Sunday, June 6, 2010

I'm a winner! Now what...

On a whim, I entered this contest to win a free unschooling consultation from Tara, the chick who writes The Organic Sister, who does this sort of thing to make some extra cash for her RVing, unschooling brood.

I wanted to win, but now that I've won I'm FREAKING OUT.

I know it's just a consultation and I know it's just a thirty minute phone call but I just don't know what to say or what questions to ask and I'm really hoping that she'll guide the discussion.  I'm bad at new people and I'm bad at phone calls and I'm not even sure this is really what I want to do - but I've been obsessed with it for the last year so I guess I should probably get a little more serious about thinking about what unschooling would mean for my family.

I know there are a lot of people who are totally against unschooling - who think that kids won't learn and it's just an excuse for parents to do nothing for their child.  I totally disagree.  We did try it awhile last summer and we realized that we didn't really have the means at the time to really do it.  To follow my son's interests and my daughters as far as they want to go...  e.g. Jonah wants a microscope to study bacteria.  Unschooling = you figure out a way to make that happen.

My biggest worry with unschooling is reading, I think.  Both my children are very interested in math and numbers and Michael is very capable of teaching them when their interests pique and they desire instruction.

My other issue is that Montessori is good.  It's working for Jonah - so do I change?

Maybe unschooling is what we'll do on the road. In fact, it would be PERFECT on the road - but then what happens when we find a place to settle down?  Do we keep doing it, or do we just cross that bridge when we come to it?

Also, I have never met a parent who unschools.  Or a child who is being or has been unschooled.  What if this whole amazing picture I have in my head isn't real?  What if it doesn't live up to my expectations?

Totally insane.

I am going totally insane.

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