unSchool the begaining

beginning
ok, I'm going to do it!
...I think, if I'm brave enough ;)
I've been feeling the tug for years, but recently the whisper has turned in to a shout. So, I have prayerfully made the decision to try unschooling my children, kind of...
I have been homeschooling (to many types to count) since I was in third grade, now my oldest is starting high school... I don't want anyone doing the math but that gives me 18+ years.
The way that worked the best for me, I mean that I learned the most and retained the best, was unschooling... only they didn't call it unschooling back then, if I remember right I think they called it neglect...
My oldest is a descent student, although he refuses to spell correctly and his handwriting truly is like chicken scratch, he is bored with school. He has no desire to learn about his school subjects. I would really like to find things that spark his interest.
My 7th grader is different though, she is like me ...it drives me CRAZY... she gets distracted after just a few minutes. She needs a full post (or lots more) to describe her... at this point I need a whole new way of thinking, not just *out of the box* never been in a box is more like it. I'm going to try to get her more opportunities to unschool. I think she will be my most successful unschooler. I am going to start with a math program called Life of Fred, it is a totally different approach to math.

for sample pages:
http://www.stanleyschmidt.com/FredGauss/31samplepages.html

I am also planning to do this course myself, I hope to be able to go through the whole series to the college level work :)

My second grader is my humbler, my challenger,... he'll need his own set of blogs ;) in a lot of ways he is still doing kindergarten work, but I see jumps and sparks in him and have faith that he will do wonderfully.

AND this year I'll have a new school student, my fresh kindergartener, he isn't interested in school at all. I wonder if the baby will learn to read before him. I'll have to be careful not to spoil any love of learning I can eek out of him.

so it begins... I'll keep you posted on my failures (and hopefully my successes)


Changing Education Paradigms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
This animate was adapted from a talk given at the RSA by Sir Ken Robinson, world-renowned education and creativity expert and recipient of the RSA's Benjamin Franklin award

Stand Up For Freedom

This is a complete (long) recording of Ezra Taft Benson in 1966 and is as relevant as the morning paper (or blog)

"I think it is time for every patriotic American to join with neighbors to study the Constitution and the Conspiracy. Subscribe to several good patriotic magazines such as AMERICAN OPINION. Buy a few basic books, such as MASTERS OF DECIET and A STUDY OF COMMUNISM by J. Edgar Hoover; THE NAKED COMMUNIST by Cleon Skousen, recommended by President David O. McKay, in the General Conference of the Church, October 1959; YOU CAN TRUST THE COMMUNISTS by Dr. Fred Schwartz, and so on. And then prepare to do some independent thinking. And remember that the organized who have a plan and are dedicated though they be few, will always defeat the many who are not organized and who lack plans and dedication. The communists know this and have proven it. Isn’t it about time that most Americans realize it too?

In conclusion may I say that one of our most serious problems is the inferiority complex which people feel when they are not informed and unorganized. They dare not make a decision on these vital issues. They let other people think for them. They stumble around in the middle of the road trying to avoid being “controversial” and get hit by traffic going both ways.

To the patriots I say this: Take that long eternal look. Stand up for freedom no matter what the cost.
It can help to save your soul – and maybe your country."

{Ezra Taft Benson. Stand Up For Freedom. Assembly Hall at Temple Square, Feb 11, 1966. Given to The Utah Forum for the American Idea}

Audio Books for Kids on YouTube

When the kids are doing their jobs they like to listen to books on tape (or cd) we have slowly acquired a few, but they are rather expensive. Some of our favorites are Harry Potter.
I have found that there are audiobooks on youtube.com
so far we have listen to:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (I love Jim Dale)
Percy Jackson and The Sea of Monsters
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Percy Jackson & The Titan's Curse
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone (the reader on this one is Stephen Fry)




We plan to find more treasures :)

*glimpse*

today, I watched the sunrise through windows with tiny finger smudges, softly singing "...I hear in my mind all this music and it breaks my heart..." (Fidelity by Regina Spektor) wearing my new knee-hi angora socks, my pants rolled up so I can see them "...and it breaks my ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha heart..." with my jean-pocket length hair twisted up into a big loose bun on the back of head "...just to break my own fall, just to break my fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fall..."

All About Our New Baby's Birth

Sorry, it's taken me so long to update you guys, but I have been busy ;)
She was born Aug.19, 2009
1:55 am
8 lb 6oz
20in long
head 13 ½in
We got home from Madelyn’s birthday party at ten. Rudy rubbed some “Labor Balm” that Renee had given us on my tummy before bed.

I fell asleep, not sure for how long. I was up & down to the bathroom. I knew I was in labor, but thought we might not need to call the midwives till morning. Most of the contractions were pretty intense, but not all. I was feeling really tired and was wishing for some sleep instead of laboring all night, after a particularly hard bathroom trip I laid down and told myself I was just going to go to sleep then finish when I woke up the next morning, over and over… I started to believe it as I laid there with no contraction for about 5 minutes (the longest I had gone for awhile) then a monster of a contraction hit me, I was unprepared and not in a good position, after that I tried to get up but another one hit as I started to move, then another when I tried again but this time there was fluid dripping down my leg so I made myself get to the bathroom. I figured the baby had kicked my bladder during that contraction and didn't think much of it. Had a few more strong contractions and in the bathroom cleaned myself up. I had turned the light on this time so when I came back to bed Rudy asked if everything was OK? I said it was fine I had just peed the bed a little. I’m not sure if I ever made it back to bed. After a few more major contractions I started to feel like I needed to throw-up, then I couldn't stop shaking. I thought this feels like transition, but it couldn't be not so soon… plus with my first I had signs of being in transition but an hour later when I had gotten to the hospital I was only at 5 cm.

Rudy came into the bathroom to check on me. He asked how I was, I asked him to get me something to throw-up into. I could tell by the look on his face, he was thinking *All right, we’re going to have a baby!* We were both thinking we would call the midwives in the morning.

The contractions were quite overwhelming, I knew I needed to get them under control if I was going to do this for another 10 to 24 hours. I asked Rudy to start the shower, thinking the warm water would help. When I got in the shower the contraction were coming so fast that I barely had time to turn around in the shower before the next one would hit. After a little bit I thought we should call the midwives… but I was too distracted whenever Rudy came in the bathroom to tell him. I didn't know it at the time but he was on the computer trying to find a page I had pulled up for him a few days before a "dad's cheat sheet" for recognizing different stages of labor and what to do in them.

At one point in the shower it was like I could feel each drop of water hitting my back, it did not feel good. I turned off the water. With the next contraction I went down into more of a squat and (UHHH) felt myself start to push. Rudy came in, I told him he might want to call the midwives. I told him where to find the number. (1:50 am) I heard him talking to Jen (our midwife). I felt my water break, and said “My water just broke!” I don’t think anyone heard me. I could feel a lot of presser. Jen could hear me in the background and told Rudy to get ready to have a baby because it didn't sound like they were going to make it, they live more than an hour away. Rudy hung up the phone and turned his attention toward me. I told him the head was coming I don’t think he believed me, or I don’t think he had really come to grips with what was happening. After the next push I asked if the head was out, Rudy looked and was surprised to see that it was. I flipped over and went in to a reclining sitting position. I checked for the cord, but I couldn't tell. Rudy reached down like he was going to check, I told him to Get His Big Man Hands Away From Me!! I pushed for the next two contractions but nothing happened, her head was turning blue I was going over my different options in my head; I decided hands & knees were my best bet. As I was going to flip over she started kicking within me bringing on contractions too strong for me to move through, I tried again so did she. I think she was scared. I finally succeeded in flipping over. I told Rudy to pull, he did so gently, I pushed and out she came. Her little body flopped into the tub all limp and blue. I sat down and scooped her up. She wasn't breathing. I gently sucked out her mouth/nose. I rubbed her thickly vernix covered back. She made little congested baby noises. But still looked blue to me, then I noticed her body was pinking up, now it was just her face and head that were blue. She was bruised from her fast entry and her head being out had broken many of the blood vessels in her face. I offered her my breast and she suckled some.

Noah (my 2yo) had been awoken by all the commotion and came in as I was getting on my hands & knees, so he got to see the baby come out. I told Rudy to call the midwives back, (1:58 am) Jen was in her driveway. Then Rudy woke up the kids, they were very excited. Within half an hour I had passed the placenta into a bowl and went to lie down in bed. After I was in bed I realized that we hadn't actually checked to see that she was a girl... so I let the kids check, and what do ya know, mom was right! It's a girl!

The midwives got there a little after 3 am. When they checked me they found I had torn, they offered me a stitch I said that's OK, no need. They checked out my baby and found her to be perfect.