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Unschooling conversations

Just one typical unschooling conversation from our amusement park day. You do this too (whether you think of it as schooling, unschooling, life learning, or whatevering, or not). No need to classify every "subject" covered, but you could. I don't recommend it though, as you'd miss the point.

Lizzy: Let's ride Ricochet!
Matt: No, it says rick-o-chet.
Josh: No, you say rick-o-shay.
Matt: But it's spelled chet.
Lizzy: But in some languages et says ay.
Matt: Well let's ride it.
(Note: parents not needed)
Allen: We have to split up for this one.
Josh: Let's go 4 & 2.
Margie: [holds up 5 fingers]
Josh: I meant 3 & 2!
(No comment)
After riding. Josh: That was way better than it looked!
Allen: That was one of the scariest rides!
Margie: I was actually scared. Those hairpin turns were crazy!
Lizzy: And there were no rails so it looked like you'd fall right off the edge!
Allen: Felt like it too.
Josh: But you can't because [launches into a very long history of rollercoasters & the invention that allows those turns, plus a plethora of other related facts].
Margie: Where did you learn all that?
Josh: Ah, some documentary I watched, probably on the history channel. [Insert more facts]

That was just a moment I treasured in my heart as I watched our day unfold & was grateful for every bit of it. (As my friend Christine recently reminded me, I simply showed up & was amazed.)

There were many layers of amazement, but just pondering things the kids learn by riding rollercoasters is, well, amazing. I'd expect [and probably force feed them] physics, math, velocity, centripetal force, etc. But spelling? Foreign languages? An invention I didn't even know about? Those would not have made the lesson plans.

That was just one moment, there were so many today. You have them all the time I'm sure. You don't have to record them. You don't have to lead them. You don't even have to hear them! But if you do, treasure them. And trust that your kids are learning. They can't help it, that's the way God made them. Just show up and be amazed.

Comments

Momma Jorje said…
Just show up and be amazed.

Love it!
Mariza said…
I sometimes think that it's funny that some schools (private schools) they advertise saying "We teach children to be curious." That is the funniest thing! I cannot stop my girls from being curious. I think every child is curious! And because they are curious, they learn, the world is such a new place for them and it's so exciting. Everything is exciting!