In looking at ways to make my life better, I was doing an exercise that asked me some interesting questions. One of them got me to thinking how did I live on a daily basis when I was at my happiest point in life. It was over ten years ago, and I was - among other things - reading about pretty much any subject I wanted to on my own initiative.
More of an unschooler's approach, but sometimes that label is much more accurate to how I was taught. There really wasn't a lot of formal education in my life until I started college.
I'd forgotten how much I loved that lack of enforced structure. It made me have to become accountable to myself a lot. Even with my parents checking in on me, I had a considerable amount of freedom of choice.
I lost track of that a bit in going to college. I was suddenly truly on other people's schedules - and not feeling like I was getting good reason to be okay with it. It didn't feel like a job. Not at all...
So what am I going to do about it? I think I'll pick some books, put them in a pile, and go through them all. Once that pile is finished, I'll start over again with other books. Besides, I have so many books to get through that it's worth picking somewhere to start! It gives me a place to move forward from...
I think I will include some of the career exploration books I've yet to read... After all, they can't hurt!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Habit 2 discussion: What goal are we seeking?
While thinking about topics for discussing "Begin with the End in Mind," I was struck by news that a German pianist and his family were seeking political assylum in the US because they were being prosecuted for homeschooling their children. My dad, a faithful reader of Instapundit, told me about it, and it angered me.
Today, while I was looking for information about the family, I found more examples of the madness that exists because of a law started by Adolf Hitler. Following the related articles led to a British case which chafed my hide because I was a homeschooled scholastic chess champ. (You have to scroll a ways down to see the listings.)
So what are we going for? As homeschoolers who face a potentially hostile environment, we may not have the same focal points. Some may want the end of mandatory attendance laws, which have not shown that they are worth the costs. Others are more concerned about getting a constitutional amendment to protect parental rights. Still others want to fight laws which demand a lot from homeschooling families just to prove the kids aren't truant.
What may be required is looking at what stands in the way of each goal, and how to rally support for each one. So what end do you seek?
Today, while I was looking for information about the family, I found more examples of the madness that exists because of a law started by Adolf Hitler. Following the related articles led to a British case which chafed my hide because I was a homeschooled scholastic chess champ. (You have to scroll a ways down to see the listings.)
So what are we going for? As homeschoolers who face a potentially hostile environment, we may not have the same focal points. Some may want the end of mandatory attendance laws, which have not shown that they are worth the costs. Others are more concerned about getting a constitutional amendment to protect parental rights. Still others want to fight laws which demand a lot from homeschooling families just to prove the kids aren't truant.
What may be required is looking at what stands in the way of each goal, and how to rally support for each one. So what end do you seek?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Costs of not Being Proactive? (Review of "Entre les murs")
Last Sunday, I went with two co-workers to the movies after out shifts ended. One suggested we go see a movie which translates to "The Class" because she thought it was recently recommended to her. What we saw was a what seemed like a documentary of a French high school.
My friends, who attended high school together, were both uncomfortably reminded of their experiences. One commented that it was scary how alike schools are across national and language borders. I was thinking of the first high school that I would have attended, which looked like a prison from the outside - and most of the kids who came out looked like they belonged. Now, only a few of the kids I saw triggered that thought, but I was struck by how few acted like they cared about making something of themselves.
Aside from affirming that I will never be a high school teacher, this film made me think further on what might lead to actively learning. Some key points I found re-enforced:
I hope anyone who watched this film thinks harder about what is happening in their schools, and where the money is already going, before their elected representatives approve any new spending. We have a long way to go, but maybe a seemingly bleak picture can inspire new ideas and determined parents and teachers to break the mold.
My friends, who attended high school together, were both uncomfortably reminded of their experiences. One commented that it was scary how alike schools are across national and language borders. I was thinking of the first high school that I would have attended, which looked like a prison from the outside - and most of the kids who came out looked like they belonged. Now, only a few of the kids I saw triggered that thought, but I was struck by how few acted like they cared about making something of themselves.
Aside from affirming that I will never be a high school teacher, this film made me think further on what might lead to actively learning. Some key points I found re-enforced:
- Teaching must be modified to the student; one kid - who got expelled - seemed to need a different learning environment.
- Schools are not necessarily the best place for encouraging kids to become responsible.
- Parental involvement and (loving) encouragement makes a huge difference.
- Teachers cannot count on students listening or respecting them unless the parents have taught them to at least pay lip service toward following the rules.
- Teachers have too much to deal with academically already, and they don't need to endure what amounts to temper tantrums (aka, emotional growing pains).
I hope anyone who watched this film thinks harder about what is happening in their schools, and where the money is already going, before their elected representatives approve any new spending. We have a long way to go, but maybe a seemingly bleak picture can inspire new ideas and determined parents and teachers to break the mold.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Habit 1: Be Proactive - Accepting Responsibilty for Your Circumstances
Education is a hot topic. Whether you put it above or below the current economic situation depends on how you view the world. It also depends on how much you recall about US history - and whether you paid attention in economics class. My experience is that it's either the least taught subject or the least respected. If I had a say in education, microeconomics would be a required course because I found it encouraged an increased awareness of consequences.
Newton's 3rd law should remind us that everything we do has a consequence. I don't mean that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world affects the climate of another, but a simple fact: when we pick up one end of a stick, the other comes with it. The choices that have been made in education have brought us the system we have today. Here's the million dollar question: who made those choices? Parents? Teachers? Lobbyists? Politicians?
Habit 1 is, for me, acknowledging that I have the power to choose my own responses to whatever comes my way. It takes practice to overcome reactive habits, but where's the fun in letting someone else run my life? Yes, my parents had to take care of me because I started out dependent on them, but they spent my childhood teaching me to become aware of what's around me, to think before acting, and to be responsible. Steven Covey calls it "response-able", which I translate as being able to respond instead of react.
I think for most - if not all - homeschooling parents, the goal is to raise children to not be dependent on the beliefs and systems of people who don't know the children. One size does not fit all, and is enough for some parents. For my dad, it was the belief that school hinders one's ability to get an education (based on his relative experiences with college and high school), and a distrust of publicly-funded schools. Mom just looked at what I was doing compared with the kids in First Grade, and knew that learning at home was the best classroom for me; it was already working.
I doubt that there is any bigger proactive measure than saying things like the following: "I am responsible for making sure my child gets an education, not the teachers or "experts" or the State. I am in charge of ensuring that they will function as responsible members of society." If anyone thinks this is a daunting prospect, all that's required to start is loving to spend time with your children, and reading with them. Passing on a love of reading is a huge step in passing on a love of learning, and that's the beginning - of everything.
The starting point with Habit 1 is the recognition that we have the power to decide. If we think that we have to rely on others' changes before we can change, then we're in trouble. Isn't it more satisfying to act instead of being acted on? That's the basic method of homeschooling. I'll continue with Habit 1 within a week or two.
Newton's 3rd law should remind us that everything we do has a consequence. I don't mean that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world affects the climate of another, but a simple fact: when we pick up one end of a stick, the other comes with it. The choices that have been made in education have brought us the system we have today. Here's the million dollar question: who made those choices? Parents? Teachers? Lobbyists? Politicians?
Habit 1 is, for me, acknowledging that I have the power to choose my own responses to whatever comes my way. It takes practice to overcome reactive habits, but where's the fun in letting someone else run my life? Yes, my parents had to take care of me because I started out dependent on them, but they spent my childhood teaching me to become aware of what's around me, to think before acting, and to be responsible. Steven Covey calls it "response-able", which I translate as being able to respond instead of react.
I think for most - if not all - homeschooling parents, the goal is to raise children to not be dependent on the beliefs and systems of people who don't know the children. One size does not fit all, and is enough for some parents. For my dad, it was the belief that school hinders one's ability to get an education (based on his relative experiences with college and high school), and a distrust of publicly-funded schools. Mom just looked at what I was doing compared with the kids in First Grade, and knew that learning at home was the best classroom for me; it was already working.
I doubt that there is any bigger proactive measure than saying things like the following: "I am responsible for making sure my child gets an education, not the teachers or "experts" or the State. I am in charge of ensuring that they will function as responsible members of society." If anyone thinks this is a daunting prospect, all that's required to start is loving to spend time with your children, and reading with them. Passing on a love of reading is a huge step in passing on a love of learning, and that's the beginning - of everything.
The starting point with Habit 1 is the recognition that we have the power to decide. If we think that we have to rely on others' changes before we can change, then we're in trouble. Isn't it more satisfying to act instead of being acted on? That's the basic method of homeschooling. I'll continue with Habit 1 within a week or two.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Update
With the new year, I have an ungoing project of exploring how The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are applicable to my life. Then it dawned on me that I should explore how they apply to each of the four subjects I'm blogging about. (The other three are yoga, responsible liberty, and writing.)
Applying the 7 Habits fits well with handling concerns about homeschooling and education in general, which I feel is ultra important these days. I will start with Habit 1 as soon as I feel I have a finished post.
Applying the 7 Habits fits well with handling concerns about homeschooling and education in general, which I feel is ultra important these days. I will start with Habit 1 as soon as I feel I have a finished post.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
The Ego and Learning/Studying
In a teacher training class for Level 2 Hatha yoga, we talked about mental blocks and how the ego gets in the way of teaching. If you go in with a set idea of how things will go, then you will never see what is really happening with your students and with the class as a whole. One of our teachers is also a physical therapist, and he reminded us that neural pathways are formed through repetition. These patterns might not be serving you well.
The problem is letting judgment get in the way. "What you resist persists." This comment hit home with me. Well, maybe some things you can focus on something else to let go of the original problem, but depending on what it is, you might not let go of dependence in general. What I am seeing is the challenge of not thinking in polarity; the labels "good" and "bad" are judgment calls and carry potential for creating blinders to reality. What helps is recognizing when something works for you, and then letting go of what doesn't work for you.
Is it easy? Hardly. We resist change, even for the better and sometimes even when we know we have to. My challenge is to not work on too many things at once. One or two small things at a time is plenty, and to accept when you slip and simply get back on track by starting over.
This reminded me of a decade ago in scholastic chess tournaments. I had a lot of emotions invested in the game, which made losing harder to handle. My dad sometimes made me shoot hoops for at least 30 minutes after a loss; physical activity often helped shed the stress. I don't remember how I got to the point where I was calm until the tournament was over and then did I let my emotions have free reign. (Of course, it was my first tournament win.) Emotions help us make decisions, but attaching too much to them is where we slip up.
I see a similar problem in learning. If we assume something must be done in a particular way or on a particular timeline, then I feel that we increase our mistakes and make the work harder than it has to be. And a lot less enjoyable. Who says that having fun means not thinking?
The problem is letting judgment get in the way. "What you resist persists." This comment hit home with me. Well, maybe some things you can focus on something else to let go of the original problem, but depending on what it is, you might not let go of dependence in general. What I am seeing is the challenge of not thinking in polarity; the labels "good" and "bad" are judgment calls and carry potential for creating blinders to reality. What helps is recognizing when something works for you, and then letting go of what doesn't work for you.
Is it easy? Hardly. We resist change, even for the better and sometimes even when we know we have to. My challenge is to not work on too many things at once. One or two small things at a time is plenty, and to accept when you slip and simply get back on track by starting over.
This reminded me of a decade ago in scholastic chess tournaments. I had a lot of emotions invested in the game, which made losing harder to handle. My dad sometimes made me shoot hoops for at least 30 minutes after a loss; physical activity often helped shed the stress. I don't remember how I got to the point where I was calm until the tournament was over and then did I let my emotions have free reign. (Of course, it was my first tournament win.) Emotions help us make decisions, but attaching too much to them is where we slip up.
I see a similar problem in learning. If we assume something must be done in a particular way or on a particular timeline, then I feel that we increase our mistakes and make the work harder than it has to be. And a lot less enjoyable. Who says that having fun means not thinking?
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The library: the friend of everyone
You save lots of money going to the library to find books. Sure, maybe exactly what you want won't be there, but there should be something useful. And any costs will repay themselves if you borrow a lot. I started using them when I wanted to check out various "sequels" to Jane Austen novels without spending my money. (Some of them were awful, I confess.) It meant being exposed to a variety of writing styles, which I think influenced my own writing style - if only in knowing what to not do.
I certainly used the main library of UT-Austin for my various research projects. (I recall a few security guards who asked if I was okay when I had several large books in my arms - which I was carrying because my backpack was already full. So it helps to not borrow too many at once.) Having a university library handy is invaluable, and a boost to any homeschooler's education. If you are an alum of that school, then access might be free.
But how good is your library? The only way to know is to check it out, and find ways of accessing online libraries to expand your potential resources. There is a website with library rankings from 2006, HAPLR, but I found its explanation confusing. Of course, few can understand an unfamiliar system after reading about it once. If you find other ways of ranking libraries, or have ideas for rating them, I'd love to hear them.
And how do I consider the libraries around me? Well, the Austin Public Library system has a decent annual book sale, and I found copies of some of Winston Churchill's books there. (I think I floored one fellow buyer by grabbing an entire set of the books on World War II; he wasn't expecting a female teenager to be interested in military history.) One of my professors gave the library a bad rap, but I understand he is used to an excellent library from his old home area. I can give the UT Library system a high grade for selection, online resources, and helpful staff. The Law Library is also well-stocked, and has a knowledgeable staff. (It's separate from the regular library system, so I think I can only look now; I don't think graduates can borrow from there.)
I certainly used the main library of UT-Austin for my various research projects. (I recall a few security guards who asked if I was okay when I had several large books in my arms - which I was carrying because my backpack was already full. So it helps to not borrow too many at once.) Having a university library handy is invaluable, and a boost to any homeschooler's education. If you are an alum of that school, then access might be free.
But how good is your library? The only way to know is to check it out, and find ways of accessing online libraries to expand your potential resources. There is a website with library rankings from 2006, HAPLR, but I found its explanation confusing. Of course, few can understand an unfamiliar system after reading about it once. If you find other ways of ranking libraries, or have ideas for rating them, I'd love to hear them.
And how do I consider the libraries around me? Well, the Austin Public Library system has a decent annual book sale, and I found copies of some of Winston Churchill's books there. (I think I floored one fellow buyer by grabbing an entire set of the books on World War II; he wasn't expecting a female teenager to be interested in military history.) One of my professors gave the library a bad rap, but I understand he is used to an excellent library from his old home area. I can give the UT Library system a high grade for selection, online resources, and helpful staff. The Law Library is also well-stocked, and has a knowledgeable staff. (It's separate from the regular library system, so I think I can only look now; I don't think graduates can borrow from there.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
