Comments on: the homeschooling habit http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/ where a mother tries to cultivate creativity and a sense of wonder in her kids—and does a whole lot of wondering herself in the process Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:36:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: patricia http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/comment-page-1/#comment-4047 patricia Wed, 12 Oct 2011 05:24:41 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=1369#comment-4047 Thanks for the kind words about the new design, Lisa! I spent a good amount of time on it, so your feedback means a lot to me. So you're not homeschooling, but you're tempted, eh? Keep playing with the idea. It's full of potential! Thanks for the kind words about the new design, Lisa! I spent a good amount of time on it, so your feedback means a lot to me.

So you’re not homeschooling, but you’re tempted, eh? Keep playing with the idea. It’s full of potential!

]]> By: Lisa http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/comment-page-1/#comment-4046 Lisa Wed, 12 Oct 2011 05:14:56 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=1369#comment-4046 Great post, great new design by the way. I am loving exploring (is that correct grammar?!?) your blog all over again, with its new layout. It's like a clean, well lighted place. So tempted to homeschool after reading what you say here. Thank you for the excellent ideas on setting up the environment. Great post, great new design by the way. I am loving exploring (is that correct grammar?!?) your blog all over again, with its new layout. It’s like a clean, well lighted place. So tempted to homeschool after reading what you say here. Thank you for the excellent ideas on setting up the environment.

]]> By: patricia http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/comment-page-1/#comment-3643 patricia Thu, 19 May 2011 03:34:57 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=1369#comment-3643 Hi Hillary, This line of yours says so much: "I guess we’re just…..us" So simple, and so beautiful too. What could be better than helping our kids find who they are, and our families figure out who <i>we</i> are? It seems silly to move away from one institution--school--only to let a term like <i>unschooling</i> confine us in different ways. I also loved this line of yours from your Simple Homeschool post http://simplehomeschool.net/interest-driven-curricula-and-an-open-mind/ "If there is anything I’ve learned in life and parenting it’s to keep an open mind and heart. You never know what might be around corner, how life will unfold or how someone’s needs may change." Good for you for recognizing this while your kids are so young! I'm sure that thinking will serve your family well in your homeschooling life. Thanks so much for stopping by! Hi Hillary,

This line of yours says so much:
“I guess we’re just…..us”

So simple, and so beautiful too. What could be better than helping our kids find who they are, and our families figure out who we are?

It seems silly to move away from one institution–school–only to let a term like unschooling confine us in different ways.

I also loved this line of yours from your Simple Homeschool post http://simplehomeschool.net/interest-driven-curricula-and-an-open-mind/ “If there is anything I’ve learned in life and parenting it’s to keep an open mind and heart. You never know what might be around corner, how life will unfold or how someone’s needs may change.”

Good for you for recognizing this while your kids are so young! I’m sure that thinking will serve your family well in your homeschooling life.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

]]> By: Hillary http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/comment-page-1/#comment-3642 Hillary Thu, 19 May 2011 01:57:38 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=1369#comment-3642 Thanks so much for sharing this with me. It's funny because we never started out to be unschoolers. We just believed that people learn and are passionate and felt that if we could give our kids the opportunity to stay out of institutionalized learning it would be a huge gift for them. It's what we both wanted for our family. Then came all the labels and to tell you the truth we don't like "unschooling"--the word at all. We're not un schooling; we are living. But when you're navigating communities you don't always want to explain everything and we sort of like to hang out there, although I find--just like you do--that we love some structure and rhythm and when we're around radical unschoolers it doesn't feel like the best match. I guess we're just.....us ;-) Thanks again for the great insights. Thanks so much for sharing this with me.

It’s funny because we never started out to be unschoolers. We just believed that people learn and are passionate and felt that if we could give our kids the opportunity to stay out of institutionalized learning it would be a huge gift for them. It’s what we both wanted for our family.

Then came all the labels and to tell you the truth we don’t like “unschooling”–the word at all. We’re not un schooling; we are living. But when you’re navigating communities you don’t always want to explain everything and we sort of like to hang out there, although I find–just like you do–that we love some structure and rhythm and when we’re around radical unschoolers it doesn’t feel like the best match.

I guess we’re just…..us ;-)

Thanks again for the great insights.

]]> By: patricia http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/comment-page-1/#comment-3067 patricia Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:24:06 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=1369#comment-3067 Wendy, I'm honored that you've poked around my blog and taken the time to leave a comment! It's funny how worked up people can get about semantics, isn't it? I also value self-directed learning over all else. It would be nice to have a label that people would understand--but I suppose labels tend to be limiting. What matters most to me is that people understand that the ways to homeschool are infinite, and that we don't let labels confine us. I just noticed via a link that you've listed me on the Life Learning Blog Directory. Thank you! Wendy, I’m honored that you’ve poked around my blog and taken the time to leave a comment!

It’s funny how worked up people can get about semantics, isn’t it? I also value self-directed learning over all else. It would be nice to have a label that people would understand–but I suppose labels tend to be limiting. What matters most to me is that people understand that the ways to homeschool are infinite, and that we don’t let labels confine us.

I just noticed via a link that you’ve listed me on the Life Learning Blog Directory. Thank you!

]]> By: Wendy Priesnitz http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/comment-page-1/#comment-3064 Wendy Priesnitz Sun, 24 Oct 2010 16:41:06 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=1369#comment-3064 Great post, which I've just found! I don't know the origin of the notion that unschooling=unstructured. Perhaps it's because the word "unschooling" is such a difficult one to fathom, and that it seems the opposite of school. I have a big problem with defining oneself by what one isn't, so I prefer the term "life learning," which I hope is more accurate. But even then, it doesn't begin to describe the breadth and depth of self-directed learning. For me, the foundation of it is learner autonomy. But, aside from needing a shorthand term with which to discuss this way of life, I don't think it matters much what we call it. There are no rules! There are no unschooling police who decide whether certain habits or structures or other practices do or don't fit the definition. Great post, which I’ve just found! I don’t know the origin of the notion that unschooling=unstructured. Perhaps it’s because the word “unschooling” is such a difficult one to fathom, and that it seems the opposite of school. I have a big problem with defining oneself by what one isn’t, so I prefer the term “life learning,” which I hope is more accurate. But even then, it doesn’t begin to describe the breadth and depth of self-directed learning. For me, the foundation of it is learner autonomy. But, aside from needing a shorthand term with which to discuss this way of life, I don’t think it matters much what we call it. There are no rules! There are no unschooling police who decide whether certain habits or structures or other practices do or don’t fit the definition.

]]> By: patricia http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/comment-page-1/#comment-1483 patricia Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:40:38 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=1369#comment-1483 Hi Anno! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I'm glad the post has been helpful. I know just what you mean about days flying by without feeling like you've engaged in much together. That's exactly why planning time together seems to work for us. And I'm glad you get what I mean--that it isn't so much <i>what</i> we're doing together as the fact that we're doing something. And making time for each other. Wishing you some fun times together! Hi Anno! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.

I’m glad the post has been helpful. I know just what you mean about days flying by without feeling like you’ve engaged in much together. That’s exactly why planning time together seems to work for us. And I’m glad you get what I mean–that it isn’t so much what we’re doing together as the fact that we’re doing something. And making time for each other.

Wishing you some fun times together!

]]> By: Anno http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/comment-page-1/#comment-1482 Anno Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:41:09 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=1369#comment-1482 HI there, I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this post. We are unschoolerish folks finding our way in this journey, but I have been feeling a bit adrift without some sort of structure in our days, as if so many days just fly by without me spending any real time with the littles, without anyone really ENGAGING in more than just flitting from thing to thing while i struggle to cook and clean and do basic childcare. I LOVE the idea of setting aside time to be together in focused creativity, regardless of what goes on in those moments, of having the kids know that they get me, no holds barred, no distractions during that time. You have made our lives richer (and I think possibly less overwhelming with this simple post. ANno HI there,
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this post. We are unschoolerish folks finding our way in this journey, but I have been feeling a bit adrift without some sort of structure in our days, as if so many days just fly by without me spending any real time with the littles, without anyone really ENGAGING in more than just flitting from thing to thing while i struggle to cook and clean and do basic childcare.
I LOVE the idea of setting aside time to be together in focused creativity, regardless of what goes on in those moments, of having the kids know that they get me, no holds barred, no distractions during that time.

You have made our lives richer (and I think possibly less overwhelming with this simple post.

ANno

]]> By: patricia http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/comment-page-1/#comment-1336 patricia Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:02:26 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=1369#comment-1336 Thanks for visiting, Mon, and for linking me on your blog too! It took me years to figure out that, for us, structure doesn't have to undermine creativity. If a few folks can learn from our experiences and work that out faster, I'd be thrilled. Thanks for visiting, Mon, and for linking me on your blog too!

It took me years to figure out that, for us, structure doesn’t have to undermine creativity. If a few folks can learn from our experiences and work that out faster, I’d be thrilled.

]]> By: Mon http://patriciazaballos.com/2009/10/14/the-homeschooling-habit/comment-page-1/#comment-1335 Mon Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:22:50 +0000 http://patriciazaballos.com/?p=1369#comment-1335 Thankyou so much for this post. I believe that many who are new to homeschooling need to read experiences like yours. I have recently spoken to friends talking about unschooling and feeling panic because they thrive on some structure. They need to hear that structure isn't the death of creative learning. Thankyou so much for this post. I believe that many who are new to homeschooling need to read experiences like yours. I have recently spoken to friends talking about unschooling and feeling panic because they thrive on some structure. They need to hear that structure isn’t the death of creative learning.

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