Tags for "Joy Of Learning"
Worry is an expression of love
I've come to love the worry parents feel and often express (including my own). I didn't start there, but as my kids got older and I found my own anxieties arrive at how my son spent his day, I found myself needing to rethink my responses to worry.
The way I see it, the worry a so called... Homeschoolers Anonymous
I never encountered any homeschooled kids until I went to college. Having excelled in school for the most part, I met the very idea of being taught at home with disdain. Most of the homeschooled students I met were nice, happy, pretty well-adjusted--and very, very religious. I immediately jumped onto the bandwagon driven by the people chanting, "Brainwash!" and decided that people who homeschooled their children were simply training them to be members of the Army of God, that it was such a travesty, and that the drones produced from such mind-numbing instruction would only go off into the wild blue yonder, birthing more drones to keep... Remembering Hope & Joy
I'll begin with a story. I spent the last four days on a small hostel/ranch/community center/aspiring eco-destination called Rancho Esperanza in the isolated fishing village of Jiquilillo. The owner of the ranch, Nato (Nate), was born in Maine and has been involved with the village for eleven years, living there full time for the last eight.
Six years ago Nate began an after school program for the youth of... Suffer the Little Children
But it often leads to negativity, from what I've witnessed. Though I used to politely murmur, "Fine, thanks," I have been either entertained or horrified (or a combination of the two, really) by plenty of sad stories. "I hate it!" or "Gym is okay, I guess," or "My teacher sucks" are all phrases that I've... The Freedom to Do It Wrong
It's funny; I can remember how it all started. I was a super quiet kid around those I don't know--my daughter is, too. People were constantly telling me to talk, to speak up, to be louder. And when I finally started to do that--to make them happy, as I was perfectly happy being quiet--I was told to be quiet, to not talk in class, to stay in silence. It was the first punishment I ever received in school, a humiliating sentence of corner-banishment in front of all of my peers, and it was enough motivation to get me to shut up once again.
The expectations set in front of me were quite obvious--succeed or be met with disapproval.... The Social Gap Between Child and Adult
Was he heartbroken over it? Nah... but he was pretty bummed out. He had never made a lei before, and here was a great opportunity to broaden his horizons, but he couldn't participate...apparently, he's too old for...
Posted on Nov 05, 2009 - 03:32 PM by Scott Nine in Uncharted Parenting
As a parent of a ten- and two-year old, I continue to be awed and humbled by what parenting asks of me. Whoever said that raising children is like watching your heart move around outside your body was spot on. As an educator who spends my day with other people's kids, I'm also deeply aware of the ways parents and educators can work and grow together as well as the potential impact when we don't.I've come to love the worry parents feel and often express (including my own). I didn't start there, but as my kids got older and I found my own anxieties arrive at how my son spent his day, I found myself needing to rethink my responses to worry.
The way I see it, the worry a so called... Homeschoolers Anonymous
Posted on Dec 11, 2009 - 02:31 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
My name is Sara, and I'm a former homeschool basher.I never encountered any homeschooled kids until I went to college. Having excelled in school for the most part, I met the very idea of being taught at home with disdain. Most of the homeschooled students I met were nice, happy, pretty well-adjusted--and very, very religious. I immediately jumped onto the bandwagon driven by the people chanting, "Brainwash!" and decided that people who homeschooled their children were simply training them to be members of the Army of God, that it was such a travesty, and that the drones produced from such mind-numbing instruction would only go off into the wild blue yonder, birthing more drones to keep... Remembering Hope & Joy
Posted on Dec 27, 2009 - 02:41 PM by Jonah Canner in Got Questions?
I am currently on vacation in Nicaragua, and while I have been doing a lot of thinking, I have not been doing very much writing, as is wont to happen from time to time. And with thinking inevitably comes questioning. So what better place to explore some of those questions than here?I'll begin with a story. I spent the last four days on a small hostel/ranch/community center/aspiring eco-destination called Rancho Esperanza in the isolated fishing village of Jiquilillo. The owner of the ranch, Nato (Nate), was born in Maine and has been involved with the village for eleven years, living there full time for the last eight.
Six years ago Nate began an after school program for the youth of... Suffer the Little Children
Posted on Jan 08, 2010 - 12:09 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
Do you ever notice how the first thing that pops out of most people's mouths when they speak to a young child is, "So how's school?" It's as if school is the only common denominator people can come up with to address these "little people." I guess that can be an okay way to begin a conversation; sometimes an opener like that could lead into favorite things to do, hobbies, interests, etc.But it often leads to negativity, from what I've witnessed. Though I used to politely murmur, "Fine, thanks," I have been either entertained or horrified (or a combination of the two, really) by plenty of sad stories. "I hate it!" or "Gym is okay, I guess," or "My teacher sucks" are all phrases that I've... The Freedom to Do It Wrong
Posted on Jan 28, 2010 - 11:50 PM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
As a child, I developed a "Type A" personality pretty quickly.It's funny; I can remember how it all started. I was a super quiet kid around those I don't know--my daughter is, too. People were constantly telling me to talk, to speak up, to be louder. And when I finally started to do that--to make them happy, as I was perfectly happy being quiet--I was told to be quiet, to not talk in class, to stay in silence. It was the first punishment I ever received in school, a humiliating sentence of corner-banishment in front of all of my peers, and it was enough motivation to get me to shut up once again.
The expectations set in front of me were quite obvious--succeed or be met with disapproval.... The Social Gap Between Child and Adult
Posted on Mar 15, 2010 - 01:13 PM by Shawn Strader in Op-Education
This past week, there was a Hawaiian Music Festival at Tempe Town Lake, not far from my neighborhood. I did not attend, but a good friend of mine checked it out before coming over to my house for a visit. He said it was a fun time with plenty of ukuleles to play and good music all around. But when he got to the front of the line of the 'Make Your Own Hawaiian Lei' booth, the staff told him that adults were not allowed to make a lei, that the artful activity was for kids only.Was he heartbroken over it? Nah... but he was pretty bummed out. He had never made a lei before, and here was a great opportunity to broaden his horizons, but he couldn't participate...apparently, he's too old for...