[Fairy4tmama]

I have always known I would HS my children and after compleating most of a degree in early childhood ed I became convinced that unschooling best fit my *teaching* philosophy. DS1 is only 28 months and I am already finding that I CRAVE structure. I already clearly see that he is thriving in a unschooled enviorment but I am wondering if my need for structure is compatable with unschooling. I have an overwhelming desire to start creating lesson plans because as an adult with add & dysexia I feel more comfortable with a plan

.Have any other unschoolers faced simmillar concerns?

 

[SagMom]

I go through periods where I need a plan, so I plan *MY* days. I recently realized that I haven't picked up my dulcimer in months and I do really want to learn it, but the days sometimes slip away, so I'm now making point of setting aside time for it. Ditto to dealing with the neglected knitting projects and exercise.

We also have a dog who doesn't mind being scheduled in the least. I don't actually write down a lesson plan for him, but I do have dog-training book and know what I want to teach him.

So...maybe get a dog? :LOL

Seriously, I think you can organize YOUR stuff if it makes you feel better, and gives you a sense of control, and still let your child unschool. Organization and planning doesn't conflict with the idea of unschooling, as long as you're not dictating to him what you think he should be learning.

 

[Fairy4tmama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joan We also have a dog who doesn't mind being scheduled in the least.

:LOL
Thanks for you ideas

 

[AngelBee]

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[umbrella]

Quote:

Seriously, I think you can organize YOUR stuff if it makes you feel better, and gives you a sense of control, and still let your child unschool.

This is exactly what I was thinking. You can still organize Your life (and thus aspects of your child's life), without having to have formal lesson plans and such.

Personally, I keep a much tidier house, when I use my daily and weekly lists, and get it all done first thing in the morning. That's how I best keep my home as clean as I want it. Obviously, this does affect dd somewhat, in that if I'm getting this done quickly, first thing in the morning, I'm not as eaily at her disposal right then. If she asks me about butterflies while I'm mopping, she's not going to hear, "well, let's go get that book out..." but rather, "Um, I'm right in the middle of this. Give me 20 minutes. The bug is on the shelf if you want to start looking through the pictures for now though." But that's just life anyway. Same thing would happen if she caught me right in the middle of cooking dinner.

So there are ways when I do better with more organization. I feel better when I've made out a weekly menu; I like it more to go to the grocery store with a Very specific list, to get specific items needed for our menu that week. So, I like to do those things.

But I don't have to orgazine my learning that way. I really like to learn new things too. But I never give myself a lesson plan. I don't say that this week, I'm going to learn more about gardening, and next month, I'll figure more out about knitting, and this summer, I will study the history of South America. I go with what interests me at the time. If I see an interesting history book, I'll read it. If I have an urge to learn piano, I work on learning piano.

So for me, a strong desire for structure does fit okay with an unschooling lifestyle. I mean, learning in life isn't completely ONLY learning when you spontaneously decide to learn something. Next week, we're taking a trip to another country. Since we're going, I'm going to learn more about that country than I knew last week. I didn't just decide, "I want to learn about _____," so decided to go. But rather, the opportunity to go, presented itself, and basically only for this time, so we're taking advantage. So there's a little organization, I suppose.

Learning how to can food from your garden, is pretty much going to take place after the harvest. Learning how to swim, is more likely to take place during the warmer months. There is a level of organization for most unschoolers, it seems.

 

[Embee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joan Seriously, I think you can organize YOUR stuff if it makes you feel better, and gives you a sense of control, and still let your child unschool. Organization and planning doesn't conflict with the idea of unschooling, as long as you're not dictating to him what you think he should be learning.

Right on. I'm a structure person, a real list maker. I have done some letting go since having DS and becoming a SAHM, but I do still need a certain amount of structure to feel comfortable in my days. I make a weekly TO DO list which includes playdates, trips to the park, along with appointments, chores, calls to make, etc., but I DO make allowances for changes. For example: we went to the beach for "an hour" and ended up staying for four because we were having a marvelous time and the air and physical outlet felt great! I didn't have time to make dinner so we grabbed some take out, and I spread the things on the list for the rest of that day to the next two days. No worries. It was worth it!

DS THRIVES in an unstructured and unschooled environment (he's 4 1/2). DH and I really admire him for it because we are both so not that. DS is focused mind you, very passionate about certain things. He will spend hours a day enthralled playing/reading/watching dinosaurs, playing reading/watching trains or then, a couple of hours a day at the kitchen table drawing. While our household has an overall rythym, our days have never been overly scheduled or structured. I love that his life is so "in the moment' and through him, I'm learning to let go myself, but like I said, I still keep my list and this way, I do manage to accomplish most of the things I set out to do. I simply keep in mind that while all those things are great to "get done" this time with DS will only come around one time. I keep my greater priority in mind, but also in keeping with my personality.

Its a balance, but it can be done!

The best,
Em

 

[moominmamma]

I get my organized-schooling-thrills with my unschooled children by discretely organizing my observations of their day-to-day experiential learning into a record. I journal in a free-form way, I take photos and organize them by date and subject, I keep subject-based tabs on progress I've observed, I keep an computerized portfolio of my kids' unschooling organized by child, date and subject area. It's great fun and my kids are blissfully unaware that I'm organizing the heck out of their educations. Retrospectively.

Miranda

 

[Lillian J]

As long as you see that he's thriving without structure, why not direct your own need for structure into something else other than his learning?

It sounds as if you're needing a creative outlet and structure in your life - not at all uncommon - but that can be accomplished in lots and lots of other ways that will still allow him his freedom to go on learning naturally, unencumbered by lesson plans, while you satisfy your own creative needs in more appropriate ways.

And remember that he's only 28 months old - and children don't even usually go to school until age 5 or 6 - so it isn't even appropriate to be thinking about planning lessons for him. Starting to have lessons at such an early age wouldn't be of any benefit to him at all. Here are lots of ideas for fun and age appropriate activities, and links to web sites with fun activities you can enjoy together:

A Homeschool Curriculum for Pre-school and Kindergarten
Enjoy! Lillian

 

[luv my 2 sweeties]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lillian J A Homeschool Curriculum for Pre-school and Kindergarten Enjoy! Lillian

What a wonderful resource, Lillian! Thanks for sharing that.