Unschooling Passions

"I've shared some of the wonderful and interesting places that exploring Joseph's and Alyssa's diverse interests have taken them. Are you still worried? Do you still think your child's interest can't possibly take them to so many new and different places? Even if your child's interest is just one TV show, it can open up the world."

by Pam Laricchia, the article "Unschooling Passions" in The Journal of Unschooling and Alternative Education.

Here are two of the graphics from her article which are inspiring and self-explanatory on their own:
click to enlarge

"Endless Summer"

Endless Summer
By Sarah Karnasiewicz
Salon.com


The article isn't new, but I didn't want to lose this quote if it disappears:

"When you buy a curriculum and set your kids down five days a week, except in the summer, all you're doing is playing school at home," says Sandra Dodd, a mother of three unschooled children from Albuquerque, N.M., and an outspoken unschooling advocate. "Most home-schoolers, especially Christian home-schoolers, believe that schools are too liberal and too lax," she explains. "On the other hand, unschoolers believe that schools are too inflexible. Our objections to school are 180 degrees apart from their objections. And so we are not only not on the same team, but school is actually closer to what they're doing than we are."

New York Times articles (three of them)

Here are some recent articles about unschooling from the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/garden/16unschool.html?scp=5&sq=unschooling&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/education/26unschool.html?scp=1&sq=unschooling&st=cse

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E1DD113EF93AA15752C1A9609C8B63&scp=2&sq=unschooling&st=cse


Joanna

Parliamentary approval of video gaming

Schuyler Waynforth wrote:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/12/computer-games-eu-study

Apparently experts were called in and the European Parliament has decided that video games are good for children. I think the actual report isn't out yet. Hopefully it'll get airtime when it does come out.

Schuyler

That's because the Puritans, Huguenots and Anabaptists left Europe. Unfortunately, I live where they built an anti-child culture in which children are just bad, and fun is a sin. (that was an editorial comment from Sandra Dodd)

If the U.S. Senate (advised by the education and child welfare experts) voted that video games were harmful, it wouldn't make it so, and so it's not a vote of the European Parliament that makes them good, either. Still, I love government legislation of value-to-children (who can't vote). At least they gathered expert advisors from many countries and listened to them.

A few conferences

This isn't an exhaustive list, but

March 7, 2009, Tempe, Arizona
Home Education Network of Arizona is holding a one-day conference on homeschooling. Several speakers are unschoolers.
http://www.hena.us/conference.html

September 10-13, 2009, San Diego/Del Mar, California
Good Vibrations Conference
http://goodvibrationsconference.com/

Newest news:
October 2-4, 2009 Toronto Unschooling Conference
This will be the fourth Toronto conference!
http://livingjoyfully.ca/conference/

Homeschooling Sees Dramatic Rise in Popularity

From "The Heritage Foundation" on January 28, 2009
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Education/wm2254.cfm

"In December, the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics released new estimates on the number of American families homeschooling their children. The new report shows the growing popularity of homeschooling. In view of this trend, it is important that federal and state policymakers safeguard families' right to educate their children at home."

The article provides results of surveys on reasons people choose to homeschool, demographic information, benefits of homeschooling, and anticipated trends. It supports protecting homeschooling rights.

"Big Kitchen with Food"

Five-year-old hosts cooking show
'Big Kitchen With Food' gets attention online

Last Edited: Monday, 12 Jan 2009, 9:21 AM EST
Created On: Sunday, 11 Jan 2009, 11:45 AM EST

By Anthony Bartkewicz, special contributor

PORTLAND, Ore. - Five-year-old Julian Kreusser is the product of unschooling , a style of home-schooling in which kids direct their own learning toward their particular interests. Julian's interests have included cooking since he was 3 years old , and a mere two years later he's the host of his own cooking show.

On "Big Kitchen With Food," which airs on Portland, Oregon public access TV and online at Blip.tv , Julian's family helps with lightning, camera and editing but the recipes are all Julian's. They include a chocolate chip zucchini bread , a spaghetti sauce that's gotten raves around the world and something called "Yummy Yummy Citrus Boys."

The UK's Times Online reports that publishers are interested in a cookbook from Julian, tentatively titled "My Big Kitchen." Portland Community Media executive director Sylvia McDaniel believes that "Big Kitchen" "has potential to be a national program." In an interview with OregonLive , she said, "It's a wonderful show. We're just thrilled. He actually understands what he's doing. He's not just following orders."

"Home schooling grows"

WHY HOME-SCHOOL? Top reasons cited by parents (could pick more than one): • Concerns about the school environment (including safety, drugs, peer pressure): 88% • A desire to provide religious or moral instruction: 83% • A dissatisfaction with instruction at other schools: 73% • An interest in a non-traditional approach: 65% Source: Top home-schooling reasons in 2007 Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey

USA Today article, January 4, 2009
by Janice Lloyd

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-01-04-homeschooling_N.htm

"The 2003 survey gave parents six reasons to pick as their motivation. (They could choose more than one.) The 2007 survey added a seventh: an interest in a "non-traditional approach," a reference to parents dubbed "unschoolers," who regard standard curriculum methods and standardized testing as counterproductive to a quality education."

The article has useful information, and the comments are good.

Unschooling in Thailand, one father and one son

AN ALTERNATIVE FATHER
Wisit Wangwinyoo is a firm believer of home schooling

December 4, 2008 article by Supawadee Inthawong, about Wisit Wangwinyoo and his son Isara, who is 18. Isara grew up in Thailand but is studying piano in Russia.

"I believe humans have a great potential in learning, but the school system is destroying such potential. If we instead allow the children to grow naturally, they would not have any fear and will learn to be confident and respectful of themselves," said the home schooling author.

The article is inspiring and leans toward peace and understanding.

Wisit Wingwinyoo has blogs in Thai (and one in English about hosting and unschooling another teen, it seems). http://www.blogger.com/profile/17043239764091248572

catching up on childhood

"My mom didn't let (toy) guns in the house, and I didn't get TV till I
was 18," Modine said. "This is just me catching up."

This was posted on the AlwaysLearning list:

I saw this in our local paper and thought it was very interesting:

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/12_07-11/REG

It's an article about several college campuses where students are
forming large groups for playing a "Zombies vs. Humans" game, using
foam dart guns.

Most of the students are for the game and those who play feel part of
a team or family, of course. But as usual, there's also criticism from
those who deem it as dangerous or inappropriate. I thought this part
near the end was pretty telling:

"Ultimately, there's something poignant about Humans vs. Zombies. When
asked to explain the appeal of the game, players talk about the
friends they've made. The game bridges divides between men and women,
seniors and freshmen, computer scientists and poets.

And on a campus where students refer to each other as "kids," Humans
vs. Zombies is a chance to bring back a childhood that some never even
got to experience. Growing up with structured activities, safe
playgrounds and schools that ban dodgeball, they didn't get the primal
appeal of the chase out of their system.

"My mom didn't let (toy) guns in the house, and I didn't get TV till I
was 18," Modine said. "This is just me catching up."

Deb/prism7513