Becky is the unschooling mother of three (Janey, 11, Macy, 9 and Charley, 6) attempting to raise her children with compassion and respect. She taught elementary school for 9 years before discovering unschooling when it was time for her oldest to go to Kindergarten. She credits Sandra Dodd, Mary Griffith, Jan Hunt, and just about every other person she interacted with at her first HSC Home=Education conference 6 years ago, as her inspiration to find a more natural way of living and learning with children. She is a Homeschooling Consultant, offering support and guidance to families looking to clarify their vision as a family of learners. You can read more of what Becky has to say at http://lifewithoutschool.blogspot.com She can be reached at homeschoolconsultant@gmailcom.
I am the unschooling, single mother of three children ages 11, 9, and 6. I work from home for two small, internet based businesses, and I tutor other homeschooled children a few hours a week. My life hasn’t always looked like this. In my former life, I was an elementary school teacher, but happily retired when I discovered the joys of unschooling ...
Dinner with unschooling friends; kids mixing and mingling all around, is the perfect place for a blog post to begin. Lively conversation, intense debate; it's all excellent fodder for my brain to percolate on educational philosophy and our collective parenting culture. This particular evening led to lots of conversation about the way our culture views laziness ...
Every once in a while it happens. For some of us, it happens a lot. Fear and panic grip us, and we worry that unschooling can't possibly work ...
Today was one of those days that I relish as an unschooler. It looked like this ...
I had a conversation with an unschooling friend not long ago. We were talking about the way concerned family members express their doubts about unschooling ...
Checklist for the New Unschooler
Fall is in full swing around here and it's hard not to notice the changes. Friends and neighbors that we played with all summer have long disappeared back into school rooms. Well meaning adults in the community are constantly asking my kids why they're not in school ...
4 Shooting Stars and No School Supplies
My three kids and I live in a community of 9 homes that were all built at the same time. Actually, we built them, all of us....nine families, together....all at the same time. It took us ten months and plenty of blood, sweat, and tears; but we did it, together ...
I knew this Summer Theater Conservatory was going to challenge me. The director was clear from the initial audition that it would be intense ...
Mother Doesn't Always Know Best
t Park Day last week, five or six of us were chatting in the shade while our children played in the blazing sun. A mom new to homeschooling asked if our group was exclusive to unschoolers. It's not. Many of us use the term unschooler to describe our particular style, but there are several who do not. "I just don't know what to call myself, " our newbie declared. "Some days I think we're unschooling and other days I'm just not sure..."
Flat Isabella arrived in the mail last Wednesday. She fits in a manila envelope and doesn't take up much space, but truth be told, she's becoming a bit of a thorn in my side....
Taking Off the Training Wheels
When my son Charley was a little over 3 1/2, he woke up one day and told his dad it was time for the training wheels to come off. Minutes later, Charley was riding his 2 wheeler down the street. All by himself. No one taught him. No one told him it was time. He decided he was ready, and he did it, just like that. All by himself....
This afternoon I walked home from art class with my three children. It has been snowing steadily for several days and we took our time as we walked, chatting and stopping to take pictures of cool snow sculptures along the way. I asked the usual questions: How was class? Did you finish that project from last week? Who was there today? ...
Motivation: Reading for Pleasure (You Asked)
It's really hard for many people to believe that kids really will learn to read, and read well, if left to their own devices. Our system of educating children at school has taught us that kids need to learn to read by the end of First Grade. When I was teaching elementary school, I loved teaching 2nd and 3rd grade, because they came to me already reading....
Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike the Headless Chicken
I killed my first chicken today. Well, 141 chickens to be specific. Okay, I didn't actually kill any of them, Sam and Tom did most of the killing. But I scalded and plucked the majority of the 141 and even cut off the feet of a few. It was far less disgusting than I had imagined...really....
Unschooling as a Single Parent
I didn't begin my unschooling life as a single parent, but I became one three years ago. Prior to getting divorced, I didn't need to work. My kids' dad brought home a regular paycheck, and I got to be a full time, stay at home mom. As we moved through mediation, custody, and child support orders, it became clear that I was going to need to find a job....
My journey as a homeschooler began the spring before my oldest daughter Janey, now 11, was to begin Kindergarten. I had taught elementary school for nine years before she was born and while she was a toddler, and I couldn’t wait to be the world’s most helpful and competent Room Mother....
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