tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post712625344685611871..comments2010-05-06T14:28:17.559-05:00Jenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05157041381940903012noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-61132468793677901492010-05-06T14:28:17.552-05:002010-05-06T14:28:17.552-05:00Hi! I came via Simple Mom to your blog and am just loving your thought!<br /><br />First of all, your daughter is so talented! Those roses are just exquisite!!<br /><br />Okay, I am from India and if you have ever heard about the school system there, you would know that its brutal. Not just teachers, parents and society as a whole expects you not only to cope but to excel. We had weekly tests, daily assessments, and of course a grueling exam twice a year. I HATED school! But I loved to read and everything I know is from my reading books I was not required to read! (btw, I have a PhD in Biology)<br />Even having that knowledge at the back of my mind did not make me realise till I read your blog that your philosophy of learning is SO true!<br />Since I work (and love my job), I am not really ready to homeschool but I will definitely try and make sure my sons never feel the pressure to learn something which they are just not interested in! Thank you so much for such interesting reading!!Roshni Mitra Chintalapatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01107573625336456428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-89947561594682972802009-04-01T14:35:00.000-05:002009-04-01T14:35:00.000-05:00Jena ~ Been reading your blog for awhile now and I really love it!! This article was hugely helpful for me!! I am so on the same page as you and I needed to hear someone who has done it all along and now has a grown child moving on to college and life! That is so encouraging! Some times I think I just need support from others to keep going!!<BR/><BR/>Grace and peace to you!!lydia joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495924200222561417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-3089727524327477412008-10-31T08:29:00.000-05:002008-10-31T08:29:00.000-05:00whatsreal, thank you for the kind words! My secret desire is to have a book someday, I just don't have a clue how to go about that. :)<BR/><BR/>And I'd love for you to link to me, anytime. Thank you!Jenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05157041381940903012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-1987631446771221782008-10-31T02:41:00.000-05:002008-10-31T02:41:00.000-05:00I need to second the dark chocolate comment :-) and add "thank you thank you thank you"<BR/>I hope there is a book on the horizon. Your voice is so refreshingly clear, inspiring and authentic.<BR/>Can I link to your blog on my site? greathomeschoolstuff.com in the "Inspiring Articles" section (the site is still under construction)<BR/>Thank you as ever.<BR/>Whatsrealwhatsrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18175055037883947803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-27178376255911662222008-08-05T20:35:00.000-05:002008-08-05T20:35:00.000-05:00Thank you, everyone!<BR/><BR/>Miss Mountain, thanks for your kind words. I think classroom teachers have the hardest job in the world. Your students are blessed to have you.<BR/><BR/>And I love having my writing compared to "dark chocolate." That tops a Pulitzer in my world. :)Jenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05157041381940903012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-81525770534839634922008-08-05T16:26:00.000-05:002008-08-05T16:26:00.000-05:00Hi Jena,<BR/>A beautiful blog post here! I'm glad I stumbled upon it. I'm a public elementary school teacher and your blog definately makes the grade for me! I enjoy reading your philosophy of schooling children and teaching with a child-led approach in a world where teaching from a boxed curriculum is standard and usually mandatory. I'm glad I'm in special education because at least curriculum is free to take on the "individualized" approach. At least in my classroom curriculum can be modified to meet the needs of all my classroom children. I don't have any children myself yet, but your postings help me think about weighing the options to the standard schooling system for my own someday. Anyway, just wanted to praise your thoughtfulness in writing about your journeys through homeschooling. Your blog will probably become like a piece of good "dark" chocolate at the end of my public school days! Keep on writing!Miss Mountainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10310750505059768204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-4183407037011133152008-07-31T15:34:00.000-05:002008-07-31T15:34:00.000-05:00Hi Jena<BR/>I've come over from The Homeschool Lounge. What a great post.<BR/><BR/>Your opening thoughts about education being done to you or education being discovery - reminded me of the socialisation issue. I believe people have the same thoughts about this issue - socialisation is dealing with what is done to you - if you cope you are socialised. Homeschoolers look at that issue differently. Very thought provoking!Belindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01633623295326829373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-71740111121975386442008-07-30T00:28:00.000-05:002008-07-30T00:28:00.000-05:00Very well said!<BR/><BR/>And thanks for giving me hope for extended intellectual conversations with my children one day-- we are currently in distraction and destruction mode at our house! LOLMarsha Marsha Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06787051368018458658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-37251977430663069112008-07-29T20:53:00.000-05:002008-07-29T20:53:00.000-05:00Jena,<BR/>I came across your blog a few days ago and absolutely love what you are sharing! We have older children who we had loosely schooled at home, not truly unschooling but close, and now 4 year old twins. I'm leaning more and more to following the twins' interests rather than imposing my schedule on them. You give me much food for thought!Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011692346788636043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-71558836822330696862008-07-29T19:58:00.000-05:002008-07-29T19:58:00.000-05:00I also meant to add thank you to everyone for your kind words about the article. I'm really enjoying getting all these thoughts down in one place.Jenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05157041381940903012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-26528231133038165172008-07-29T19:56:00.000-05:002008-07-29T19:56:00.000-05:00Meg was probably 10 when she did those roses, and yes, they are free handed. She learned watching Donna Dewberry on PBS. She loved painting. Now she's more into drawing, and dancing, and singing, and acting, and making jewelry, and knitting...Jenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05157041381940903012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-36565592674258156932008-07-29T19:12:00.000-05:002008-07-29T19:12:00.000-05:00I LOVE LOVE LOVE this blog entry! You've summed up the reason why we unschool as well. Great entry!!<BR/><BR/>And what a *beautiful* rose!! Did she free-hand that or use a stencil? Either way, she's quite talented!Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05164102202026440334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-27090489243185345192008-07-29T12:59:00.000-05:002008-07-29T12:59:00.000-05:00Thank you for your thoughts, Jena. I wholeheartedly agree with you. Exposure in public school is fine, but having to commit to certain levels of dedication to subjects is wrong. Face it, the kids don't do it anyway. They go through the motions. I went through the motions of Algebra II, but I don't remember a single thing I "learned." Our kids are freed up to truly learn what truly interests them.sgaisserthttp://sgaissert.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-28826017732805711182008-07-29T10:52:00.000-05:002008-07-29T10:52:00.000-05:00Facing doubts comes with the territory! Over the years I've had various levels of structure, but they all seemed to break down in about a month (except for Meg--she likes keeping a list of what books she should work through each day).<BR/><BR/>I really do believe interest-led education works and now that my kids are older, I feel even more confident about it. So hang in there and let your kids be kids and you will raise healthy, loving, creative, confident kids. <BR/><BR/>The funny part is now that my youngest wants to go to public school (she's 14), I just have to scratch my head and ask why?! But it's what she really wants and she knows what I think, and I just have to let her experience it for herself and develop her own opinions about the best way to do school. The great thing is that she has the freedom to change her mind and go back to homeschooling whenever she wants. She's not "stuck" in the system.Jenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05157041381940903012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-58616181889593609752008-07-29T09:48:00.000-05:002008-07-29T09:48:00.000-05:00Thank you for posting this. It was just what I needed to hear.<BR/>I am going through one of those phases where I doubt unschooling works. I was even considering enrolling my 5 year old twins in public school and starting a rigorous school at home schedule with my older children. Thanks for talking me down from the ledge :)<BR/><BR/>WendyWellManneredFrivolityhttp://wendyfairfull.typepad.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-57180996434510788652008-07-29T08:55:00.000-05:002008-07-29T08:55:00.000-05:00What a great post, Jena. We share this belief, too. My kiddos and spend a few hours each morning doing the three R's, then they have the rest of the day to work on whatever subjects/activities might be calling them at the moment. And for my little ones, that includes lots of imaginative play where they get to "try out" different roles. I'm saddened for the children that don't get this time and opportunity.Kimhttp://worksinprogress-kim.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440749662994772656.post-75333584241174440702008-07-28T16:08:00.000-05:002008-07-28T16:08:00.000-05:00I had a conversation with my (skeptical) mother-in-law just last night about this very subject! I said, 'the school was telling our son what to learn, but we think the school was wrong - we want him to decide what to learn for himself.' I don't think she bought it, so I'll send her a link to this post - you've put the whole issue so eloquently!<BR/><BR/>Thank you.The Stone Age Techiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033206940045546960noreply@blogger.com