The Un is a stumbling block. It’s a negative. I struggle with the term “unschool.” It’s why I prefer Learning Lifestyle, a more proactive-sounding approach that empowers the learner in a positive direction.
But The Un has a lot of use. We have patterns that may not be healthy and need to be undone. We have to unlearn reactions drawn from trauma. Unschool is neccessary in a society or family that has absorbed the assumptions of school. Clocking in, clocking out, assigned work, entrenched authority hierarchies, and a division between learning and fun are unnatural barriers we’ve placed on ourselves.
The Un can release those patterns to live a life immersed in learning what serves us and unlearning what blinds and binds us.
We have a rainy day ahead of us as we prepare to attend a camping weekend filled with yoga and music.
We’ve enjoyed fair weather camping through much of the Lockdown and this weekend offers several challenges: potentially dangerous storms, new territory, and our first COVID-rules festival.
The most useful learning happens as you stretch into the unknown. I know that we will broaden our world, our skills, and our knowledge through this weekend.
The Learning Lifestyle combines the principles of unschool, learner-directed focus, and lifetime learning.
In practice, this means that everyone in the household is on a learning journey. There are no teachers, only students with varying degrees of mastery. We learn from, alongside, and independently of each other.
Modeling is at the center of our educational world. I take on new learning challenges (I’m currently reading Sam Harris’s Free Will and a book about Buddha, listening to C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity, and beginning a jiu-jitsu practice) and share my enthusiasm with my sons. I’m easily humbled as my older son has trained longer and will coach me against more experienced practioners.
Learning is more than a family affair, it is the way we live and breathe.
We analyze presumptions and dig down with question after question. Reasoning is where we always start, then we go deeper with resources and more questions.
It can be exhausting. It can be challenging as a parent who sometimes wants easy compliance.
It is all worth it as I watch these boys grow into themselves with strong minds, bodies, and spirits.
Can I homeschool my children while they attend virtual public school?
You are already home educating your children and no one can stop you. I attended K-12 public school, but was raised with a personal sense of responsibility that my education was just that, mine.
Not everyone can home educate, but everyone can instill a love of learning and personal accountability in their children.
A fun and practical way to incorporate math into your child’s love of Lego.
Take a look at Lego catalog prices, then go to FB Marketplace, a physical/online reseller, and/or craigslist for the same sets.
The basic math is about 10 cents per piece for a new, non-franchise set (City, Friends, etc.) Sets with special minifigs (Batman, Minions, Toy Story) go above that.
With that knowledge, it becomes much easier to price compare without looking up the new set price.
This could be a practical way to discuss value and price comparisons in a field of interest. I know my boys can look at a price and say, “That’s ridiculous.” Makes them much more helpful in deciding when and where we spend our Lego budget.
Since March 16th, I’ve been praying for clarity. Clarity on what “this” means when people say, “When THIS is over…” Clarity on how to best navigate my own family through “this.” And clarity on where my talents belong. It has felt like a long time without clarity.
Before home education, unschooling, and our learning lifestyle, I left my job to care for my young sons. It was the first time I felt God speaking to me, He told me I was where I belonged. That’s no less the case today, but as my sons stretch their independence, I feel compelled to share what I have learned and expand my mission.
I’m facing a lack of confidence that has plagued me. I forgot how many times I’ve driven forward without the necessary skills, knowledge, nor resources. I forgot how many times it worked. I might be the king (maybe fool) of winging it.
I’m posting about our learning lifestyle at my blog for the next 30 days. I don’t have clarity on all these questions, but I see it on the horizon. I’m sharing this new journey as honestly and openly as I can.
Today a friend started a new FB group for anyone who may need a place to get their children out during the week. Few rules, masks and social distancing optional. A place where parents and children can get together in person, enjoy each other’s company, and support one another…regardless of educational philosophies and situations.
I work best with other people, In widowhood I’ve discovered how critical my social life is to my being. So come hang out, let’s learn from each other and have some fun while doing it (spoiler alert: “let’s learn from each other and have some fun while doing it” is my educational philosophy).
Over six years as the lead facilitator in a home education environment, I’ve increasingly become a devotee of the unschooling and (self described) learning lifestyle methods.
I’ve gone from worksheets and schedules to long afternoons in hidden swimming holes, libraries, museums, Youtube rabbit holes, and lots of places children don’t frequent.
Although I’m much more IRL than virtual, I’m excited to participate in this event to offer support to the many families who find their home becoming the new center of their education world.
My family and I attended services and events at Aldersgate UMC for two years before becoming members. More than that, none of us were baptized into Christianity. We were never pressured to join the congregation and no one ever questioned whether we belonged. – My personal journey toward faith was filled with my own roadblocks. My wife and sons were blessed with an easy belief. They waited for me as I joined one of the many Bible studies offered at the church. Even there, no statement of faith was required and I was able to find my own way toward Christ. – After many months of study and soul searching, I discovered my own easy faith in Jesus Christ. – In September of 2017, the Zerbey family was baptized into the church by Pastor Chris Pennington. These pictures were taken that day. We could feel the arms of the congregation around us. – Five months later we would fall into those arms as my wife, Mary, suddenly passed away. I felt her go into Christ’s outstretched arms. Our new church family wrapped their arms tight around us. Pastor Chris was there at the hospital and walked with me through all the arrangements. Members immediately formed a meal chain. We’ve been cared for and checked in on ever since. – #Christ #ChurchFamily #widowhood #community #God #Family #baptism #tbt #UMC
Covid has done a merciless job of exposing our individually self-imposed weaknesses in mind, body, spirit, as well as the vulnerabilities in the systems we’ve patched over those shortcomings.
