This is part of a chat hosted by Sandra Dodd, sponsored by Home Education Magazine, on an AOL forum in 1996. Because it's not very long, I left the chit-chat in, though I've cleaned up a bit of noise, and added returns, and rearranged a thing or two for flow, on April 18, 2015, a lifetime later (the lifetime of an 18- or 19-year-old person).
8/13/96 2:02:46 PM Opening “ideal homeschooling moment” for recording.
SandraDodd : For the next two hours, a chat on unschooling
(unstructured homeschooling).
SandraDodd : There are other topic chats here different times,
different parenting issues.
Raven0126 : looking for info on adoption guess I'm in the wrong
place
SandraDodd : Right place, wrong time.
Raven0126 : thanks
SandraDodd : Do you know how to use keywords?
Raven0126 : kinda
SandraDodd : pull down "Go To" to keywords and type in adoption.
SandraDodd : You'll find tons of stuff there. (Or try adopt)
Raven0126 : are there adoption chat rooms
SandraDodd : There are adoption chat rooms, but they're the same
as these.
Raven0126 : ok thanks see ya bye
SandraDodd : There's a chat schedule "outside" (the screen before
you came in here)
SandraDodd : KERRIAROSE, are you here for the homeschooling chat?
KERRIAROSE : yes
KERRIAROSE : this is my first time
SandraDodd : KadyFamhs, welcome to Home Education Magazine's
Tuesday unschooling chat.
KadyFamhs : Greetings!
SandraDodd : KERRIAROSE, are you new to homeschooling or new to
AOL or both?
KERRIAROSE : both. this will be my first year hs my 7 year old
daughter
SandraDodd : ILuvOil, welcome to Home Education Magazine's Tuesday
unschooling chat.
SandraDodd : Today's topic is ideal unschooling experiences..
ILuvOil : I thought i was in an adoption area?
SandraDodd : Wehs3k, Welcome to the chat on the Ideal Unschooling
Moment.
SandraDodd : The same chat rooms are used for several parenting topics. If you go to the adoption forum you'll be able to check bulletin boards, their library, and find out when their chats are scheduled.
ILuvOil : Thank you Sandra.
Wehs3k : Can't stay long, my six year old wants to surf the net :)
SandraDodd : Margmom, Sandy, Welcome to the chat on the Ideal Unschooling Moment.|
Margmom : hi
SandyZ9072 : Hi to everyone.
SandraDodd : I had a call from a new homeschooler (someone just still considering it) just before I came here. She has been to a conference (last March, here) and has been to an introductory session, but has not yet introduced the idea to her 8th grade son.
SandraDodd : She's been thinking seriously, then, for six months or more, and hasn't asked the kid what he thinks.
SandraDodd : Yikes!
SandraDodd : It was a good conversation, though. They have him in C level special ed talking about moving him all the way up to B level.
SandraDodd : Felicitas, Welcome to the chat on the Ideal Unschooling Moment.
Felicitas : Howdy
KadyFamhs : Sandra, what do the different special ed levels mean?
SandraDodd : He cooks, he paints, he does tons of stuff. He's just not a great reader.
SandraDodd : I think (wouldn't swear to it) that D is trouble-maker, emotionally disturbed, behavior problems. C is seriously behind, and B is kind of behind. I don't think there's an "A" level.
KERRIAROSE : a lot of people do not read well but why put him in
special ed?
SandraDodd : "DYSLEXIA" -- a "disorder"--a "disease."
KadyFamhs : I read somewhere: "if a person is not good at art,
we don't say he/she has an 'art disability'."
SandraDodd : There are technical definitions of those levels and I
just never cared to learn them.
SandyZ9072 : Sounds like a lot of the kids are just in the wrong
grade! But they do want them out at 18!
Wehs3k : I can remember being graded poorly in art in school
because I can not draw.
Margmom : Today is my birthday... discussing the ideal
unschooling moment is a good way to celebrate!
SandraDodd : SGrougan, welcome to Home Education Magazine's
Tuesday unschooling chat.
SandyZ9072 : Happy Birthday!
SandraDodd : Very happy birthday, Margmom!
KERRIAROSE : happy birthday margmom
Wehs3k : happy birthday
Felicitas : Many years, Margmom!
Margmom : thanks!
KadyFamhs : Weh, I have a twin brother who *can* draw. In ps, a
teacher held our pictures up side by side and compared them to the class. Needless to say, I don't
tend toward drawing!
Felicitas : Ouch
Wehs3k : That is sick kady, Even as a child, I couldn't figure
out how they could grade you on something you had no control over, don't they think I
would draw well if I could.
SandyZ9072 : Kady! NO, she didn't. What a goony mean teacher! :(
KadyFamhs : Exactly!
Felicitas : Yeah, I'd have memorized all those multiplication
facts if I could have...
Margmom : I would have loved to serve the volleyball right, or
connect the bat with the softball!!!
TJMJMC1 : anyone out there from Memphis
SandyZ9072 : MO.
Wehs3k : CA
KERRIAROSE : how do i determine what reading level my daughter is
on?
Margmom : CA
KadyFamhs : Mar, same here. :)
Wehs3k : Or be able to finish just one race in my life in
first or atleast 10th place.
SandraDodd : TJMJMC1, there are regional folders in the
homeschooling forum, both in HOMESCHOOL and HEM.
KadyFamhs : CA
KERRIAROSE : ga
Felicitas : San Diego!
TJMJMC1 : Thanks, 1st time here
SandyZ9072 : KERRI, I really do not know how reading levels are
determined.
SandraDodd : Today I was making up a game in the car (sort of)
asking the kids to think fast about whether they'drather have five $20 bills or two $50. Each gave a
different answer. I asked why, to each.
SandraDodd : KERRIAROSE, why do you need to know about her reading
level?
SandraDodd : Just get her books at several levels and she can
figure her own comfort level.
KERRIAROSE : because all the curriculum are based on grade levels
and she is beyong the 2nd grade but i
KERRIAROSE : sont know exactly how far
SandraDodd : KERRIAROSE, they're not necessarily based on READING
grade levels, though, but the material
READMOM : I have always wondered what is exactly meant by
unschooling. Anyone?
KERRIAROSE : i cant really afford to buy several levels to
determine which one is best for her
SandraDodd : which matches the standardized tests.
SandyZ9072 : So Sandra, how did the kids want their cash!?
SandraDodd : READMOM, have you been to the bulletin boards at
HOMESCHOOL and HEM? There are whole folders.
READMOM : In the past, yes. not today
SandraDodd : There's a file in HEM's library called "Gems from
John Holt that you should read if you're interested in a definition too.
READMOM : Yes I know John Holt. Read about him when I first
started schooling at home some 7 yrs ago
KadyFamhs : I started hs last January. Already, I have decided
on *no curriculum* for this next year.
FCorkran : Tommy stay home from VBS last Tues to do school with
mom strange huh?
Felicitas : Good choice!
NDSchultz : Hi everyone!
SandyZ9072 : Kady, great! Have fun!!
SandraDodd : Sandy, Kirby said five twenties, and Marty said two
fifties. I asked Marty why and he said "It's a hundred dollars." Kirby got big ideas,
realizing they were the same. I told them that most little kids would only choose the larger number
of bills
FCorkran : neat Kady I m trying to get more into unschooling
also
SandraDodd : READMOM, did you read about him, or read what he
wrote?
SandraDodd : I'll send you a file on unschooling definitions.
Felicitas : Can I have two fifties?
READMOM : Both, Sandra.
KadyFamhs : FC, it just kind of happened. I went over a scope
and sequence (the World Book one) for K-12th...
Wehs3k : I would take the two fifties, because it is harder
for me to part with a fifty than a twenty
KadyFamhs : and so much is the same thing over and over again.
There's not much basic info. they're expected to..
SandyZ9072 : Does anyone have a super unschooling day to tell? We
mostly have good days and lots of super moments.
KadyFamhs : know, which kind of surprised me. Guess I'm thinking
for myself now, huh? :)
FCorkran : I have that one also Kady
READMOM : But it has been sometime ago.
Felicitas : I do, I do! :::raising hand and squirming in seat:::
SandraDodd : READMOM, I sent the definitions.
SandraDodd : Felicitas, tell us!
SandyZ9072 : One of my kids is a night owl. to catch his prime
time, I have to stay awake pretty late.
KadyFamhs : Oops! I don't mean people who don't unschool aren't
thinking for themselves. It's just that...
Margmom : Shobie said he'd take 2 50s because they'd be easier
to keep track of...then he said it would be much more painful to lose a 50...
KadyFamhs : thinking for myself is new to me.
READMOM : I get the homeschool newsletter so I have seen your
name Sandra! I enjoy the newsletter.
SandraDodd : Thanks, READMOM.
READMOM : Just got the mail I'll get it soon.
Margmom : Shobie has lost money $1s lately.
SandraDodd : Kirby said his dad told him to keep smaller bills and
not carry them all around at once, you might lose them.
Felicitas : OK. 6 y.o., totally unschooled son, who resists any
direct teaching, was watching Padres on TV...
SandraDodd : Marty just found he knew what two fifties equalled
and didn't know right off hand what five twenties were.
SandraDodd : So I asked if they'd rather have five ones or three
fives, and I didn't get answers because something
SandraDodd : more exciting happened outside the van.
FCorkran : got to go bye everyone
SandyZ9072 : LOL! PLus, they aready each had a hundred coming in!
Felicitas : the score was 7 to 4 (Pads!) and after a moment, said
son said "We're 3 points ahead."
KBaker614 : Hi everyone.
Wehs3k : well, I guess I need to share the computer. children
learn by example , bye all.
READMOM : I have a special needs 7 yr. old that unschooling
sounds perfect for. Now I am just being frustrated.
SandraDodd : Frustrated by what, READMOM?
KadyFamhs : Read, what kind of special needs? Were they ps
determined?
SandraDodd : Felicitas, did you act matter-of-fact, or did you
make a big deal? (I vote for matter-of-fact.)
SandraDodd : CDBitmore, Welcome to the chat on the Ideal
Unschooling Moment.
READMOM : She doesn't "get" much that I try to teach her.
KERRIAROSE : has anyone ever used the Handbook of Nature Study for
science?
SandraDodd : DHayden142, welcome to Home Education Magazine's
Tuesday unschooling chat.
SandraDodd : Husky 7, welcome to Home Education Magazine's Tuesday
unschooling chat.
CDBitmore : Hello Sandra!
Felicitas : Kerri, yes
Margmom : Yesterday, Shobie, Meghi and Emily (5,4,2) were
playing some game with popsicle sticks.
READMOM : Things just don't seem to click with her. Very simple
things too.
KERRIAROSE : is it a good book? i have not been able to locate it
in the library
Margmom : Shobie asked how many sticks each person would get if
they had 24.
SandraDodd : Maybe, READMOM, she just needs some more time and
she'll be more ready later. Was she a preemie by any chance??
SandyZ9072 : READ, I have a 14 son, autistic.I don't get tons of
feedback but a lot more "goes in" than others would believe. He's just on a very unique path!
Felicitas : Matter - of - fact, Sandra, although I did nudge dh
and point it out to HIM
KadyFamhs : Read, have you read "Homeschooling Children with
Special Needs"?
Margmom : I just told him 8, but then I told him he could deal
them out and figure it out, so they did that for a while.
SandraDodd : I feel obligated by my convictions to poit out that using a particular book for science could be very limiting. Can't that same book be used for reading and math and geography?
Felicitas : Kerri, I had to get our library to dig it out of
storgae. I found my own copy used - a 1928 edition
Felicitas : storage
KERRIAROSE : i have several books but they all seem well, basic
and not much in depth
READMOM : No haven't read that. I guess I have just decided
there is a real problem. But I am fine with the Moore's idea of Better Late Than Early.
SandraDodd : Storgae reminded me of algae.
KBaker614 : Blue-green Sandra?
Felicitas : Yes, Sandra, but it's a nice, inspirational kind of
book, with poetry, etc. Really about seeing.
SandraDodd : Cool and slippery, I don't know.
SandraDodd : Well there ya go--add language arts and spirituality
and art.
Felicitas : You don't have algae in NM, do you?
READMOM : Waiting till she is 10 doesn't bother me a bit.
NDSchultz : Yes we have algae.
SandraDodd : I'm not saying not to use a book, just not to limit
what applicability you assign to it.
KadyFamhs : Read, so you're frustrated by what?
SandraDodd : We have algae in the gutter right across from my
house becaue my neighbor's sprinkler is leaking.
Felicitas : Yes, Sandra, and it's strictly nature study, not
chemistry, etc. Nice for little kids.
READMOM : She is from Romania. Got her when she was 2, from an
orphanage.
NDSchultz : I just spent 20 minutes fishing algae out of my fish
pond. Yuck! Long. gooey strings.
DHayden142 : Did the subject change from homeschooling to
adoption? I am a adoptive parent also.
KERRIAROSE : i understand what you're saying sandra but i want to
encourage her nature study and we live on about 30 acres of land and i just want to go
further with it than what i have so far
SandraDodd : READMOM, I have a kid who's apparently on the high end of the scale (i.e. would not be in special ed)and he learned to read when he was nearly 9. He's now reading as as well as most, better than lots of kids his age.
KERRIAROSE : and thought that this book may be what i was looking
for
READMOM : We use Sing Spell Read and Write. We are just
indentifying letters now and sounds.
SandraDodd : Hcky3, welcome to Home Education Magazine's Tuesday
unschooling chat.
SandyZ9072 : KERRI, 30 acres to explore! I'd love that.(G)
Felicitas : I only find the Handbook limiting because of my
location (So. Cal.) We have no forests, etc.
KERRIAROSE : all sorts of animals; deer, possums, panthers, foxes
and coyotes
READMOM : But she can't sound out a three letter word. She just
can't HEAR it!
KERRIAROSE : and of course snakes!!!
Hcky3 : Thank you. Hello everyone
Felicitas : Kerri, try used bookstores! It's been in print for
almost 90 years.
READMOM : Today she was sounding out T O P and could not hear
what word she was saying.
KERRIAROSE : believe it or not we do not have any close by. i live
in a very small town
SandraDodd : READMOM, I've worked with kids like that. If I were
you I would just read to her and not try to get her to read at all.
DHayden142 : READ MOM: How old is your daughter?
Husky 7 : Do any of you have high-school age homeschoolers?
SandraDodd : And when/if she does start to read on her own, it
might be sight reading for a while, but don't worry about it.
READMOM : 7 yrs old
DHayden142 : READMOM; Is she adopted?
SandyZ9072 : READ, that's what I was gonna say! Read a bunch to
her and give her more time.
Felicitas : Readmom, give it time!
SandraDodd : Let's declare where we are and our kids' ages,
please.
SandraDodd : New Mexico, 10, 7, 4
KERRIAROSE : georgia, 7 and 4
Felicitas : San Diego, 9 and 6
SandyZ9072 : MO 14 and 10
KBaker614 : New York, 12 (on Sunday
NDSchultz : NM 7,5, 22 mos.
DHayden142 : Oregon,11,8,6
Husky 7 : Ohio, 16
READMOM : When I read aloud to her she is looking all around
and squirming probably wondering when she can get down,
Margmom : California 5, 4, 2
READMOM :
Hcky3 : Wisconsin 18,14,10.6,3
READMOM : Yes she is adopted.
Husky 7 : Hcky3--where in WI? We moved from LaCrosse 2 yrs
ago.
DHayden142 : READMOM;Did you say your daughter came from Romania.
Felicitas : READ, maybe she's feeling pressured, so listening
isn't fun anymore?
READMOM : VA 5 kids. 13, 11, 7, 3, 1,
SandyZ9072 : READ, my son did that at school, he knew he couldn't
quite comprehend and "do" what was expected.
SandraDodd : READMOM, read to her when she's down! Can you read
to her while she's coloring or drawing or playing with lego or something?
READMOM : Romania.
Hcky3 : We live just outside Madison
SandraDodd : If she's like me she might not be able to just do one
thing at a time.
DHayden142 : READMOM; I have two internationaly adopted children.
ONe is from India and she is behind in many areas. She came at age two and is now
6. Not ready to read or understand any type of phonics yet. I just let her be.
Felicitas : My kids are like that, Sandra! drives me nuts.
SandraDodd : I can't do handwork without watching a movie. I
can't just sit and listen to music, I have to be also drawing or sewing or...
READMOM : She can never tell me anything about what I have just
read.
SandyZ9072 : That made him nervous. At home I totally backed off.
It worked. He reads to us now. Poetry mostly!
Died4Us260 : did anyone homeschool their children at preschool
age?
SandraDodd : Hmmm... Will she watch videos and talk about the
story any?
READMOM : As frustrated as I am I should let her be too!
Thanks.
SandraDodd : Died4Us260, how would you determine that? You mean not sending them to school when they're preschool?
SandraDodd : I didn't send mine to school.
Felicitas : Mine have never been to skool
KERRIAROSE : Died4us no my son is in the montessori program now
for speech
SandraDodd : What about games, puzzles, cutting out pictures,
paying with dolls?
Margmom : My kids are "preschool and kindergarten age"... they
don't go to preschool.
READMOM : Sits in front of the TV for about 10 min. max.
DHayden142 : READMOM;How old was your daughter when she arrived.
SandraDodd : pLaying with dolls...
SandyZ9072 : READ, can she tell what she is playing? Can she tell
you her wants and needs?
READMOM : 2 DH.
READMOM : Oh yes she can make her needs known just fine!!!
SandraDodd : I don't think you should expect her to be "at her
grade level" until she's 15 or so, I'm serious.
DHayden142 : READMOM: sHE HAS EXTRA catching up to do. Contrary
to what people say when you adopt, it takes years to catch up with their peers.
Died4Us260 : My daughter is a will be preschool age and I plan on
homeschooling her
SandraDodd : The time she would have been learning thousands of words and feeling safe in the world are goners, and she had to overcome the relocation and confusion of a language she didn't understand...
READMOM : But it has been 5 1/2 yrs.
SandraDodd : I need to be officious for a moment. It's 40 minutes
into our chat time and we're not to the topic.
READMOM : Sorry what is the topic?
DHayden142 : READMOM: My daughter has been here almost four years
and is still catching up.
SandraDodd : We need to save the particular questions until later
in the chat; sorry. There are bulletin boards
SandraDodd : where people can help when they check in.
SandraDodd : The Tuesday chat is an unschooling-focused chat, and
today's topic is ideal unschooling experiences.
Felicitas : Great Moments In Unschooling!
Husky 7 : I unschooled my son this past year.
DHayden142 : READMOM; Have you talked to your child;s
pediatrician/
SandraDodd : After an hour or so of trying to stick to topic we
can let it slide again.
Felicitas : I think some of the best moments are when your child
demonstrates some knowledge s/he's acquired behind your back!
SandraDodd : Kjoncyk, Welcome to the chat on the Ideal Unschooling
Moment.
READMOM : oh yes, our pediatrician is a good friend and sees
her weekly. now onto the topic....DH
Felicitas : Then you know curiosity is motivating like it should
SandraDodd : When I wanted to show my kids Roman Numerals, thinking they might be fascinated, they already knew them.
Margmom : Shobie's into civics lately... he just asked me if
the police are part of the government. He likes talking about the government.
SandraDodd : Margmom, what a way to ask! I'd ask him how he thought they might have been organized or who paid them before he thought they were part of the govt.
Kjoncyk : thanx sandra......didn't realize there was a topic
KBaker614 : I agree, Felicitas...he especially enjoys catching me
on something I don't know...a word, or
KBaker614 : some interesting science thing....he likes teaching
me.
SandyZ9072 : Yeah, Sandra, those unschooled kids! Knowing stuff
before we even get a chance! (G) Gotta love it!
Kjoncyk : can I ask a question that does not pertain to the
topic? kind of need some info fast
SandraDodd : I like letting kids teach me stuff. It helps blur
the line between TEACHERS and -students-.
Felicitas : My kids like teaching their cabbage patch dolls --
they go to "Baby School"
SandraDodd : Okay, Kjoncyk.
SandraDodd : (to learn to be good dolls? "Don't get up and be
___________________________________________________
[Sorry it ended there... it just did. :-) ]
