Subjects & Unschooling

Today I received a message from a reader about how to work and unschool as well as address nervousness around subjects. Below is the question followed by my answer.

“I’m hoping you might be able to suggest possible ways a parent can work and unschool their own kids? My ex is nervous about ‘subjects’ he doesn’t know well like Math but I feel maths is kinaesthetic and you learn it through music and movement and art and if you like you read and do more..play games etc

I really feel home school can be achieved to a high standard but I want to know how to do it so we aren’t exhausted as well (Co parenting the home schooling situation)
I want them to learn real things not just curriculum and I want to be well balanced at home and work, give them what I need.”

Answer…

Firstly, this brings me to think of the audio I have on my phone that I listen to on bluetooth in the car. It’s a talk by Dr John Demartini on How to Awaken Your Genius. It was specifically a talk he did for Parents relating to their children. So many parents worry about their children’s learning! I highly recommend diving deep into Dr Jogn Demartini, World Leading Human Behavioural Specialist!

He’s one of the MANY inspirations that I know lead me to the choice to home educate! I have devoured much of his content and there is a WEALTH of it! The talk discusses that MANY ways so many people don’t realise they are already immersed in a “subject”…such as Maths for example.

In fact maths was indeed an example he gave in the talk, sharing a story of a young boy / teenager, who had come along to a talk with his mother and counsellor! The young man was being labelled by his mother and counsellor as unmotivated, lazy etc. But only minutes into John’s response and they realised they had it all sincerely wrong!

This young man was “into” hockey! They “thought” he had no math skills! Just as one example! He wasn’t “interested”. ALL he wanted to do was stick his head in hockey mags and play hockey video games etc. See, there was an epic failure to communicate in this young man’s values on their part!

Dr John took this young man through a few simple questions about the game of hockey! He asked about the rink, the shape, the scores, the jersey player numbers, the money they earned, the goals, the geometry of the goals and angle of the puck and stick. The thing everyone failed to realise WAS…Hockey is ALL maths!

You know what…In my eyes, you can’t escape it! Maths is the language of the universe! It’s everywhere! If you don’t use a certain “prescribed” text on the “isolated subject” it does NOT mean you don’t get maths! It especially doe not mean you don’t use and apply it in your life! Which is kind of the WHLE point and purpose of it taught right?

So, THIS young man and his mother and counsellor, realised in just a few minutes, that HE had a strong desire to do “math” when he realised what an edge it would give him in “hockey”. He was a hockey nerd! An avid learner! Being judged! Labeled! He was intelligent, but people around him failed to understand that and see it! THAT”S the problem with society and the schooling system!

To touch on your other questions, see they say an hour or two of home education or “school” is equivalent to a WHOLE day of school! WHY? That’s easy for me. In a class…your 1-30 where at home your 1-1 or 1-3 or however many children you have. BUT…the big difference is…you KNOW your child! You speak their language and not only can you read their body language BUT you can see it, because it’s not lost in the crowd. It’s right there in front of you!

How not to get exhausted and home / unschool? If you consider that you give a couple of hours and your children get their whole day of school done…then that should ease your mind:) It’s learning through life! The way I see it, impart the wisdom you WANT your children to have…and it will light YOU up too! As an example…I LOVE teaching my children about self sustainability and growing food.

All I do I simply talk about it and learn about it WITH them! It’s that easy to me! Learn WITH your children! If you or your children’s other parent considers a certain subject like maths their weakness as such…then look at how you can learn it and apply it to real life, along with your children. Make it fun! That’s how it’s supposed to be…because it won’t be true learning otherwise.

I wrote about “Maths and Science” in a previous blog which I feel you might like reading. I agree that there are SO many ways you can learn maths, for example. On the subject of working AND unschooling…again, work is a part of life, so your children learn THROUGH you working! If you can offer anyone in your trusted circle a trade for caring for your child/ren, WHILE you work, then I feel that’s the best way to be able to manage doing what you love AND unschooling.

If you can arrange work around certain people who can be with your child/ren, then absolutely do that. Also, just go with the flow. When your child is busy, don’t interrupt them! Get to work when you have the opportunity. It’s how I personally survive. I give myself permission to do this because when I finish work and they finish play…we are COMPLETELY together! It’s real and whole hearted! Because I’m not “elsewhere”… I’m done!

I hope this offers some food for thought. I’m SO grateful you wrote to me! I see this as a beautiful opportunity for me to open my heart and live in MY values! Talking about what one loves is the greatest gift! So thank you Tammy!