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unschooling subforum

post #1 of 395
2/8/07 at 3:26pm
Thread Starter 
I'm curious if anyone here thinks we need an unschooling subforum?

just wondering
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post #2 of 395
2/8/07 at 3:39pm
I think yes.
post #3 of 395
2/8/07 at 3:43pm
Not really.
Age group or subject subforums maybe.
post #4 of 395
2/8/07 at 4:14pm
Thread Starter 
I'm thinking we do

I think it would much easier organizationally and also it would save time spent in threads where people end up getting OT discussing the different HSing methods. We would know we were coming from at least a similar HS philosophy when replying.
post #5 of 395
2/8/07 at 4:29pm
I think we do. I think it would help when people are asking for unschooling suggestions for certain issues but are given a bunch of "try this curriculum" type answers.

I also think that having preschool, school-aged, and teen subforums would be helpful, too.

Namaste!
post #6 of 395
2/8/07 at 4:45pm
yes
post #7 of 395
2/8/07 at 5:03pm
Kinda. I dunno, I go back and forth with myself on it.
post #8 of 395
2/8/07 at 5:53pm
But would those of us who aren't 100% unschoolers get shunned. I, personally would lose out on alot of valuable info and ideas because I would not feel welcome on an unschooling subforum. Even though I am pretty darn relaxed, I am not an unschooler.
post #9 of 395
2/8/07 at 5:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by onlyzombiecat View Post
Not really.
Age group or subject subforums maybe.
Subject forums would be GREAT!!!!!!!
post #10 of 395
2/8/07 at 8:23pm
I don't know how many posts would be left if all us chatty unschoolers went to a different forum
post #11 of 395
2/8/07 at 8:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by frogguruami View Post
But would those of us who aren't 100% unschoolers get shunned. I, personally would lose out on alot of valuable info and ideas because I would not feel welcome on an unschooling subforum. Even though I am pretty darn relaxed, I am not an unschooler.

I don't think that would be an issue, it's not like the unschoolers would only post in unschooling, I do think that it would be useful when you are looking for responses specifically from unschoolers. And it's not like nonunschoolers couldn't post asking questions that are about unschooling or read to get ideas.
post #12 of 395
2/8/07 at 8:58pm
I (mostly) clw'd, but I got over feeling weird posting in that forum, & still felt free to help out with nightweaning threads, etc.

We would be cool with eclectic folks talking unschooling theory, right? I have no desire to be an unschooling ghetto, but if people weren't going to get clique-y I think it would be a great idea.
post #13 of 395
2/8/07 at 9:01pm
I personally think that MDC has too many forums already. There's really no guarantee that you're not going to get structured "school at homers" to stay off of unschooling threads, and it leaves a lot of people who are "eclectic" or "unsure" or "unwilling to go into a box" not sure where to post.

Not to mention the sudden appearance of "is THIS unschooling?" threads and the mods moving threads back and forth between the forum and the subforum constantly.

Step one in getting a new forum added is to have a support thread that gets huge and unweildy. So, somebody needs to start an unschooling support thread/tribe!
post #14 of 395
2/8/07 at 9:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by UnschoolnMa View Post
Kinda. I dunno, I go back and forth with myself on it.
This is me, too. There was a thread about this awhile ago and I didn't think we needed to separate everyone. However, I'm beginning to not look at it like that. For organizational reasons and for easier answers to the frequent question "What is unschooling", it might not be a bad idea. I think most people would still hang out in both areas, I know I would.

Quote:
Originally Posted by frogguruami View Post
But would those of us who aren't 100% unschoolers get shunned.
Of course not!
post #15 of 395
2/8/07 at 9:09pm
I enjoy the eclectic mixture of this forum and the unbridled honesty here that results from the varied interactions. I think that's what makes this forum very special. I would really hate to see the forum broken into hs style sub-forums. I think we would all miss out on the wonderful interaction that takes place here. I think it would be better to create support threads where they are necessary. That way, those who only want to hear like-minded responses get what they need and those who want a mixed bag of responses still get what they need.

I do like the idea of a preschool, school-aged and teen sub-forum.
post #16 of 395
2/8/07 at 9:11pm
no way, I think we can all benefit from ideas from all sides of homeschooling. If you look at threads here all of them have answers from both unschooling and non-unschooling, so you'd be losing a lot of replies to posts if you split everyone up. Plus there are lots who relate to both types and would then have to check both forums or "pick" one. I know I lean towards unschooling but a choosing a curriculum that's a compromise between my school-at-home dh and myself.
post #17 of 395
2/8/07 at 9:19pm
Thread Starter 
I started a thread in Q&S regarding this just waiting for it to be approved and show up.
post #18 of 395
2/9/07 at 1:25am
Moved to Questions and Suggestions... and my personal bias would be against subforums, but instead reorganizing the stickies at the top. What if we had a few stickies about different ways of homeschooling, and I collected some threads about each... we couldn't cover every method, but we could cover unschooling in one sticky and have another sticky for other methods (because I don't think there are any other single methods with as many followers there). We could do same with some subjects - we have a Math one, but we could create a Reading and Writing one, anyway, since that comes up a lot.

I agree that homeschooling doesn't lend itself to neat distinctions as well as other areas... as an unschooler, for example, dividing threads by "subject" wouldn't be very relevant to me. I also see a lot of people who might not call themelves unschoolers, but in practice learn in pretty much the same way as we do... and there are some unschoolers with whom we'd have very little in common.

MHO,

dar
post #19 of 395
2/9/07 at 4:12am
I think the biggest advantage to NOT having an unschooling forum is that those new to the homeschooling idea could be introduced to unschooling as a matter of course when they visit the Homeschooling forum - that wouldn't be such an easy thing if there was a subforum for unschooling.

I really like the idea of age subforums.
post #20 of 395
2/9/07 at 10:20am
I used to be against separate forums, but I've changed my mind.

Having an unschooling subforum wouldn't exclude others from reading it or participating in discussion, it would just let people know what to expect. For instance, those wanting unschooling support could post and not get advice about enforcing a curriculum, and those who want to teach traditionally could avoid hearing the "relax, they'll learn it when they're ready" advice.

Having separate age groups would create far more division than a single unschooling forum would. (And would make it more difficult for those of us with multiple children.)

As un unschooler, subject areas wouldn't be of interest to me.

mdc membership has grown tremendously since I first joined. I think that necessitates the creation of more specialized boards. Large numbers don't lend themselves to the "one big happy family" concept.

It would be nice to have a place to talk unschooling.