Hi, I'm an unschooling Mom of 3. My family and I live in China. Becoming an unschooler has been a real journey for us. My kids and I are still learning to walk this road together but there's a lot less stress and a lot more laughter these days. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Tue, 13 Nov 2007 04:38:00 -0600 Tue, 13 Nov 2007 04:38:00 -0600 Ni hao!  I'ts been a long time since I've written.  I'm hoping (fingers crossed) to be a bit more consistent about that.  However with American Thanksgiving coming up not to mention Christmas, my husband's birthday, my daughter's birthday, my son-in-law's birthday all coming within just over the next two months, well....I make no promises. I began with my blog with a Chinese greeting.  This is the language I'm trying to learn.  I'm sure most people know that this is a very, very challenging language to learn.  We've lived in China for more than 2 years and to this point most of the Chinese I've learned has simply come from daily life.  Much  like a toddler who is simply immersed in the language of his family.  I've gained some vocabulary even if my pronunciation isn't always all that! Now that my oldest daughter has graduated, my second daughter needs next to no supervision and I essentially have only one child I really have to focus on I've decided it's time to go to the next level in my Chinese study. As I try to balance my day I find that this effort has an impact on our life of learning.  My children get to see me showing diligence (most of the time) as I spend time making myself flashcards, writing out conversations and checking the grammar and listening to audio lessons.  They see when I do well and when I have to push myself when I don't feel like it.  This is good, modelling the delight and discipline of learning. I also have regained empathy for their struggles with difficult subjects.  As most of you know we have a very free flowing style of schooling, although this year it has been a bit more structured for ds.  This way of learning has been great for us.  But I know there are times when it seems to be more discipline and not much delight.  This has been good for us all.  My children get to see first hand that it's not "do as I say not as I do" but we walk out the convictions and philosophies we've talked about. Homeschooling has also been a help to my studies.  After years of preparing Unit Studies, teaching my children to write goals, and pull a learning opportunity from an unexpected moment, I am well trained  to design a course of study that will help me gain the fluency I desire. In the meantime, well, I was able to go to the stationary store today and buy some big sheets of white paper using only Chinese.  It may not sound like much, but it is progress! doulos http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/425989/ Tue, 13 Nov 2007 04:38:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/425989/ For all you wonderful friends who check back in from time to time and wondered if perhaps I lost my battle with cancer, no I'm here, alive and kicking.  It did take over my life for a while as you can imagine.  But we are now back home in China, although in a new city and are happily getting back to life as "normal". But that is not the topic of this entry.  Anyone who has read this blog before knows how UNtextbooky I tend to be in my approach.  I'm not ANTI textbook, we still use them on occasion, but as I may have said before "the book is my servant not my master".  But I DID kind of go text booky as we got started this year.  The reason was all the transition we were in.  Last  year (during my chemo and radiation) I didn't homeschool at all.  My very good friend runs a small one room school house and the kids went there.  As we prepared to move back to China we were on the road a lot and weren't able to do the projects and studes and so on that we normally do.  To be very honest, it was just easier to hand a book to ds (13yo) and say "please do this page".  I was kind of concerned about the shape of things, I wasn't sure if this was good? bad? What?  Well, now that we are settled in and finding our routine I can see I needn't have worried.  We just can't get very far in any book without getting sidetracked by something interesting.  We brought a science and history text book back with us (at ds's insistence) and he has been reading one or both of them almost everyday and doing the questions at the end of the chapter.  The writing was at MY insistence because we are concentrating on good writing this year.  Well, first we hit a section in the science book about the different systems of the body, PAUSE......now we are designing a lapbook around that topic.  Lots of fun.  THEN he found a section in the history book that mentioned some of the Caesars PAUSE.....up goes a homemade wall chart to write a timeline of the different rulers of Rome and the time they lived.  There's also talk of a salt dough map of Rome during the time period of his choice (as yet to be determined) more fun. So much for getting a certain chapter done or a certain book finished by this tme or that.  There are just too many way cool things to discover and make and do.  I guess this goes back to the book being the servant.  Here it has served as a springboard to launch us into something all its own rather than corral us and keep us from the adventure of true learning.. So don't be afraid, go ahead.....get sidetracked!   doulos http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/400573/ Mon, 1 Oct 2007 05:36:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/400573/ It's been a very long time since I've writen, I believe my last one was way back in March.  At that time we were preparing to leave China for a summer visit to friends and family in the US.  With all that going on I didn't take the time to write.   Since we returned at the end of May much has changed in our lives.  Just weeks after we returned I was diagnosed with cancer.  This was, to say the least, a suprise to us.  Our original return to China was planned for mid-September, but our plans are taking a bit of a detour now.   Just yesterday I had surgery (explains why I have time to sit in front of the computer today!:) and had a lump and some lymph nodes removed.  Next month some time I start chemo therapy.   My oldest dd, 18, is finished with school and is getting ready to get settled on her own.  My second dd, 16, is going to be attendeing a "one room school house" set up, I did this for her sake as well as my own.  With chemo I just didn't know how I'd do and she is really looking forward to the new situation.  It is a good common ground for both of us, giving her more interaction and structure and giving me the knowledge that my philosophies and convictions about the way we school will be respected and honored.   I still plan to homeschool my youngest, ds, 12 we will just play that by ear and see how it goes.  But in the midst of all this I'm learning so much about the goodness of God and finding grace to deal with it all.   Blessings doulos http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/174439/ Fri, 28 Jul 2006 12:07:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/174439/ Ok, so we live in China.  This is not news to anyone who has read this blog.  So what does my son want to learn?  Spanish!    This is kind of funny, but not really new.  EJ has really taken to learning Chinese, not only learning mandarin but the local dialect as well.  She started just by making friends and hanging out with Chinese friends.  She did very well, just doing this, but she went up a step and set up classes for herself with a Chinese teacher and works quite diligently at it.   Along comes ED, does she want to learn Chinese?  Oh no, for her it's Italian.  Which she studied for a while with a friend and some language software we were able to pick up.   For S it's Spanish.  Not too long ago, I was gently trying to encourage him to work on Chinese.  Pointing out the many benefits of actually being able to speak the language of the country you live in.  I finished up my discourse with "Wouldn't it be  cool to learn another language?"  His response:  "Well, Spanish is another language."    Ok, uncle, I give.  Chinese is tough enough to learn when you WANT to.  I don't see much chance if you aren't even interested.  Actually I still haven't quite given up, he's only 11, there may come a time when he feels differently.  And I still sneak in things, like talking to him in Chinese (what little I've managed to pick up) and helping him figure out what I"m saying.   But for now it's the Spanish-English dictionary, online spanish lessons, printable calender with spanish words.    I guess the whole point of this is for me to learn to think outside the box.  Do it differently, I never know where this will lead but I'm looking forward to finding out.   doulos http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/108836/ Wed, 29 Mar 2006 20:19:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/108836/ First of all let me say, I'm not all that crazy about the movie.  My husband and kids love it, but it is just not my kind of show.  However, I did pick up one thing.   When I first began homeschooling I was scared to death of not doing a good job.  I mean, these were my kids and I wanted to make sure I really did the best for them.  Since homeschooling was a brand new thing for me I went to the only homeschooler I knew and said "Tell me how to do this".  Normally, I tend to have clear opinions and ideas of my own, but here I was very unsure of myself.  So (because these were the people I learned from) I was very structured in the beginning.  Workbooks, desks, clock, chalkboard.  That's all I knew and all I was being told by the people I was looking to.    After a while I began to read other books and articles.  They talked about a more natural lifestyle of learning.  I found a few friends who learned with their kids in this way, it looked fascinating, appealing, wonderful.  And it was.    My structured friends were worried that I was being "deceived" by doing my portfolio differently (state requirement) reflected the more relaxed way.  When I thought of doing Unit Studies they said "go ahead, get it out of your system"   As we continued our homeschooling journey we became more and more relaxed.  I read lots of books on unschooling.  Picked peoples brains, branched out, tried new things.  Again, a very good thing.   But there are those in the unschooling camp who are every bit as extreme as the ultra structured.  One says "you must have just the right curriculum" the other says "you must NEVER use a worksheet".  One says ALWAYS the other says NEVER.  Two examples too extreme.    So the pendelum swung the other way for a while.  All workbooks and suggestions I made were anathema.  It must always and forever be child initiated.   Now I've found MY place, not anyone else's.  I've learned that I can find what fits us, mixing elements and resources.  Do I sometimes nudge my kids to do things now?  Yes, but not to the point of frustration or tears.  Just getting them to try or taste something new.  S may start out not wanting to do some math with me and then we finish with "maybe I'll become a mathematician".  Do I scrap my plans if they find something they want read or pursue or make?  Yes, I do that too.  I'm learning that I don't have to have the approval of either side to be doing just what's right for my family.  The more I tried to force a philosophy or idea of someone else the more stress we had. The more I flow with what's fitting us, the more peace.   So now we use workbooks or not, writing assignments or not, movies or not.  According to what helps us best.   So, what did I learn from Napolean Dynomite?    "hey, Napolean, what are you going to do today?"   "Whatever I feel like, GOSH!!"   doulos   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/106506/ Sun, 26 Mar 2006 04:34:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/106506/ We had an interesting experience this week.  ED was eating a bowl of yoghurt.  She had added some Wheat Germ to it for more flavor.    As she was sitting there contentedly eating she started reading the label on the jar of wheat germ. Iin a minute she looked up and asked, "How is vitamin E and folic acid good for us?".  Apparently, wheat germ contains a lot of those nutrients.    ED got out one volume of a 3-volume set of  reference books we have (since I couldn't answer her question)  and looked up the section on health and nutrition.  Soon she was reading to me what this vitamin and that vitamin does.  Telling me which foods were rich in those particular vitamins.  There was a section on the affects of excess amounts of  specific vitamins.  Then it was on to how many calories were in various food.  How many calories different activities burned.  How long you'd have to walk to burn certatin foods.   By this time we had expanded, we had pulled out the Vegetarian cookbook and were finding out what benefits each fruit and vegetable contained.  Then the 2 books on herbs I had came out and we were looking those up as well.   Now EJ and been sucked in.  She and ED were huddled together leafing through cookbooks, which was good for you, which was not?  What can we make?   From this EJ decided to make a homemade coconut jello that she had found a recipe for.  The whole thing just snowballed, it was awesome.    I'm glad I didn't know the answer to ED's question.  I would have answered it and it would have probably been over.  But because I didn't it took on a life of it's own and we ALL learned much more than the benefits of Vitamin E and folic acid.    All from the back of a jar.    doulos http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/102205/ Fri, 17 Mar 2006 20:29:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/102205/ Get this, S, my 11 year old boy, who wants to grow up to be a Marine is reading Shakespeare.  On his own.  Because he wants to. Go figure.  I happen to have only two paperbacks of Shakespearean plays.  I have the ubiquitous (aren't you impressed ) Romeo and Juliet and Othello.  He decided this past weekend he wanted to learn about Shakespeare and picked up Romeo and Juliet to read (lots of good fighting scenes).  This seemed to pique ED's interest and she's been reading it on and off as well.  It's inspiring me to pick up Othello which I haven't read yet.    Now I know the language is tough to wade through and to be honest I don't know if he'll actually read it all the way through but I'm delighted that this was born out of his own interest.  We tried to watch a DVD of Romeo and Juliet today but the DVD was scuffed and it wouldn't work.  I'm going to see if I can scare up another copy.   Maybe this interest has surfaced because when S was about 3 or 4 we watched the movie Much Ado About Nothing.  The girls and I loved this movie and we still enjoy it today when we watch it.  The thing I remember about watching it back then was how he'd pick up a line and repeat it over and over.  He'd say (quoting) at the top of his lungs "YOU ARE AN A**".  I know that sounds bad but in old English that just meant "donkey" or "foolish".  Even children's books out of England like The Chronicles of Narnia and Wind of the Willows contain that word.  But hey, we didn't live in England so we managed to get him to stop saying that particular line.    I'm glad that S doesn't know that Shakespeare isn't "cool" or that it's "too hard" or it's "boring".  Sometimes I get those panic attacks of "are we doing enough" but today I think we're doing ok.   doulos http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/97076/ Thu, 9 Mar 2006 08:38:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/97076/ Hi everyone, yes I'm still alive although a bit embarrassed that I have neglected my blog for so long.  I have this funny guilt thing.,   I put something off, then I feel bad because I've neglected it and instead of dealing with it, I feel so bad that I avoid it more, neglecting it longer, which makes me feel worse, which makes me avoid to MORE, which makes me feel WORSE.  Absurd cycle.  So I plunked myself down and decided TODAY I would break the cycle.  Aren't you proud of me?   Updates, I've been reading everyone's comments on my last post, thanks guys it's nice to hear from others who are in the same boat or like what I have to say or feel like I've go an answer for them.  Don't know if I've got a true answer, but you can be sure I've got an opinion!!!!  And it takes very little coaxing to get me to SHARE IT!!   My husband and I just had our 20th anniversary!Ok, just kidding it's not like that!!!  More like MOST of the time.   This entry isn't going to be much about our learning, oh well.  Anyway, we had planned to go away for our anniversary, just a little overnight trip to a town not far away but really neat.  But weather, sickness and circumstances conspired against us.  We are still going just maybe next week or something.    So, at first I was a little disappointed.  I mean 20 years is a pretty cool thing, don't you think?  We wound up have a fairly ordinary day.  The exception being that I managed to pull off roast beef and scalloped potatoes for supper (in China that takes some planning!) and chocolate cake.    An ordinary day.  At the end of my "ordinary day" I took a look.  On my ordinary day S and I snuggled up and just read for a while.  He's reading "The Key to the Indian " to me and I'm reading "Black Ships Before Troy" and "Surviving the Applewhites" to him.  The girls focused on the things they are studying. EJ on GED prep book.  ED on Charlamagne research, she's finding him quite interesting. When I baked the chocolate cake and took it out of the pan it cracked.  But then my oldest complimented me on how calmly I took it.  We have a mutual friend who would have cracked herself if it had been her cake!    Really not an unusal day.  But my kids get along, I get along with them (MOST of the time), my husband I get along.  On our ordinary day we all were together and happy even when spending time on our various interests.  That those things in my life are ordinary and NOT unusual, makes it really, really special.     doulos http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/90096/ Fri, 24 Feb 2006 22:03:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/90096/ My oldest daughter just turned 18 . Ok, so I'm one of those nostalgic, emotional moms. I'll spare you the rememberances of her as a newborn.    We took a day trip to a town about an hour away called Yang Shua.  It has great western restraunts and really cool shops.  If the weather would have been a bit warmer we would have rented bikes.  Maybe we'll take another trip in a couple of months when the weather is more accomodating.   EJ got an email from Nana today wishing her a happy birthday.  She also told her that if she chose to go to a Jr. College near her, she'd help her get a car!  That was pretty exciting.  We spent much of the afternoon looking through the catalog for the school, I was drooling over courses *I* would take if I could.   As we were talking she started voicing some fears and concerns.  "I don't know if I want to do this" (Fine, you don't have to) "What if I fail" "I'm not very disciplined" etc, etc.  This kind of bothered me.  One thing I'd really like to instill in my kids is a good sense of confidence.  That they can take on these challenges.  Of course I said all the encouraging Mom things   She talked about all the choices she had.  How complicated it is when there are so many interests to choose from.  We talked about how great it was to HAVE so many choices.  I talked about the fact that she doesn't have to decide for her whole life RIGHT NOW.  That the things that I really would love to take classes in now, I wouldn't have even been interested in when I was 18.  We learn and change and grow.   As I voiced my concerns over feeling unsure of herself she said something that really helped me.  Paraphrased she said, "I'm sure a lot of people worry about failing when they go off and begin a new phase".  And I said, "you're right".  Don't we all feel this way from time to time?  This really put things in perspective for me.  I'm so busy trying to equip them for every contingency that sometimes I forget that she is going to feel the things that I and everyone else has felt and struggled with at one time or another.  That too is a part of this growing up thing.    Time to let her fly   doulos     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/64392/ Fri, 6 Jan 2006 04:01:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/64392/ "Remember that education is a matter of the heart, of which God is the sole master, and we will be unable to achieve anything unless God teaches us, and puts the key in our hands. Let us strive to make ourselves loved, and we will see the doors of many hearts open with great ease, and join with us in singing praises and blessing of Him who wished to make himself our model, our way, our example in everything, but especially in the education of the young."  Fr John Bosco.   I've seen the truth of this many times in our family.  When I let the Lord give me the key, things go well.  Following current wisdom seldom (if ever) acheives anything of value.     doulos   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/63966/ Thu, 5 Jan 2006 06:12:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/doulos/63966/