# de-schooling ???



## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

If you are de-schooling a child, what sort of activites would you include? 

TIA

hoggie


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

It depends upon the age of the child, and what they are interested in. When we pulled our first two out of school, they had only finished 2nd grade and K, so we didn't have a lot of deschooling to do. But we visited a lot of local museums (historical places, science museum, battlefields, natural history museum and such), studied some things we found in nature (like when they found a turtle laying eggs on our property - we studied turtles for two weeks). My K was very fond of baseball and collected baseball cards, so we practiced with the names on the cards, sorting them by teams, putting them in alphabetical order, counting them and such. You just take what they are interested in and make learning opportunities out of it. In addition to that we spent a lot of time reading books together. What are your child(ren)'s interests?

Dawn


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

She loves all things nature, and physical stuff. Loves sciencey type things, experiments, worms, bugs, and all her animals. Also got very interested in space for a while. 

She loves to read. Loves the beach and is a very good swimmer, rides, loves her bike and roller skating. Always trying to train our (totally untrainable) dog. 

Not sure what else off the top of my head  

hoggie


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

hoggie said:


> She loves all things nature, and physical stuff.


Nature walks, explore tide pools, bird-watching and plant IDing. Lots and lots of outdoor activities. Perhaps a few rabbits to breed for meat?



> Loves sciencey type things, experiments, worms, bugs, and all her animals.


Buy her a microscope and go on "collection walks". Have her take samples of things while doing other activities to "check out" when you get home. Do these things with her. Watch nature shows, and check out DVDs from the library. Get online and find some science sites for her to explore. Subscribe to Science Friday (I love Ira Flatow!!!)



> Also got very interested in space for a while.


Get a telescope, or get access to one. Have a "switcharound day". Sleep late and be lazy, then, when it gets dark, plan several hours outside stargazing with a good star manual. Have a blanket and a midnight picnic while talking about the constellations. Talk about which ones you can identify. 

Have conversations about current news in space exploration. Check out NASA website and similar. 



> She loves to read.


Have a weekly "library day" where you take a morning or afternoon and explore the library. Take a laundry basket and fill it with books. 

Find some online sites that have PDF versions of books. There is so much literature online it's not even funny! 



> Loves the beach and is a very good swimmer, rides, loves her bike and roller skating.


Swim lessons, regular "swim day" at the community pool (we used to combine this with library day, as they were next door to each other. Morning at one, afternoon at the other  ), talk to a local stables and see if she can exchange chore time for riding time. Muck out stalls for an hour or two in exchange for a couple hours on horseback or with a qualified instructor.

Long bike rides and skating with Mom. 



> Always trying to train our (totally untrainable) dog.


Register her (and the dog) in dog obedience classes, get videos on the same from the library (inter-library loan is your friend  )

The key is getting them to do things that they enjoy which they also LEARN things while doing, and preferably, spend a lot of time with them learning TOGETHER so that they can learn to relate to you in a way other than how they relate to their "regular" teachers. Deschooling is a chance for the child lose stress and pressure over academics and begin to look at school (and you) as partners in their education, not a roadblock.

Good luck!


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## Lawbag (May 10, 2005)

My younger brother went to a "free school" for a number of years. There were classes, but they weren't mandatory. Completely voluntary, no tests, no grades. Not much book learning went on. They had a really large garden every year, went tubing and kayaking, went to the nearby springs to swim, to the beach to see sealife, and spent a lot of time outdoors examining bugs and such. Oh, lots of plays and telling stories. The children would write plays and songs and perform them for each other, the parents, and neighborhood. Lots of arts and crafts.


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Thank you 

Tracy - that is a great list. Some of those things we already do, she has meat rabbits and we have a pony (just don't get enough time to ride all that often and I have to do all teh looking after as she doesn't have enough out of school hours  ). There isn't a community swimming pool, but my brother has an outdoor pool so in teh summer we swim every day.

But she would love all teh bug collecting and things - and she is always asking when she can stay up late to watch stars. 

No dog club or obedience classes here, although I "could" spend mor etime on that with her and the dog would probably learn given enough incentive LOL

Lawbag - that has reminded me. She has also asked if she can have a piece of garden for her own to grow some veg and flowers, so we have chosen a piece and I need to help her clear it. That could make a good project too I imagine.

Thinking it through, even bike riding she can learn how to fix a puncture and maintain it herself I guess.

Oh and we cook quite a bit together too 

Thanks for all teh ideas 

hoggie


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

OK, please don't take this the wrong way guys as it's not meant as a criticism in any way, I am truly curious.

What is de-schooling?

Reading the replies above, it seems to me that the suggested activites are all wonderful things that any parent should be doing with their children anyway, school or no school.

Again, just curious, please don't take offense


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

Deschooling is a recommended "time out" between pulling your child out of a public education facility and starting "curriculum at home" type schooling. The theory is that kids have developed coping mechanisms and habits that need to be overcome before any true learning can happen. If a child has had a difficult run in a public classroom situation, developed prejudices about learning that are all balled up with how they feel about the experience of school in general, then you need to give them time to decompress, to open their minds, and learn that learning doesn't have to be difficult or something to be fought against. Basically, you need to remove everything that "looks" like school to them so that they can then start with a clean slate. 

I dismissed it when I first began homeschooling, but have since witnessed situations that have proven to me that you cannot bring your child home from a bad classroom experience and expect to do effective home educating without them struggling against you. The BEST thing any parent in this situation can do is allow the child time to adjust. 

Deschooling doesn't mean "do nothing" as some people who dismiss it believe. It doesn't mean eight hours a day in front of the Xbox -- it means learning through experience, rather than through structure and curriculum. It means listening to your child, even when they're not talking, and responding to the indications that they give you as to what they are ready for. They don't even know that they're doing it, but if the parent is involved and watches closely, the indicators are there. This is as much a "learning time" for the parent as for the child.

And yes, you're right, these are things that most parents should be doing as a matter of course, but it's more a matter of notching up the intensity a bit, and filling time with learning activities rather than entertainment activities.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Thanks for the expanation Tracy, that makes a lot of sense.

I was a child who had a terrible time with school..I was quite traumatized by it really so I can definately relate.


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## BeWise (Feb 21, 2009)

Parents must examine what school really is in the first place. Is school synonymous with learning and education? Are schools as we commonly known them today designed to help children or harm them? The best sources for me on this subject are the writings of John Holt, Charlotte Mason, and John Taylor Gatto. Gatto does an excellent job proving that schools are successful in accomplishing exactly what they were designed to do - to make children dumb and obedient to the state.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

BeWise -- while I agree with you to a certain degree, I can't agree totally. There are a LOT of very good public teachers in the public system, trying very hard to do a good job, and many success stories. 

We're supportive of all choices here, we have some very GOOD, very INVOLVED classroom teachers here, as well. Many schools have a great deal of problems, but many children simply wouldn't get any education AT ALL without them.


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Rose - at the moment the plan is to leave her at school until July, and then just not go back in September. She is coming up to the end of year 2, which is the gap between infants and juniors here, so it seems like a good time to pull her out. This year's teacher has worked very hard with DD after a slow start, but I have very little faith in the next couple of years' teachers so I have pretty much decided to take the plunge.

Added to which we have just had half-term week. We didn't do anything special, but she was a different child. The minute it was Monday morning and time to go back to school she was back to "not happy". Not in a way that you could define and say "that's the problem" but just not herself. So I think that sort of made my mind up finally. 

I hadn't said anything yet as, last year, we had decided to pull her out and then at the last minute one of her best friends moved to her school and she decided that she wanted to stay after all. But I think that this year, I am just going to make the decision and go for it. 

But I am agonising AGAIN. Having seen the probloems that this year's teacher has had, I am worried about keeping up with DD. Although, as I have no preconceived ideas of what a 7yo should be doing, I may not have the same problems 

One of th ethings that worries me about de-schooling is how do you present it if you get checked up on. I can't imagine anyone will be checking on us that soon, but technically over here they are supposed to do a home visit twice a year to make sure you ARE educating them. 

Would it pass muster if you jsut said "we're having a settling in period". Do you keep records as though you are doing "lessons" and then present them if you get get a visit?

Thanks again

hoggie


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

That is a good point Rose - over here we have Reception class as well so she has been in school for 3 years com eJuly, but even so ifyou include the summer holidays Sept Oct time we could be starting "properly".

When DD started school she was nearly finished yr 2 maths, reading well, although her writing was a little behind the reading (but still a LONG way ahead of her peers) and her general knowledge was way beyond as well. And more to the point she always wanted to learn - it was more a question of deciding when to stop, rather than trying to get her going. Once she gets going onan experiment or something, she just wants to keep going - I think that is one of her problems at school, she hates to put something down. But I have found that, at school, her enthusiasm is waning somewhat - I think she is fed up of havign the information spoon-fed to her?

Now, she is doing year 3 and some year 4 maths (which I read as she's dropped back some?) her reading and literacy are still way ahead, although she's is doing year 5 spellings. I think I may have problems finding a set curriculum that we can work around to her levels, but I am looking - will check out those you mention.

Thank you again for the support - let's see if this takes off THIS time 

hoggie


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## kbabin (Aug 1, 2006)

hoggie said:


> ...Thinking it through, even bike riding she can learn how to fix a puncture and maintain it herself I guess...hoggie


Hoggie,

Here is a good website for bike repair. It is slanted towards using their tools and products, but is very helpful.

http://www.parktool.com/repair/bikemap.asp

Kevin


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## BeWise (Feb 21, 2009)

Tracy Rimmer said:


> BeWise -- while I agree with you to a certain degree, I can't agree totally. There are a LOT of very good public teachers in the public system, trying very hard to do a good job, and many success stories.
> 
> We're supportive of all choices here, we have some very GOOD, very INVOLVED classroom teachers here, as well. Many schools have a great deal of problems, but many children simply wouldn't get any education AT ALL without them.


Tracy, and I can agree with you somewhat as well. 

Have you (or anyone else) read anything by Gatto? I don't have the time for an exhaustive discussion on the subject of school, but I am curious of what others think about John Taylor Gatto's work. What I like most is that it doesn't come from a Christian perspective.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

BeWise said:


> Tracy, and I can agree with you somewhat as well.
> 
> Have you (or anyone else) read anything by Gatto? I don't have the time for an exhaustive discussion on the subject of school, but I am curious of what others think about John Taylor Gatto's work. What I like most is that it doesn't come from a Christian perspective.


Yes, I've read Gatto. I've LECTURED on Gatto's writings, actually. He has a lot to say worth listening to, and I suggest every parent read his writings prior to making decisions about how to educate their child -- but his writings are not the only viewpoint, and it's wise to read everything you can about educational methodologies if you're going to raise children. I believe it's our duty as parents to be as informed as possible, and make decisions based on our own family's situation and needs.

The key is, knowing what your options are -- HAVING options and making a decision that is best for your family and your child given what you've got to work with. Public schools are not inherently evil. There are good ones out there, just as there are home educating families whose children might do better in a public classroom environment.


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## reese (Jul 6, 2004)

We simply just lived. Did what we would typically do on a daily basis when everyone is home. Sometimes we'd go do something like a "field trip" but we never called it that. Also when we'd go to the store, I'd ask for help in choosing/weighing/deli and such or have ds be my navigator and keep track of distance if on a "road trip". If I'm cooking/baking, I'd have him help me with the math (since I don't have all my measuring tools, I have to do math to get the right portions) or if we're measuring for something, I'd have him do it. In other words, I asked for help and he'd help me as we lived daily. We'd also just sit down and watch/read news together and discuss what is going on, you can get some very interesting insight about your child in those discussions.


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