Natural Learning, Chinlerest, Unschooling, Relaxed Learning, Lifelong Learning

Well ... this is one of those weeks where things are scarce, you wonder where time went and what went on.

 The boys have been having a great time with the neighbor kid ~ biking, his trampoline, in the woods, and just walking around the yards.

Monday

  was Pumpkin's computer class. While we were there, poor Fireball Coyote was drilled with three sheets of multiplication, double digit times a single digit,  by dad.  Fireball Coyote broke down and cried, twice.   I was told all this by dad, after I had just told him the other day he wasn't ready for that kind of stuff and prefers it all mentally.  (errrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Tuesday, we had a playdate at the park again with our new homeschooling friend and then on to Latin.  On the way home I asked Fireball Coyote how much was in two dozen.  He had asked "Max" to bring him two dozen of something, they were playing Pokemon at the park.  So, I was curious, after yesterdays evening 'disaster', how he'd respond to verbal math questions.  Fireball Coyote said that it would be 24 since there is 12 in a dozen and he asked for two.  I asked what other ways can we get 24?  He responded quickly with, "We could have 4 sets of 6."  "What else?" I ask.  He thought a moment and suggested eight, four times. I asked him if it worked and he realized it would be eight, three times to be 24.  I said, "You just did multiplication".  "Oh. Cool", was his reply.  There were no tears, no fighting, just talking and thinking. I have found the boys respond better and are more open to things/thoughts, if it is done casually, without pressure, out-of-the-blue, or if it is their idea that I build on.

This reminds me of one of my favorite sayings/quotes about gaps.

Do you worry about "gaps"?!

Things your children will miss? 

 All children have "gaps". 

 You have them too.

There is simply too much to learn; on one can master it all.

But if you love to learn and if you know how to

do research, you will want to fill those gaps when they 

come up - and you will know how to do so. 

You will be a lifelong learner.

I'm not sure where it came from or who said it, but I LOVE it! and have it on my frig.

This can be said of anyone.  The person who is changing jobs, not sure what to do with their life and tries everything, the person just laid-off and ready to move on and try something new, and the person who is just curious about anything and everything.  They love to learn and do so with many means; computer, friends, classes, experimenting and just "falling into it".  They are filling their "gaps" and making new ones, just like the "wrinkles" in our brain.

Everyone says, "Never stop learning".  For some this may be easier said than done, for multiple reasons: $$$, resources, self-esteem, pride, lack of information, transportation, etc.  However, if the desire and will are strong enough they will find away, at any age.

When you are learning a new skill would you prefer to do it at your pace, to take your time and mull thing over in your head?  Be able to experiment with the new information?  Repeat it several times until you are comfortable with it?  OR be told, "That's wrong. Do it this way."  "If you can't keep up we are moving on without you."  "You're falling behind."  "You're not smart enough."  "Try harder."  "You're not working up to you potential." and so on.

When you hear those negative things, you feel frustrated, belittled, you may feel 'dumb' and incompetent, you feel like you are trying, but need a bit more time/help. Are you more apt to move on and keep going or give up?

I had a American Sign Language teacher once say to the class, " If you are here to learn this because of a co-work is Deaf, a family member is Deaf, or need to for some for other reason, you will have a hard time. Because, you are putting pressure on yourself to learn it.  If you are here for the fun of it.  You will pick it up quickly, because you are relaxed."

When you are learning something on your own and you get frustrated, confused, or don't succeed, what do you do?  Do you quit and move on or try again?

If you went to school and failed at something were you willing to get back up and try again or walk away and never look back?  Ever go back and try again?  Did you fail or succeed?

When you tried something on your own, because you wanted to, and it failed. Did you try again, walk away and never look back OR walk away, have it roll around in your head, go back and try again?  Did you succeed or try & try & try again until you were satisfied or successful?

Henry Ford said, "Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently".

It is said that "quitters never win".  I saw somewhere (& believe) that quitters quit to step back, reevaluate the situation and make a new plan to succeed.

Many of us who were in school and failed, never tried again or looked back.  Many of us who tried things on our own and failed, have gone back and tried again at one time or another.  We are working to fill those gaps.  We have a desire to know and grow, because we want to.

Natural Learning = Chinlerest = Unschooling = Relaxed Learning = A Lifelong Learner  

You are free from stress, pressure to preform, and you remember it better from the great experience and fun you had learning it.  You are learning it because YOU want to, not because "it's what we are doing now" & "I say so".

What new information was the last thing you learned naturally?  A recipe by experimenting?  How something worked?  Something from a TV show?  A great conversation?  Tell me about it.