Karen

Just Another Ordinary (Extraordinary) Day

Some days just seem so ordinary – but if we have eyes to see, the extraordinary will appear.

Miss 9 was awake watching television when I got up …

… She was also looking at a diary and last year’s calendar, and was using her new blue clipboard (a longed-for acquisition). She seemed deeply engrossed but slowly managed to raise her head from her paper world, and the questions began: “Mum, how do you spell February?” “Mum, how many days are in March?” Which naturally progressed to discussions about leap years, the history of calendars, and a little rhyme I learned as a child, to help with remembering how many days were in each month. Continue Reading

The Guide to UNsuccessful Strewing

During my years (yes, years!) of deschooling, as I journeyed towards really getting unschooling, I struggled with one main question:

HOW MUCH SHOULD I DO? HOW MUCH SHOULD I SUGGEST AND OFFER IDEAS AND ACTIVITIES?

I couldn’t get my head around it. I was learning to trust that my children would learn from living life, I was learning to set them free … but I wasn’t sure how much to “let them be,” and how much to suggest ideas for activities and outings, etc. How active should my role be? When I heard about the concept of “strewing” I realised I had found my answer! The problem was how I went about doing it. Continue Reading

Fun in the Sun with Mum

When I was a child, my two favourite schooldays were the first day of the year, when everything was new and shiny, and the last day of the year, when we were about to be set FREE for summer holidays! In between those two days, it certainly wasn’t all bad, but there sure was a lot of jumping through hoops (which can get very tiring, I have to say!) and going through the motions that had been chosen for me. And those motions and routines did not serve to switch on my brain any more than their cessation would serve to switch it off. The learning didn’t begin upon entering the school gate and cease upon departure. Continue Reading

Top Ten Truths About High School

Ah… High school! You are revered and reviled, admired and despised. A veritable force of nature in modern society, you have somehow convinced the masses that they cannot survive without you. A co-dependent relationship that at first appears mutually beneficial. And yet the movement of those who question you is growing and burgeoning into a force that will not be reckoned with…..

“Politically Correct” Disclaimer: To the amazing people who teach high school because of a deep passion for their subject area, and a deep love for teens, THANK YOU! Continue Reading

The Life of Jesus: Biblical Unschooling

There was once a bloke who knew just about everything there was to know about … well, everything! He liked to hang around with his mates having a yarn about stuff. They went fishing and boating together, he washed their stinky feet, spoke wisely, told stories, encouraged questions, fed the hungry, rested, cared for the destitute, and welcomed grotty kids. He loved sharing life with his mates and chatting as they walked along the road getting dust in their sandals. Continue Reading