|
I'm astounded at how interested in maths Lewi is becoming. We have done no formal, school type maths at all. Following a natural learning style, we have just had fun with maths and been exposed to it in the everydays of life.
We have a few maths orientated games which we play as well as some maths manipulatives that Lewi gets out from time to time. Lately he's been enjoying the old cuissenaire rods. I've made up some matching cards to go with the rods which he also plays with. We sometimes play snap and other card games with them.
The other day Lewi said, as we were leisurely walking along:
"Mumma, are two threes plus one seven?" After picking my jaw up from the ground (so to speak!) I said, that they were.
He then said: "So, two fours plus one equals nine?" Again, I answered, yes that's right.
Quietly, inside myself, I felt excited. Knowing that his little brain was going through the process of working out maths concepts that seemed well above him (in a school sense). He was tackling concepts we'd never much discussed, well, not purposefully at least. Multiplication of this sort was usually for much older children. The teacher in me started rearing her head again.
A few days later Lewi was sitting on the verandah, mouthing something to himself. He then asked: "So, three fours are twelve?"
This was too much for me. I jumped up and down, excitedly asking how he works all these things out. I performed such a non-unschooling display. I excitedly yelled: "I can't believe you know how to work this stuff out. How do you do it? How did you work out how to do this? We've never discussed this, matey."
What a poor, poor example of natural learning guidence I showed. The schooly in me was just bursting. I wanted to ring someone up and tell them all about it (yes, I've felt this feeling before!).
Since then Lewi has shown me what he does and how he comes to the answers for multiplication. He has a few different ways of working it out. Sometimes he'll run out of fingers so he grabs a pen and paper and makes marks on the page to help him. I've shown him none of this. This has all totally come from him.
Natural learning, once again, at it's best!
Why do I continually feel so surprised at what goes on in our house, learning wise? Why do I, subconsciously doubt it all the time? Why can't I just accept that of course learning is happening, even the 'school type' stuff will be learnt in my child's own time?
Inside, I am jumping for joy that my child isn't going to miss out on the things that school kids get. Inside I am relieved that he will be able to read and write and do maths like the majority of the population. Theoretically (of the unschooling type)though, and deep within me (under the initial inside 'schooled' layer!) I shudder at these feelings. I don't want them. I want to be much more free about the learning that's occuring for Lewi. By that I mean that although he is free to learn whatever he likes and I don't structure his day at all, I don't think freely. I'm still caught up in the school way of things. I haven't properly deschooled myself. I need to. I desperately need to. The proof's in the pudding. My child is learning naturally at his own pace. He doesn't have to learn all that schooly stuff. He can learn more. He can learn less. He can learn other things that are of far greater importance. He is free to simply learn.
I need to deschool enough to contain myself and stop reacting to the amazing things that Lewi does, in my mind. They are not amazing to him. They are just facets from the puzzle of life that he is fitting together for himself. It's a miracle and it's a delight to watch but it's just life to him and I need to stand back and let him live it.
|
Comments
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by