Today was an emotional day. We moved my third child, Claire, into her dorm at Harvard, with lots of excitement, hugs, and (for me) bittersweet moments. Then there was the matter of the current issue of Boston Magazine, which hit newsstands today. Claire is on the cover. She wasn’t interviewed for the lengthy article by Bridget… Read More ‘Normal’ is as normal does
This week I read an NPR piece about 17-year-old Nick Bain’s experiment in self-directed learning. Once he realized that learning only constituted a few hours of his entire school day, he decided to quit for the last trimester of his junior year. While the results of his personal study don’t prove anything, his anecdotal experience was… Read More Leave school, learn more
It’s the middle of August, and summer is winding down. September looms, and with it the beginning of the school year. Just what does “back to school” mean for homeschoolers? There isn’t one answer to that question. All homeschooling families are different. And one of the great benefits of homeschooling is that we’re not bound… Read More Back to homeschool
Lately my life has consisted of lazy days, sweltering heat, a zucchini bonanza, and Shakespeare in the park. Oh, and lots of discussions about homeschooling. I’m a county contact for Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts, so people call me with all manner of questions and concerns. During this time of year, they’re busy with gearing up (already)… Read More Homeschooling as salvation
Recently, I’ve been reading Escape from Childhood by John Holt. It’s considered his most radical book, and indeed, to the contemporary ear, his proposals sound a bit wacky. His basic proposal is “that the rights, privileges, duties, responsibilities of adult citizens be made available to any young person, of whatever age, who wants to make… Read More Should kids be allowed to vote?
Last week I wrote about the American Conservative’s take on my comments about unschooling. The question was posed, “…will children sufficiently challenge their own predispositions toward laziness or ignorance without an older adult coaching and challenging them?” So, we have to “coach” and “challenge” our kids, but carefully, lest we become a Tiger Mom. While we’re… Read More As usual, parents can’t win
Some months ago, I was interviewed for a Pacific Standard piece on unschooling. The conversation I had with the reporter was long, winding, and enjoyable. The final piece inevitably left a lot out, but I thought it represented what we talked about fairly well. Then I read Gracy Olmstead’s interpretation of the interview in The… Read More Unschooling: they just don’t get it
Today I read an excellent post by John Taylor Gatto, responding to a mom asking How Do I Rekindle Curiosity in My Teenagers? His answers were spot on, and they should be. As a New York City public school teacher, he helped rekindle the curiosity of countless young people. One thing he said jumped out… Read More Why are we doing this?
Just the other day I posted about how sitting still is overrated. Yesterday, the New York Times published an opinion piece on the downside of early academics, which is linked to sitting at desks. Let the Kids Learn Through Play, the headline urges. To which I respond, what do you think we’ve been doing? By… Read More Play’s the thing
Today I came across an article titled Vindication for Fidgeters: Movement May Help Students With ADHD Concentrate. I realize that labels and diagnoses are helpful to some people, but when I was homeschooling my young children, I didn’t think much about them. Schools can be especially difficult environments for active kids, but mine weren’t in… Read More Fidgeting and learning
A Potluck Life 