You may or may not have noticed the little blue unschooling blog webring button that I put up a little while ago… At least once a day I follow the links to other blogs and I have found some really great ones…
The great thing about so many unschooling blogs is that they are about the everyday life of people that often have the same ideology as me.. Personally, I find it hard to write about what the boys learn because it is so gradual and it is just part of the everyday.
During the holidays, FIL (father-in-law) came over for a visit… and he asked again about our homeschooling. I think that it is starting to sink in for family that our boys will not be going to school… It was different when Xavier was not of “school age” but now that he is not in Kindergarten… and will not be going into grade 1 etc… it makes all of the difference and the panic seems to be setting in. Especially I believe because in French-Canadian society, homeschooling is just something that is unknown for the most part. So, FIL asked me if I sat Xavier down and “did school” every day… I said no… that we would rather he learn by himself… then he said “and you really think that that is going to work?”… I said “yes, and we are not the first nor the last to use this method, and look what he already knows… it is not like he is behind” and then the subject was changed….
To be honest, I have read what the system believes that kids should know by the end of their “preschool” education, and Xavier is not at all behind, he may even be ahead in some things… he knows his letters, can write his name and will write other words by asking the letters.. he knows quite a few simple math concepts (1/2 + 1/2 = a whole etc) and is gaining more interest in numbers and reading… Socially, he is learning a lot of skills by simply being a big brother, playing games with Simon and so many other ways.
I know that unschooling can and does work, I hope that one day our families will see that. I feel that as time goes on they will see that the boys are learning, are developing and hopefully they will see that homeschooling, and maybe even unschooling is not a way we are depriving our kids, but are a way to let them thrive.
So, for now… as I read the unschooling blogs that are linked in the webring, I feel better that this blog, even though it is also an unschooling blog, is focused on our everyday life and not just what is being learned academically… because really what unschooling is about is learning through life.
