Jayne J Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 I am hoping to find some sources to inspire me. I am following my own course of self study in various areas, and find that it can be very lonely--few people I know understand why I am bothering. So, where do you turn for inspiration, accountability, companionship? What blog, web site, group, organization, book or magazine (or whatever else) keeps you going when the going is tough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristin in Hawaii Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 I'm concentrating on French, art, and music, so it is a little different. My ways are rather pathetic sounding, but they work for me. I get help doing a better job of homeschooling here. In the process of homeschooling, I am learning some of the other subjects, ones that I didn't set out to become better educated in. For example, I am doing TWEM with my children, and will probably continue to do it on my own afterwards, but not necessarily as completely as described in the book. I find I now sort of automatically read in a more critical, assessing way now, having gone through TWEM background and questions a number of times. I find TWTM and TWEM inspiring. If I want to be inspired about literature and scholarship, I find reading Gaudy Night inspiring. Reading fiction in which the main characters are doing or being what I am trying get myself to do or be has always inspired me to try harder to change or educate myself. That is probably the main way I do it. Silly, but it works. I go to museums to inspire myself in science or art. I get inspiration to work on lanuages by going someplace where they speak different languages (the CC works LOL), and reading in the language, and the bilingual families list. I get art books or other sorts from the library. I find the library very inspiring. I listen to CDs to help jog me into working harder at music, or listen to friends playing, or sometimes get stuck doing something for church or a wedding or something, or I get together to play with friends. I find watching my mother inspires me to be more like her. I find working hard at something inspires me to continue to work hard at it. I like the results of disciplined study so much that I find it builds on itself. Then something will happen with the family or I'll get sick or something and lose momentum, but it comes back whenever I'm not too tired and busy. I've stopped worrying about how to make myself do something because I've found that if I have the energy and the time, I do study and learn happily. It is how to do it when I'm exhausted and distracted that is a problem, and it isn't that much of a problem because I probably shouldn't be doing it anyway under those circumstances; I should be doing my work of caring for my family. I hope you get lots of answers. I am interested in how other people go about persuading themselves to do the work of self-education. -Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 My involvement in the SCA inspires quite a bit of scholarship, actually. Other than that, I (and this is geeky) have started at the 001 section of the library and have pulled whatever books off the shelf look mildly interesting. In the fiction section, I'm up to BER and in the non-fiction I'm reading at the 042 section. Once the kids are sleeping through the night, I intend to start studying properly- grammar, WEM and maths. I'm not sure what I'll do for inspiration then. Maybe I won't do anything. My kids are only tots so I have plenty of time and can work according to my random bouts of inspiration. Maybe you'll feel better if you call yourself an "unschooler" ;) Maybe you should ask the mods for a sub board here or use the social group function so the self educators can discuss in depth, and post random comments and have someone appreciate it :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I am hoping to find some sources to inspire me. I am following my own course of self study in various areas, and find that it can be very lonely--few people I know understand why I am bothering. So, where do you turn for inspiration, accountability, companionship? What blog, web site, group, organization, book or magazine (or whatever else) keeps you going when the going is tough? For accountability it's the tiny pebble precariously balanced at the top of the proverbial educational mountain. As it falls and rolls into a snowball (think woman running downhill frantically ahead of snowball, screaming, and flailing my arms)I know I must re-learn some of these subjects to teach my ds or I will be buried in said snowball. For inspiration it's many things. This board is one, I love being around people with a desire to learn. I have learned a lot from many of the posters here. LCC (The Latin-Centered Curriculum) is another. It helped me outline a realistic plan for learning. Companionship is some ladies from this board and a few others. My son also encourages me. We have bonded over Greek mythology and he reminded me of a show on Odysseus the other day, we watched together. He also buys me role playing cards with Greek mythological figures on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 For accountability it's the tiny pebble precariously balanced at the top of the proverbial educational mountain. As it falls and rolls into a snowball (think woman running downhill frantically ahead of snowball, screaming, and flailing my arms)I know I must re-learn some of these subjects to teach my ds or I will be buried in said snowball. I am so tired, I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this picture. I have Chemistry to review still tonight as well as a lesson in Saxon Algebra II to do on my own so that I am ready to teach my dd at 7 am tomorrow morning. I will do this because I love my kids, because my ignorance annoys me to no end, and because people often tell me I can't or shouldn't. So I guess love and personal quirks keep me accountable. On the side - Paula, for some reason, I picture you stopping your frantic descent, turning around to face the snowball, blowing a curl out of your eye, maybe tossing the end of your cool-looking scarf back over your shoulder and stopping that sucker mid-roll with one finger and a whole lot of intelligence and humor. Uh, I guess you are also wearing a sweater with a big EL on the front, kind of like Superman. So that would cover the second point. There are several board members here whose insights, intelligence, experience, understanding and grace truly lend inspiration to my homeschooling days. What I have learned here the last few months has moved me far past my comfort zone and stretched my limits. It's also made me very tired. Good night, all. Sleep well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I am so tired, I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this picture. I have Chemistry to review still tonight as well as a lesson in Saxon Algebra II to do on my own so that I am ready to teach my dd at 7 am tomorrow morning. I will do this because I love my kids, because my ignorance annoys me to no end, and because people often tell me I can't or shouldn't. So I guess love and personal quirks keep me accountable. On the side - Paula, for some reason, I picture you stopping your frantic descent, turning around to face the snowball, blowing a curl out of your eye, maybe tossing the end of your cool-looking scarf back over your shoulder and stopping that sucker mid-roll with one finger and a whole lot of intelligence and humor. Uh, I guess you are also wearing a sweater with a big EL on the front, kind of like Superman. So that would cover the second point. There are several board members here whose insights, intelligence, experience, understanding and grace truly lend inspiration to my homeschooling days. What I have learned here the last few months has moved me far past my comfort zone and stretched my limits. It's also made me very tired. Good night, all. Sleep well. :blushing: Gosh, now you've made my day. Now I better get off the computer and get ready for school or I won't be able to stop that snowball. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Also the NYTimes, Newsweek, PBS, all inspire me. But it's in waves. :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in Central TX Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Not what, but who--my husband inspires me. He has great confidence in my ability to homeschool our boys through high school, and he's always ready to help when I'm tired or overwhelmed. Even though we are both college graduates, we work on our self-education together knowing that we missed the opportunity to really learn while we were rushing through our vocational training. Most nights we sit in the living room with a hot drink (tea or coffee) and read and study together from 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. My husband's support means a lot to me, and his faith in my ability motivates me when I lack self-confidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janice in NJ Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 not for companionship but for inspiration. Most definitely! :001_smile: http://www.teach12.com Peace, Janice Enjoy your little people Enjoy your journey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 few people I know understand why I am bothering. So, where do you turn for...companionship? This self-ed board. I read about what other people are doing, and I post occasionally about what I'm doing, and take courage from people's positive comments when I report what I'm doing. This is part of what keeps me going - knowing I can post here and will get encouragement. Oh, and I have a few different fellow "boardies" that I PM with sometimes, too, about these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 Wow. Thank you all for your responses. I guess I know my answer (a click your heels 3 times kind of a thing--you know, "you had the answer all along..." :D) Is there anything these boards can't do? It is good to be among friends. Maybe, just maybe, I will someday have the cool self-collection needed to turn and face the snowball... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicalpw Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I will fess up and say that I have a ton of books and lists of what I want to learn, and then some author comes out with another great novel or Jane Austen becons to me yet again.....How will I ever finish the life of Washington Vol 1??? Or even get to the Latin and Greek I want to learn. (Although I do have Italian CD's in my car) lol. I do learn a lot alongside my son but want so much more. How do I whittle it down to one thing and just finish it??? I know, I know...Make a priority list and start at #1. How do I figure out what is #1....I love it all and like it all and need none of it. Instead I start a lot of things and finish a few (over the years). My son has a lot of "logical" ideas but they cannot work for me and my mind. My son says that I am "special" but still loves me. Everything interests me equally it seems and everything leads to something else (of course before I finish it) Maybe couseling???lol Paula:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I sort of do this. To me, it is part of the joy of teaching myself - that I don't have to go in a straight line through things to the end, but can meander and linger and quit and begin again and be inspiration-driven and enjoy the process and not be goal-oriented. -Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted September 24, 2009 Author Share Posted September 24, 2009 I will fess up and say that I have a ton of books and lists of what I want to learn, and then some author comes out with another great novel or Jane Austen becons to me yet again.....How will I ever finish the life of Washington Vol 1??? Or even get to the Latin and Greek I want to learn. (Although I do have Italian CD's in my car) lol. I do learn a lot alongside my son but want so much more. How do I whittle it down to one thing and just finish it??? I know, I know...Make a priority list and start at #1. How do I figure out what is #1....I love it all and like it all and need none of it. Instead I start a lot of things and finish a few (over the years). My son has a lot of "logical" ideas but they cannot work for me and my mind. My son says that I am "special" but still loves me. Everything interests me equally it seems and everything leads to something else (of course before I finish it) Maybe couseling???lol Paula:lol: I wil also fess up and admit that I keep a special notebook full of all my various "Courses of Study." It changes of course, and so a new page is turned and a new list is started ( Item 1: Read every single classical Great Book in it's original language. Item 2: Learn Greek and Latin... Then for next week...) I think that a previous post really crystallized a few things for me--I shouldn't expect my kids to do it if I won't. I want to be able to stare down that snowball. Next year my ds will be starting Latin, and I darn well better set a good example this year, so he has no excuses. I guess I will have to become the paragon I want my child to be. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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