Tracy Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 We did math and spelling this morning. Then we started an art lesson. It was literature-based, so we started reading the book--Ashanti to Zulu, which is about African Traditions. For some reason, dd6 decided that she wanted to have a Ouajai market like in the book. So instead of art, science and history, I let her spend all afternoon turning my living room into a market. Right now, there is not a chair to sit on in the room, because they are all part of her "hut." She has a bunch of toy animals on one shelf, because she is selling meat. I gave her dried beans to sell. She cut ovals out of black construction paper for dates. She gathered all sorts of fabric and folded them up to sell. I know that this is what she is supposed to be doing at 6yo, but there is a very loud voice inside me saying, "But you didn't do your work!" I hate unschooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 You did fine. She's 6. She learns more by playing it out than by circling the right answers in a workbook. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Ok--so give her some coins and have her put prices on stuff, and then go shopping at her store. Have her add up your purchases, give her too much, and have her make change. Tell her you want 10 inches of fabric, and have her measure it out for you. Tomorrow, make some date nut bread-- Did you look up where the market is on a map or globe? Read an Anansi tale or other book for an extension tomorrow, and ask for a narration of her experience of her market. Write a couple sentences down of it, have her copy it for a notebook, and take a picture of the market. Pretend is a great way to incorporate aspects of a culture. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 We did math and spelling this morning. Then we started an art lesson. It was literature-based, so we started reading the book--Ashanti to Zulu, which is about African Traditions. For some reason, dd6 decided that she wanted to have a Ouajai market like in the book. So instead of art, science and history, I let her spend all afternoon turning my living room into a market. Right now, there is not a chair to sit on in the room, because they are all part of her "hut." She has a bunch of toy animals on one shelf, because she is selling meat. I gave her dried beans to sell. She cut ovals out of black construction paper for dates. She gathered all sorts of fabric and folded them up to sell. I know that this is what she is supposed to be doing at 6yo, but there is a very loud voice inside me saying, "But you didn't do your work!" I hate unschooling. Aww, you know ya done right. Mine always loved playing market no matter how it was structured (even better when they set it up). Go shopping, buy some things, she does the addition = math/economics Creating a market from a specific region with specific products = geography/social studies/history/economics She creates some of the products "from scratch" = art Take photos and make a poster, she labels the parts = writing, spelling,English Labels in another language too? = foreign language She helps make the poster = more art Don't be surprised if the market stays there for a few days. It's wonderful creative learning going on. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Yesterday we had a similar experience. I planned an elaborate two week course on writing. Day one was supposed to be about finding the creativity of words. Found the creative part, except ds spent over two hours working on his latest world in Minecraft. We did a rough draft and a scale copy on graph paper. He was excited, smiling (haven't seen enough of that lately), and engaged. Notice his age, 13. He thanked me numerous times for helping him and even again today. He wouldn't have remembered the writing I had planned for yesterday (we got to it today), but he will remember I took time for what was important to him. Your deviation was educational and sounds wonderful. I don't consider it unschooling, but simply being flexible with your schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 I think it sounds PERFECT!!! She learned about something and then went and spent the rest of the time acting it out, completely enjoying and reinforcing what you shared with her. These are the days that hs memories are made of, and the more you have of them, the better it will be to look back on! I am cracking up that she used stuffed animals for MEATl! :lol: Art? Science? History? You have years to do that. (And I'm thinking this was creative/artistic, and definitely has to do with history, at the very least, social studies.) I wish all of my kids' hs days could be this wonderful. Even now, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Ok--so give her some coins and have her put prices on stuff, and then go shopping at her store. Have her add up your purchases, give her too much, and have her make change. Tell her you want 10 inches of fabric, and have her measure it out for you. Tomorrow, make some date nut bread-- Did you look up where the market is on a map or globe? Read an Anansi tale or other book for an extension tomorrow, and ask for a narration of her experience of her market. Write a couple sentences down of it, have her copy it for a notebook, and take a picture of the market. Pretend is a great way to incorporate aspects of a culture. :D Aww, you know ya done right. Mine always loved playing market no matter how it was structured (even better when they set it up). Go shopping, buy some things, she does the addition = math/economics Creating a market from a specific region with specific products = geography/social studies/history/economics She creates some of the products "from scratch" = art Take photos and make a poster, she labels the parts = writing, spelling,English Labels in another language too? = foreign language She helps make the poster = more art Don't be surprised if the market stays there for a few days. It's wonderful creative learning going on. :001_smile: She actually knows her geography better than I do. The book had a map of the tribes without names of countries. I couldn't remember which country was Zambia and which was Zimbabwe, but she was able to tell me. You ladies are so creative. I could come up with the money/shopping idea, but I can never think of all that other stuff. Making a poster? Making date bread? Great ideas. Thanks so much for the encouragement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Sounds like a wonderful day! I always feel like I'm doing something right when our latest educational topic winds up in a pretend game. You increased her sense of wonder and interest in the world. That's exactly what education is supposed to be for. You should have seen my kids escaping from Mohenjo-Daro as invaders approached. Even the two year old. I can't wait until they sack Rome. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Wow, well done. I wouldn't call this unschooling. I would call this taking advantage of a natural excitement to capture the moment and enhance and extend learning. Why not go and buy some stuff from her market. Maybe that will salve your conscience about it being of not enough educational value (though I think it certainly was). FWIW, there are activities in the SOTW activity guide that aren't that different from this. My kids fondly remember when I made them "nomad bags" out of fake fur and fed them "nomad sandwiches" made of nut paste (PB) and honey with dried fruit (raisins) on the side. Sounds like an ideal homeschooling morning to me. (And I'm the last person who would be accused of being an unschooler.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prov31mama Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 What a creative daughter! I'm new to this kind of homeschooling also, and I love to hear about experiences like this! It's an inspiration for sure, and helps me to encourage my children (and myself) when we have educational opportunities like this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mejane Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I think it sounds PERFECT!!! Me, too. I wish we had had more days like that. My two still talk about when we had "Egypt Day", and it's been almost eight years. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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