Comments on: Yup, I Drink The Kool-Aid. Want Some? http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/ Mom blog in Denver with homeschool advice, pr talks for mommy bloggers, and general insanity. Sat, 02 Apr 2011 17:37:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Barb http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/comment-page-1/#comment-7481 Barb Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:50:36 +0000 http://elementaryspirits.com/?p=2313#comment-7481 Glad to meet another un-hippy. I think if more of us were open about it that stigma would go away some. Don't get me wrong, love my hippy friends but its just not my style Glad to meet another un-hippy. I think if more of us were open about it that stigma would go away some. Don’t get me wrong, love my hippy friends but its just not my style

]]> By: Barb http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/comment-page-1/#comment-7480 Barb Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:48:31 +0000 http://elementaryspirits.com/?p=2313#comment-7480 I loved that we had the chance to have lunch! GT 'back in the day' was the unschooling of public schools :) I loved that we had the chance to have lunch! GT ‘back in the day’ was the unschooling of public schools :)

]]> By: Mandie http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/comment-page-1/#comment-7479 Mandie Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:24:09 +0000 http://elementaryspirits.com/?p=2313#comment-7479 I am so happy I came across your site today. You are a woman after my own heart! People who find out we unschool are absolutely amazed because I am the farthest thing from a hippy - well we do sustainable living but we also have 'Republican tendencies' as you posted. People always tell me how well behaved and intelligent they are. They are 6 & 4 and decided they wanted to learn French so that is what they are doing. Because they want to.... One wants to cook all day and the other wants to write a book - she is 6. Well, if that's what she wants to do.... I am so happy I came across your site today. You are a woman after my own heart! People who find out we unschool are absolutely amazed because I am the farthest thing from a hippy – well we do sustainable living but we also have ‘Republican tendencies’ as you posted.
People always tell me how well behaved and intelligent they are. They are 6 & 4 and decided they wanted to learn French so that is what they are doing. Because they want to….
One wants to cook all day and the other wants to write a book – she is 6. Well, if that’s what she wants to do….

]]> By: Daria http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/comment-page-1/#comment-7476 Daria Fri, 04 Mar 2011 21:47:31 +0000 http://elementaryspirits.com/?p=2313#comment-7476 I heard you say unschooled at lunch today and wanted to learn more about it. Thank you very much for having this post so handy! And that video was amazing! I don't have the patience to teach my children or the structure, but the best teachers are the ones that act just as you describe and in fact one of my frustrations with CSAP and other testing measures for "no child left behind" is that there is NO flexibility for the teachers to teach to the students' interestes. I was in GT in elementary school and that was the entire curriculum for 4 - 6th grades - whatever projects we decided to pursue. It was incredibly valuable - kept us engaged, taught us essentially how to learn and figure things out which is all that can be asked of school. Day to day academics aren't really applicable in "real" life, but learning how to learn always applies. Kudos, Barb. Thank you for this. I heard you say unschooled at lunch today and wanted to learn more about it. Thank you very much for having this post so handy! And that video was amazing! I don’t have the patience to teach my children or the structure, but the best teachers are the ones that act just as you describe and in fact one of my frustrations with CSAP and other testing measures for “no child left behind” is that there is NO flexibility for the teachers to teach to the students’ interestes. I was in GT in elementary school and that was the entire curriculum for 4 – 6th grades – whatever projects we decided to pursue. It was incredibly valuable – kept us engaged, taught us essentially how to learn and figure things out which is all that can be asked of school. Day to day academics aren’t really applicable in “real” life, but learning how to learn always applies.

Kudos, Barb. Thank you for this.
Daria´s last blog ..ALL Denver Families Qualify for Preschool TuitionMy ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Barb http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/comment-page-1/#comment-7245 Barb Fri, 28 Jan 2011 02:13:18 +0000 http://elementaryspirits.com/?p=2313#comment-7245 I think the best way to get past that is remembering that you are probably the best teacher to teach him. Most people unschooled/homeschooled for the first 5 years of their kiddos lives---it's just that no one thinks of it that way. In my opinion, unschooling is most successful if you have a tribe to lean on. I don't think I would have gotten past my fears and doubts if it wasn't for our Life Learners group. And to be honest? I don't know that the fear and doubt ever completely goes away. You just get better at recognizing what it is and is easier to move past the mini panic attacks. I think the best way to get past that is remembering that you are probably the best teacher to teach him. Most people unschooled/homeschooled for the first 5 years of their kiddos lives—it’s just that no one thinks of it that way.

In my opinion, unschooling is most successful if you have a tribe to lean on. I don’t think I would have gotten past my fears and doubts if it wasn’t for our Life Learners group. And to be honest? I don’t know that the fear and doubt ever completely goes away. You just get better at recognizing what it is and is easier to move past the mini panic attacks.

]]> By: Brookie-Lee Glaser http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/comment-page-1/#comment-7244 Brookie-Lee Glaser Fri, 28 Jan 2011 01:57:51 +0000 http://elementaryspirits.com/?p=2313#comment-7244 My husband has been talking about homeschooling because he's reading Underground History of American Education. He linked me to your post. We have four children and our oldest just started kindergarten in private school. We aren't sure it's the best for him. We don't like the worksheets. He's shy all of a sudden. It just doesn't feel right. We are attachment parents and understand the importance of parental involvement. The problem? We aren't patient and don't think we can offer him the best education by our own means. How do you get past the stumbling block of "I'm not good enough to teach him?" My husband has been talking about homeschooling because he’s reading Underground History of American Education. He linked me to your post. We have four children and our oldest just started kindergarten in private school. We aren’t sure it’s the best for him. We don’t like the worksheets. He’s shy all of a sudden. It just doesn’t feel right. We are attachment parents and understand the importance of parental involvement. The problem? We aren’t patient and don’t think we can offer him the best education by our own means. How do you get past the stumbling block of “I’m not good enough to teach him?”

]]> By: Christine http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/comment-page-1/#comment-7234 Christine Tue, 25 Jan 2011 19:25:57 +0000 http://elementaryspirits.com/?p=2313#comment-7234 Thank you so much Barb. You have pretty much summed up my life and my experiences. Thank you so much Barb. You have pretty much summed up my life and my experiences.

]]> By: Tamara http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/comment-page-1/#comment-7233 Tamara Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:01:15 +0000 http://elementaryspirits.com/?p=2313#comment-7233 Great post. Good encouragement for a first year homeschooler. Love to know I am not the only one who believes in her kids (although I am not as confident about it as you are.....yet! Great post. Good encouragement for a first year homeschooler. Love to know I am not the only one who believes in her kids (although I am not as confident about it as you are…..yet!

]]> By: Catherine http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/comment-page-1/#comment-5961 Catherine Tue, 04 May 2010 01:59:06 +0000 http://elementaryspirits.com/?p=2313#comment-5961 Bravo, Barb. I can imagine it is hard, but it sounds like you are doing exactly what you need to do for your children. We have all been so trained to "do whats right that we forget to do what's right for our families, children and selves sometimes. My recent post <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EvolvingMommy/~3/3S0p7Zm81CA/farmhouse-white-loaf.html" target="_blank">Farmhouse White Loaf</a> Bravo, Barb. I can imagine it is hard, but it sounds like you are doing exactly what you need to do for your children. We have all been so trained to "do whats right that we forget to do what's right for our families, children and selves sometimes.
My recent post Farmhouse White Loaf

]]> By: Catherine http://elementaryspirits.com/2010/04/yup-i-drink-the-kool-aid-want-some/comment-page-1/#comment-5962 Catherine Tue, 04 May 2010 01:59:06 +0000 http://elementaryspirits.com/?p=2313#comment-5962 Bravo, Barb. I can imagine it is hard, but it sounds like you are doing exactly what you need to do for your children. We have all been so trained to "do whats right that we forget to do what's right for our families, children and selves sometimes. My recent post <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EvolvingMommy/~3/3S0p7Zm81CA/farmhouse-white-loaf.html" rel="nofollow">Farmhouse White Loaf</a> Bravo, Barb. I can imagine it is hard, but it sounds like you are doing exactly what you need to do for your children. We have all been so trained to "do whats right that we forget to do what's right for our families, children and selves sometimes.
My recent post Farmhouse White Loaf

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