How do unschooling parents know their children are learning? The answer to this question is, to put it most simply, direct observation. — Jan Hunt in The Unschooling Unmanual Related articles The Teenage Liberation Handbook (kk.org) ‘Unschooling’ – education fad… Read More ›
homeschool
Evaluation
The assumption that unschooling parents somehow lack awareness of their children’s progress, and therefore require formal evaluation of that progress, is related to the fact that unschoolers function outside the arena of the schools, and our philosophies and methods are… Read More ›
Growing children
It [unschooling] is a little like watching a garden grow. No matter how closely we examine the garden, it is difficult to verify that anything is happening at that particular moment. But as the season progresses, we can see that… Read More ›
School survival
— Jan Hunt in The Unschooling Unmanual
Trust
— Jan Hunt in The Unschooling Unmanual
Supporting Powers
Supporting powers is, of course, exactly what we do not do in most schooling. We do not give children extra time to work at what they like and are good at, but only what they do worst and most dislike…. Read More ›
Sonlight Language Arts on the Way
If you read my previous post, you will know that I have been considering buying a curriculum for Yasmine and Storm (Annie has chosen to give school another try). Well, last night I took the plunge. I can’t afford a… Read More ›
Homeschool Curriculum
When we first started homeschooling this year we started out with Unit Studies. This didn’t really engage our kids, so we switched to unschooling. We have been unschooling ever since, so I feel it that we have given it a… Read More ›
BAYS House of Learning Blog
Over the last few days I have been setting up a blog for BAYS House of Learning. Every day or every few days, the children will post what they have been learning. They will have fun and practice their writing… Read More ›
Do Schools Kill Creativity?
Sir Ken Robinson…
Unschooling the Basics
I came across this blog post by following a link on twitter. A great post to show your other half or mother-in-law if they have their doubts about the effect of unschooling on things like Math and Reading. After socialisation,… Read More ›
The Unschooling Unmanual by Nanda Van Gestel, Jan Hunt, Daniel Quinn, Rue Kream, Earl Stevens, Kim Houssenloge, John Holt & Mary Van Doren
Opening Sentence:Why did you choose unschooling rather than some other form of homeschooling? Synopsis:”It is part of the mythology of childhood that children hate learning and will avoid it at all costs. Of course, anyone who has had a child… Read More ›
‘What Do I Do Monday?’ by John Holt
Opening Sentence:This is a book for teachers, for parents, for children or friends of children, for anyone who cares about education. Synopsis:John Holt, the famous author of How Children Fail, How Children Learn, and The Underachieving School, explores new means… Read More ›
Accessible Learning
The last few days I have felt really sick from a medication I am taking, so we haven’t done much by way of formal lessons. We don’t do much anyway, but we’ve done even less the past few days. In… Read More ›
Our First Day of Homeschooling
Happy New Year! Aside from being the first day of 2010, this was also the very first working day of BAYS House of Learning. I did up an official looking program (for the registration process) but we are kind of… Read More ›
Homeschooling and Internet Censorship
The Australian Rudd Government will soon be attempting to pass laws imposing a compulsory net filter on all Australian users. The ostensible reason, touted by both the media and Rudd himself, is that this filter is to prevent child-pornography…. Read More ›
We Have A Name!
Researching homeschooling revealed to us that many homeschoolers choose to name their school. We all thought this was a fun idea, so we decided to put together an ‘unofficial’ lesson. (‘official’ lessons begin in January). Our lesson’s theme was elections…. Read More ›
Third Reich Law Still Being Enforced
There are many laws instituted during Hitler’s Third Reich that are still in place today. One of these laws that is being actively enforced is related to schooling. In Germany, children are considered the property of the state, giving parents… Read More ›
Mnemonics
Every Good Boy Deserves Fun (lines on a treble clef; the spaces are remembered as FACE) Mites Grow Up, Tights Come Down (Difference between Stalagmites & Stalactites) Spring Forward, Fall Back (Which way to turn clocks for daylight savings) My… Read More ›
Rafferty's Rules [Currently Being Refurbished] 