ADVENTURES OF THE CANADIAN FAMILY ROBINSON

Hard to believe, time has gone by so fast and our baby is growing up so quickly! Cedar is such an amazing, happy, loving little boy! He lights all of our lives up everyday!! Here he is..

We are often questioned about homeschooling, why we do it, what we teach the kids, why aren’t they sitting doing school work for x number of hours, are they reading yet etc etc. I often struggle to give an explanation that really sums it up to answer all the questions. We are so lucky in Canada to have programs that support child-lead learning such as Wondertree, which we are part of!
I came across a posting on a blog I read of another family that is hoping to begin roadschooling, she (mamazknitz) was happy for me to share her words on unschooling. Here is a link to their website!

http://mamazknitz.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/what-is-unschooling/

“I try to use unschooling and homeschooling interchangeably when I discuss it with friends. But, truth be told, they are very different. Most homeschooling styles (Classical, eclectic, curriculum-inspired (Waldorf, Montessori, Enki, Christian) are based in Parental control. Parents determine what is learned, how it is learned, and–in most cases–even when it is to be learned. As a former school teacher, I have seen several of these styles in action among very diverse student groups. I can say that in some cases, these styles work quite well for *some* students. However, for the majority of the students I have worked with, one style alone just wasn’t a good fit.

Kids are as different as snowflakes. Each child has a unique way of viewing the world, shaped partly by her/his DNA, but even more so by the environment (as well as everything that encompasses), and the individual experiences of the child. If I spent my time attempting to focus my children on specific activities developed by people who I’ve never met them, with the expectation that my kids would not only understand and apply these teachings, but also accept them as *the* teachings, I am essentially shaping my kids into whatever I believe they should be (according to someone *I* have never met) based on my belief that the style of homeschooling I chose was the best choice.

But, what happens when, down the road, as my child matures and begins to feel that strong pull toward autonomy, he comes to me with a desire to do things differently. Not only that, but he now wants to do things in quite the opposite way. Rather than having the structure of a guided curriculum, or the freedom of natural imaginary play, my child now wants to build a mud hut (not in my scheduled curriculum), or he wants to learn to read (he shouldn’t want to be doing that YET!!??–according what this guy wrote…). But, WAIT a second, that’s NOT in my “How to teach this way” book! What now?! Do I squelch his hopes for change? Do I work to dowse the fire that inspired this sudden change in him? Afterall, I have spent all of this time and money on a curriculum I believed was the best thing for him.

Well, that is how I came to unschool. For the most part. Fortunately, I never spent any money on materials. I was able to do some trial runs, so to speak, with free materials I found or was given. I observed, talked with, and listened to my children. What they have taught me about learning will forever guide me in this journey we are on together. Here is a short list of what I have learned from my two amazing kids:

1) Let us try things before you say No. Guide us, help us do it safely, but don’t assume we can’t.

2) Listen when we tell you we don’t understand. Don’t assume we’ll never understand, or that it is not worth trying to help us understand. We really do want to hear an explanation.

3) Try to hear us when we talk. Even when it is whiney, angry, or annoying. We are saying something. It may be hard to understand, but it is important to us.

4) Be open to trying new things. Don’t always make things the SAME way because that’s the way you’ve always done it. We might know a better, messier, more fun, crazier way to get the same result.

5) Love us no matter what we do/don’t do, can/can’t do, are successful/unsuccessful at.

There are lessons learned here every. single. day. They are sometimes joyful, but can also be frustrating, exciting, bewildering, surprising, grueling, tiring, frightening…Regardless of what we feel, you better believe that with every lesson, something is learned, reinforced, and/or perfected. It is ALL worth it.

Unschooling, to this family, is letting go of what schooling should be. It is letting go of what schooling was for Jeremy and I, and letting our kids follow their dreams, passions, desires as they are drawn to them. We are merely guides, facilitators on their journey. From the outside, we seem a lot like many other homeschooling families. But, spend a day with us. You’ll see the difference ”

THANKS for letting me share it
I just LOVE her 5 points of some of the things her kids have taught her, as these are on our list of things we learn each and everyday from our kids too. I am truly blessed to be the Mama of our 4 kids and to walk beside them as they learn ,change and grow everyday! Having this time together as a family when they are little is priceless! I wouldn’t trade it even for a 2500 square foot house

To all our friends and FamilyIn Love and Light

The Robinson Family

When Nana was out visiting we went on a homeschool field trip to the Calgary zoo. We had a blast!!

Sierra was thrilled there were some frogs on display since it is the ‘Year of the Frog’, her favorite by far was the Red Eyed Tree Frogs. We couldn’t get any frog picture because the room was darkened since they are nocturnal, but here is a pic of Sierra calling Nana a few days after the zoo to tell her she lost her top tooth

Ocean was very excited about going and could not wait to see the monkeys. The zoo even had a primate center full of different monkeys and apes! Ocean watched the gorillas for a very long time, she stood quietly and studied them! It was amazing to see her so in awe! There was also a monkey with a beard (White handed Gibbon) that she really enjoyed watching and she kept going back to that display! Curtis and I took turns reading all the displays to her so she could learn about the different types of monkeys, their habitats , what they eat etc.

Cedar’s favorite was the tank full of pirahana

Indigo LOVED the baby giraffe she said!

It was a wonderful way to spend our last day with Nana before she flew home, but we sure miss her lots and lots!