Unschooling allows the freedom to delve immersively into an interest for as many hours and days as they want.
Unschooling For Mastery
Public School—I’ve Got Good News and Bad News
Last month I went to parent-teacher interviews for E—my first ever. When I arrived, the teacher, who just started this year, told me I was her first ever, too. So she, E, and I have something in common. Anyway, I had awaited the interview eagerly so I could measure what the teacher said against the... Continue Reading →
Unschool Snapshot
Wednesdays are library day. Every morning we all walk the six blocks so the younger kids can participate in story time, and the older kids can peruse comics (which I now refuse to check out after G wrecked the cover of a $100 manga book) and find chapter books to bring home. After story time... Continue Reading →
A Mash of Feelings on a Big Day
It's a big day today. I have two events happening: at 11:00 am it's the annual not-back-to-school picnic which I have coordinated, and at 9:20 am my beautiful oldest child starts her first day of grade 8 in public school. Yes, today is the day I turn my kid over to the state for corporate... Continue Reading →
There is No Grade Level for Knowing Things
Learning never stops. We don’t need a schedule; just a passion for knowledge, and the confidence and skills to seek it out.
Teaching Creativity
“Humans are born curious, creative, and intuitive.” - Sir Ken Robinson
We Cannot Teach our Kids to Compete with Machines
I remember watching a video of Chinese entrepreneur, Jack Ma, speaking a couple of years ago and the message has stuck with me. He was criticizing the education systems of the world for being too focused on teaching kids to do tasks that a computer could do much better. He said that if we want... Continue Reading →
Is School Math a Waste of Time?
How long does it take a ten year old who’s done almost no curriculum to “catch up” with her schooled peers? Turns out: not long.
Observe, Act, Observe, Reevaluate
I was talking to a friend the other day about changes that have been in the works in our local school system. I didn't know this, but apparently for a few years now the elementary schools have been working under a new grading system, where they don't rank the children by numbers or letters. Instead,... Continue Reading →
