The past three or four days Steve has been off work. We have spent a lot of time outside the house, shopping for things and eating out. It has been fun but the results at home have bothered me!
The older children have been fine, they know the things that they have to do and work well independently. With DS 9 it has not been so easy. He has basically spent the past few days doing very little. As much as I love the unschooling approach this isn't what I pictured. I still have expectations that a certain amount of "Table Time" has to be accomplished. Math is a must, Reading is a must, Handwriting is a must. All these things require my time. Time to print out math pages, time to print out handwriting pages, time to sit down and listen to DS read. The listening to him read is important because he has a slight speech impediment and can get lazy with his words. He tends to rush his speech and the words get tangled up with each other, I need to be on hand to slow him down. I need to spend time organizing the home so that learning is a natural thing. I need to strew some books, some games, so that the children can see things that interest them and pick them up! When I am not there to do these things then learning becomes chaotic. DS 9 wonders around without a vision, he turns the t.v on and substitutes a good book with the t.v! Even when I do get home I am tired, not interested in schooling and the learning style I create through that atmosphere is tatty, half baked.
Unschooling or delight directed learning is not half baked! the mother has an important job. She needs to lay the foundations for learning to happen. Every day she must seek God for guidance and wisdom for each child. Her time is important~! She isn't someone in the house who merely acts like an administrator or overseer of the work.........she is a facilitator! This is what Wikepedia has to say about the word Facilitator A facilitator is someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and assists them to plan to achieve them without taking a particular position in the discussion. The facilitator will try to assist the group in achieving a consensus on any disagreements that preexist or emerge in the meeting so that it has a strong basis for future action. The role has been likened to that of a midwife who assists in the process of birth but is not the producer of the end result.
Out of every difficult situation comes a lesson! I have learned over the past few days that "I" need to be more organized. I need to plan ahead, to make sure that the week flows steadily instead of in a chaotic, disorganized rush. I need to create an atmosphere in the home that produces a love of learning, not man made and squeezed into a forumula but flowing from the life of the home.
The older children have been fine, they know the things that they have to do and work well independently. With DS 9 it has not been so easy. He has basically spent the past few days doing very little. As much as I love the unschooling approach this isn't what I pictured. I still have expectations that a certain amount of "Table Time" has to be accomplished. Math is a must, Reading is a must, Handwriting is a must. All these things require my time. Time to print out math pages, time to print out handwriting pages, time to sit down and listen to DS read. The listening to him read is important because he has a slight speech impediment and can get lazy with his words. He tends to rush his speech and the words get tangled up with each other, I need to be on hand to slow him down. I need to spend time organizing the home so that learning is a natural thing. I need to strew some books, some games, so that the children can see things that interest them and pick them up! When I am not there to do these things then learning becomes chaotic. DS 9 wonders around without a vision, he turns the t.v on and substitutes a good book with the t.v! Even when I do get home I am tired, not interested in schooling and the learning style I create through that atmosphere is tatty, half baked.
Unschooling or delight directed learning is not half baked! the mother has an important job. She needs to lay the foundations for learning to happen. Every day she must seek God for guidance and wisdom for each child. Her time is important~! She isn't someone in the house who merely acts like an administrator or overseer of the work.........she is a facilitator! This is what Wikepedia has to say about the word Facilitator A facilitator is someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and assists them to plan to achieve them without taking a particular position in the discussion. The facilitator will try to assist the group in achieving a consensus on any disagreements that preexist or emerge in the meeting so that it has a strong basis for future action. The role has been likened to that of a midwife who assists in the process of birth but is not the producer of the end result.
Out of every difficult situation comes a lesson! I have learned over the past few days that "I" need to be more organized. I need to plan ahead, to make sure that the week flows steadily instead of in a chaotic, disorganized rush. I need to create an atmosphere in the home that produces a love of learning, not man made and squeezed into a forumula but flowing from the life of the home.
July 31, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Great post matey! Great post and great thoughts :)