners lesson... sometimes they incur natural consequences, though, beacuse I don't speak Whinese, and I don't answer to rude demands. If one of my kids whines and cries for something, I usually say, "I'm sorry; I don't understand that." If they say "Mom! Get me juice!" I will usually say, "Did you want to ask me something?" Actually, now that they're big, I usually follow that with, "You may get yourself a cup and pour yourself some juice." Unschooling has nothing to do with being a maid, after all. I will also remind them to say "thank you" if thanks does not seem to be forthcoming, though I rarely need to do that anymore.
Thanks for your response. I was just curious. As I've said, I've had limited contact with 'unschooling', and this question just popped into my head last night.
The only 'unschooler' I ever met was very well mannered, said please and thank you - she had to have been taught these things. It seems unlikely though that a child would show an interest in manners on their own, human nature being what it is.
I didn't teach my boys to say please & thank you. I never withheld something, saying, "And what do you sayyyyy?", I just said please & thank you to them! And in social situations, I'd quietly remind them to thank our host, or whomever. When my oldest was quite young, he was reluctant to do that, he didn't want to speak out loud to them, so I would have my hand on his shoulder, and would say, "We really appreciate it!". I never made him say it - he grew into being able to speak up.
A bus driver here said my youngest is the only kid who says, "Thanks for the ride!" every time he rides. I've never prompted him to do that - but I thank the driver when we leave the bus.
It's not showing an interest in manners - it's about extending a kindness, and the desire to get along with other people.
As far as the reading goes, natural reading "clicks" at different ages - most kids learn to read by 11, but the range I've seen goes from 3 - 13, with the majority learning around ages 7 - 8. If she did, indeed, have a disability, that could cause her to be a later reader.
Learn to read by 11??????? 11????? Are you serious?
Mine were reading at 4 1/2.
The age at which a child starts reading is largely determined by development. The fact that yours read at 4.5 is less of a Good Mommy Badge and more a case of being ready at that age. Many children, especially boys, don't "click" with the written word until seven or eight, and yes-- some later than that.
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And yes, I was comparing to the way things were taught 25ish years ago, not necessarily to how they are taught now.
I did wait until my kids showed signs of readiness, of course. My son was 3 and my stubborn daughter was a bit older. 
If the people in your house are polite, the children will be too, for the most part. I never sat the kids down for a manners lesson... sometimes they incur natural consequences, though, beacuse I don't speak Whinese, and I don't answer to rude demands. If one of my kids whines and cries for something, I usually say, "I'm sorry; I don't understand that." If they say "Mom! Get me juice!" I will usually say, "Did you want to ask me something?" Actually, now that they're big, I usually follow that with, "You may get yourself a cup and pour yourself some juice." Unschooling has nothing to do with being a maid, after all. 
