Unschooling Quotes

I browse the Radical Christian Unschoolers discussion board so you don’t have to.
Here’s some favorite quotes from recent discussions:

‘ I think for some reason when we begin to *homeschool*, that whole word carries connotations of forcing our kids into perfect little *homeschool* molds, so the world will applaud and praise our “products”, which I’ve begun to see is steeped in pride and pleasing man. ‘

‘Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2006 23:28:22 -0000 From: “Lynn Coalson” <lynnatbeach@bellsouth.net> Subject: I am getting it!
Hi Everybody, Well, you all know from the rather long intro I wrote several weeks ago, that we are transitioning from unit studies into Unschooling. I am SO excited I just want to share this with someone who really “Gets It!” OK, so while we’ve been deschooling from a unit study co-op, I have been in the reading and researching mode, which gave Jenny time to just breathe, and be.And play!I was so busy schooling her she didn’t have time to just play!Even though our homeschool was a fun and happy experience most of the time, we were too busy for play. The Lord showed me a long time ago that Jenny works through her life lessons through play.Oh Lord- I repent for all the times I have interrupted the serious work of her play to do some frivolous school stuff!I cringe when i think of all the times I missed it, because of my busy agenda. ouch! Well, God opened the eyes of my heart and guess what I saw?? He showed me how Jenny is developing her own ways of dealing with
the challenges of dyslexia- through play. Her own ways-ie His way. I mentioned before that she has been on this roller blade choreography thing lately.Well, she was recently put into a more advanced ballet class. This means she has to execute longer combinations of choreography.This is a big challenge for her. While cleaning up the yard one evening, after a day of roller blade “performances”, I came upon the white board and markers she left next to a tree . On the white board she had drawn a diagram of our street where she rollerblades, complete with trees, storm drains, and other landmarks. By each landmark was a picture and a word like twirl, arabesque, etc. She had drawn her choreography in pictures. She drew it in the way her brain sees it ; in the way she can best learn it! By playing, she was developing ways to memorize longer sequences.Cool huh! There’s more! I set aside the math book where she’d been “learning” fractions fractions and more fractions. ugh She’s been playing with a wooden geometric puzzle where you arrange little colored triangles into a quilt like pattern-there is no one way to do this-you can make countless patterns. She has also been playing with magnetix -litle magnetic bars and marbles you connect to make shapes.And baking! Measuring and reducing the recipies because there are only 3 of us home now. Yesterday- she decided she wanted to complete her math book. So she wrote out daily assignments for herself, for the entire month. My first thought was “Oh no, we just failed unschooling” Or could it be that maybe, all the “playing” with parts of a whole, and connecting those little magnetix , attached a new meaning and connection to the math book fractions? My prayer is and hopefully will remain”Oh Lord, keep me diligent and alert-don’t let me miss your plan, by being too busy with my plan!”
Lynn ‘

Favorite quotes from Radical Christian Unschoolers discussion board

Children, like adults, feel most like cooperating with those who treat them with
kindness, respect, understanding, and dignity.

Try to make your choices and set your limits based on the unique
circumstances and qualities of your own family, not on the ideology of
what “defines” unschooling.

~Cheryl

Funny how, even as an adult, the school system inspires, practically
demands, dishonesty in order to combat its absurdly illogical control
tactics.

~Cheryl

Here is a neat story to tell the kids while carving a
pumpkin.

A woman was asked by a friend, “What is it like to be
a Christian?” The woman replied, “It is like being a
pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in,
and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off
the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes
the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves
you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of
you to shine for all the world to see.”

Peaceful familes

Here’s the original post on the yahoo groups radical christian unschoolers discussion board:

I would like to respond to the parents of the angry and fearful ones.

My husband and I are Health Ministers with Hallelujah Acres.

I have a 12 year old son. I have discovered that diet greatly affects one’s peace of mind.

The crunchier, the better. Try giving your children lots of raw fruit if they won’t eat raw vegetables.

Avoiding sugar, caffeine, and white flour–not to mention artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, and preservatives–contributes to a peaceful attitude.

Also, I’m sure getting to the bottom of the anger and fear is important.

What are they angry about? What are they fearful about?

Usually, love will conquer all. A loving attitude from the parent can solve most problems. Make sure all your actions and reactions are inspired by love.

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