Only one more post without pictures. I know that everyone who reads this blog reads it for my words right? Hmmm. No. I dont like blogs without pictures, I do love to read but I love to see pictures!
So I just have to know, or at least say though no one may know, how do unschoolers learn as well as children who can read? I often wonder that. I know some unschoolers, I have known unschoolers with children as old as 10 that didnt read at all. I am not by any means criticizing these parents, I just wonder.
I havent been able to keep my children from learning. Not that I try, but often on weekends my daughter is disappointed that we dont have school. When she was 2 she was begging to "do cool too mommy." We bought her little workbooks and let her play learn. I made and bought Montessori manipulative's. Tad learned to read slowly, it was hard for him and many times involved much frustration for both of us. But once he learned, oh my! The world is open to him! He reads and reads and reads... As we drive down the interstate, he reads signs out loud, he reads boxes and shampoo bottles and every book he can find. I have to tell him now, this one isnt for you. He cant read just anything he picks up because its not all good for a 9 year old
Yesterday at the library, Nathalie picked out books she could read. She is just at the beginning of second grade reading, like Tad she learned the basics quickly then struggled with speed. Tad asked the librarian for books on guns, anything artillery or military vehicles. She found these for him and he checked them out, he came home and read and created. He used a cardboard tube, beer box, ziplock bag box and created some sort of gun that has a remote.
I truly wonder how does a 9 year old have the world available to them if they are not taught to read? What if they dont ask, what if it isnt their desire to learn to read? How does it work for unschoolers? I read to my children daily in school and every evening for our family time. I read books that Tad can and has read, Nathalie brings me books that she can read and are fluffy and irritating and we read those sometimes.
Tad reads poetry now, and literature. Nathalie can read and memorize poetry almost as fast as I can and thats fast. What if they cant read, they depend on me. Which would be fine, but there isnt enough time in the day for me to read to Tad as much as he wants to ingest.
Not all children love to read and they are not all quick learners in reading. My children were not, they have hit the spot where they can freely read though and they love it. They learn so fast they are now winning against me in geography and science games.
Anyways, just a query of mine on unschooling.
2 comments:
Do people actually term in unschooling?? I've never heard of that. :) I don't know, can't answer your questions. Josiah struggled with reading, but now that he's gotten better at it he loves to read. Beka couldn't wait to read and do school, she reads very well, and has helped teach Zachy to read. He read the earliest of all of mine at the age of 5, and he loves to sit down and read me a simple book. They're all learning at different stages, but they all love it, I don't think I could stop it if I wanted to, which I don't! :)
Yes unschooling is a type of homeschooling. I dont know when this came about, I have met people with children as old as 10 or 11 who cannot read yet. I have met special needs children as well and it was perfectly understandable that they were not reading yet. But I didnt understand when the children had no special needs in this area. It opens up such a wonderful world for a child to read, unschooling is fine I am sure if you teach them the basics, just so they have a chance to learn on their own. My children learn as much without me as with me, maybe more, and much of it is without reading. Exploration outdoors is a big one. But then what if my son wants to read about the snake he found? He can. I think its best to read, at least read if unschooling.
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