Sunday, November 26, 2006

New York Times unschooling article

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/education/26unschool.html
November 26, 2006
Home Schoolers Content to Take Children's Lead


Pretty good article, but some of editorial touches reminded me of how others see learning. One of the captions within the slide show is "Hayden and Sydney postpone reading by goofing around in the living room while Ms. Walter selects the books." Most photos involve books.

"Gaby tries to practice piano while Hayden and Sydney run around the living room" was another loaded caption. Maybe she was PLAYING the piano, and they were dancing. But an editor decided to put a negative spin on it.

In the International Herald Tribune's running of the story (credited to the New York Times, and not quite as long nor with as many photos) the title was changed to this: In extreme form of home schooling, kids call the shots

What shots? Why should anyone "call shots"?

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20061126-070148-9145r UPI report on NYT story, next day.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Two ends of the spectrum

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8143.asp

BellaOnline: The Voice of Women has an article on Unschooling by the site's School Reform Editor by their school-reform editor, Kristen Houghton, who was largely unschooled herself.

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg19225776.100
Home-schooling special: Preach your children well
11 November 2006
New Scientist Magazine

This is a print magazine is in the U.K. and the article deals primarily with revisionist science and with Patrick Henry College.